This unit has limited access due to no available parking.
Campfires are restricted year-round on the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area.
The Whitstran Unit primarily provides fishing access to a popular fall chinook salmon fishery on the Yakima River. Some waterfowl hunting is available.
The Whitstran Unit is located 2 miles east of Prosser along the Yakima River in Benton County. The unit can be accessed off of a ditchbank road just south of the Chandler irrigation canal, off of Bunn Road.
The Whitstran Unit is located within the Lower Yakima River watershed in the Columbia Plateau. Surrounding lands are predominantly privately-owned agriculture.
This unit is part of the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 372
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Public facility information:
- Gravel parking area
- No restroom
Recreation and access advisories
- Daylight hours only.
Hunting
This unit offers some waterfowl hunting. Other opportunities include deer, waterfowl, Eurasian collared dove, mourning dove, quail, and small game.
Fishing
This property primarily provides fishing access on the Yakima River and popular fall chinook salmon fishery.
Wildlife viewing
This unit has Yakima River frontage and shrubsteppe and wetland habitat, offering opportunities to view waterfowl and other wildlife.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Conservation
This unit includes Yakima River frontage, shrubsteppe and wetland habitat.
Special habitats and species
The unit has components of resident and anadromous fish in the river. Rainbow trout are resident while spring and fall chinook salmon and steelhead trout are migratory.
Conservation goals
- Protect and enhance habitat for state and federal listed species
- Maintain and restore shrubsteppe, upland and floodplain habitat
The unit has components of resident and anadromous fish in the river. Rainbow trout are resident while spring and fall chinook salmon and steelhead trout are migratory.
- Protect and enhance habitat for state and federal listed species
- Maintain and restore shrubsteppe, upland and floodplain habitat
Land stewardship
The Whitstran Unit was acquired as mitigation for dams on the Snake River to provide public fishing access to the Yakima River.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased in 1993.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Private Grantor | Private Donation |
| US Army Corps of Engineers | Snake River Mitigation Account |
Management planning
2020 Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Management Plan
Every eight to 10 years, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments. In 2014, WDFW began the process of updating existing plans, many of which were written in 2006. The new plans are being developed with significant public participation and input.
Planning Advisory Committee
Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Advisory Committee