Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-10344742
When Umtanum reopens
Umtanum's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
2
Openings · last 90 days
2
Only 2 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 6 monitored sites
Of the 1,098 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 42 open for online reservation · 36 reserved · 1,020 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative).
Where the open windows are
96.2% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 42 of 1,098 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online96.2%
Open site-nights42 / 1,098
Reserved (of online inventory)36 / 78
Weekday openings30
Weekend openings12
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 30 fall on weekdays and 12 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027October shows no online availability. 0 of 186 tracked site-nights are open there — 186 on sites not offered online.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 6 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 0 | None open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no online availability on any tracked night. Christmas: no online availability on any tracked night. New Year: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| Site 01 | 11 |
| Site 02 | 9 |
| Site 06 | 8 |
| Site 03 | 7 |
| Site 04 | 5 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateSun · Sep 20
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
October0 of 186 · not offered online
The next bookable night is Sep 20; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
42 open site-nights across 6 sites at Umtanum, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 8 2-night, 8 3-night, 1 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 20 at site Site 01.
All 6 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site 01 | 20 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| Site 02 | 20 ft | None | 9 | 5 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| Site 06 | 20 ft | None | 8 | 4 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| Site 03 | 20 ft | None | 7 | 4 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| Site 04 | 20 ft | None | 5 | 3 nights | Sep 20, Sep 23, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| Site 05 | 20 ft | None | 2 | 1 night | Sep 20, Sep 27 |
About Umtanum
Overview
The gentle Yakima River winds for 27 miles through massive basalt cliffs and rolling desert hills between Ellensburg and Yakima, Washington. The Canyon offers excellent wildlife watching, plant viewing, fishing in a Blue Ribbon trout stream, family river rafting and camping.
The Bureau of Land Management administers over 9700 acres in the Yakima River Canyon area, including five developed river access sites. An overnight and day use fee is charged and reservations are accepted through www.recreation.gov, Campsites will only be held until checkout time (11am) the next day. If reservation holder doesn't show up by then, the site is released. Hookups and potable water are not provided. The recreation sites are open year-round, with the largest crowds filling the sites on hot summer weekends.
Recreation
The Yakima River Canyon is enjoyed all year, by people of all ages. Summers are crowded, with thousands of people floating the Yakima River. Visitors also enjoy camping, picnicking and motorized watercraft use in the half-mile long pool above Roza dam. During the quieter months of spring, fall and winter, popular activities include wildlife viewing, hiking, hunting and fishing.
Facilities
The Umtanum recreation site offers both overnight and day use amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, nearby dumpsters, vault toilets and a non-motorized river put in/takeout site. A wooden footbridge crosses the Yakima River at this site, providing the only pedestrian access point to the west side of the river within the Yakima River Canyon.
Natural Features
The gentle Yakima River winds for 27 miles through massive basalt cliffs and rolling desert hills in the Yakima River Canyon of central Washington. Formed from the slow carving of the Yakima River through the enormous folds (anticlines) in the otherwise nearly "flat" basalt layers of the Columbia Basin, the Yakima River Canyon shelters a range of habitats, making home to a diverse mixture of Eastern Washington flora and fauna.
Bighorn sheep, elk and mule deer can often be spotted on the river’s banks, and the canyon’s sheer cliffs and crevices are home to the state’s densest concentration of nesting hawks, eagles and falcons. Over 200 species of birds use the Yakima Canyon for breeding and nesting, as a migration route or a winter residence. A thriving "Blue Ribbon" trout stream, the Yakima is managed for quality catch and release trout fishing, and anglers share the water with summer floaters and rafters. Access to the various recreation sites and river access points is easy, as State Route 821 parallels the river. This was the first highway in Washington to be designated a State Scenic Byway in 1968, and today's visitors enjoy the same scenic beauty as experienced by Native American tribes and settlers to the area.
Nearby Attractions
The State Scenic Byway of Highway 821 follows the Yakima River through the canyon running between the cities of Ellensburg and Yakima, WA. Central Washington University, and Cowiche Canyon trails are nearby. Umtanum recreation site offers a footbridge to cross the Yakima River and access to Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Lands on the west side of the river.
6 monitored sitesRVs up to 20 ftNo hookups6 shadedWaterfrontRiverfrontPets OKFire pitsMax party 10
Getting there
From Seattle, take I-90 east to Ellensburg Exit 109 (Highway 821 Canyon Road). At the traffic circle, take the second exit onto South Canyon Road. Stay on the road, which will take you south through the Yakima River Canyon. BLM's Umtanum campgrounds is located at Mile Marker 17 along this route.
Blm Wenatchee Field Office, Wenatchee, WA 98801509-665-2100
BirdingBoatingCampingCanoeingDay Use AreaFishingHikingHuntingNon-Motorized BoatingPaddlingPhotographyPicnickingRaftingRiver TripsScenic DriveStar GazingSwimmingTubingWater AccessWater ActivitiesWater SportsWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-10344742 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-10344742 · Umtanum · Wenatchee WA4 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Umtanum?
Reservations for Umtanum are made through Recreation.gov. 96.2% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 42 of 1,098 remain open. Campsite Sniper has also detected 2 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Umtanum?
Campsite Sniper detected 2 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Umtanum?
8 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 20 at site Site 01. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Umtanum fit a 35-foot RV?
No RV-analyzable site here has a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 20 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Umtanum?
September 2026, with 42 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 78.
When is the next open date at Umtanum?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Sun, Sep 20 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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