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Park overview:

Yakima Sportsman State Park is a 247-acre camping park created in 1940 by the Yakima Sportsman's Association to promote game management and the preservation of natural resources. The park is on the floodplain of the Yakima River and is an irrigated "green zone" in an otherwise desert area. The park has a variety of deciduous trees that shade camping and picnic areas. One hundred and forty bird species have been identified in the park. Ponds lure fishers to the river. The park is a popular stay-over spot for travelers and visitors to events in the Yakima area.



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Park hours/updates:

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Winter: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The park is open year round for camping and day use.

Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Agency information:

Don't move firewood: Please protect the Pacific Northwest from invasive species by obtaining or purchasing your firewood at or near your camping destination (within 50 miles). Firewood can carry insects and diseases that threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by buying and burning your firewood locally. For more information, visit online at www.dontmovefirewood.org or the Washington Invasive Species Council website.

Campsite Information:

The park has 30 tent spaces, 37 utility spaces, one dump station, two restrooms (both ADA) and four showers (all ADA). Utility sites 1 through 16 are 60 feet long, and sites 17 to 36 are back-in sites. Site HC is an ADA-utility site, and site 52 is an ADA-standard site. Sites 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, are near the creek.

To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

2013 camping fees:

Please note that the following general fee information is not customized for each individual park, so not all fees will apply to all parks (for example, primitive campsite and dump station fees listed apply only to parks that have primitive campsites and dump stations).

May 15 – Sept. 15 (peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $23 non-premium site, $26 premium site
Partial-utility campsite*: $30 non-premium site, $35 premium site
Full-utility campsite*: $32 non-premium site, $37 premium site
*Please note: Camping fees during the 2013 peak season are $28 for partial-utility sites and $29 for full-utility sites at Beacon Rock, Brooks Memorial, Columbia Hills, Conconully, Lewis & Clark and Schafer state parks. These parks are first come, first served.

Jan. 1 – May 14 and Sept. 16 – Dec. 31 (off-peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $22 for non-premium and premium sites
Partial-utility campsite: $28 for non-premium and premium sites
Full-utility campsite: $29 for non-premium and premium sites

Maximum eight people per campsite.

Second vehicle: $10 per night is charged for a second vehicle unless it is towed by a recreational vehicle. Extra vehicles must be parked in designated campsite or extra vehicle parking spaces.

Dump stations (if available): Year-round dump station fees are $5 per use. If you are camping, this fee is included in your campsite fee.

More about park hours
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and check-out time is 1 p.m.
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Engine-driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Length of stay: You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park from April 1 through Sept. 30; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

Driving Directions

Located three miles southeast of downtown Yakima, Wash. in Yakima County.


Park address:
904 University Parkway
Yakima, WA 98901

From I-82:
Take exit #34. Travel east approximately one mile to Keys Rd. (first road after crossing). Turn left, and go approximately one mile to park entrance. Turn left into park.

Park Maps

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

Yakima Sportsman downloadable pdf map #1


List of all downloadable Washington State Park PDF maps.

Park Features

Ponds, lakes and rivers attract fishermen, both young and adult, to this location. More than 140 species of bird make wildlife watching a delight. The campground is a stay-over place for events at the Yakima Sun-Dome and fairgrounds.

History

Old clay-pigeon traps may still be found in the park. They are remnants from the Yakima Sportsman Club, a hunting, fishing and shooting club that created the park in 1940. The club donated the park to Washington State Parks in 1956.

Interpretive opportunities

Rangers will lead nature walks when requested. There is a Juan A. Alvarez Outdoor Living Classroom in the park that has a short, paved ADA-accessible trail and pier which enters a wetland area. This trail affords visitors a look at a living, working wetland.

Services/Supplies

Available in the park	Available in the area
• Camping • Pay phone • Fire wood	• Auto repair • Airport • Camping • Diesel • Fishing/hunting • Gasoline • Golf • Groceries • Hardware • Hospital • Pay phone • Postal service • Propane • Recreational equipment • Wood • Swimming

Firewood is available in the park, and there is also a pay-phone. The park is near the Yakima metropolitan area where all services are available.

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
	• Fishing (freshwater)	• Bird Watching • 1 Horseshoe pit
Hiking is allowed on two miles of unpaved roadway on the river dike. Ponds and lakes are stocked with fish. Juvenile fishing is allowed year-round. Adult fishing is permitted in the river in season. A recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks. For regulations, fishing season information or to purchase a recreational license, visit the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website.

Events

Find other events at Washington State Parks

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

The park offers one kitchen shelter with electricity, plus two sheltered and 120 unsheltered picnic tables.

The kitchen shelter and unsheltered picnic tables are reservable and can accommodate 200 guests. To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688. For more information, call the park at (509) 575-2774.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
• Deer or Elk • Muskrats • Rabbits • Raccoons • Skunks • Weasels	• Ducks • Eagles • Geese • Hawks • Herons • Hummingbirds • Jays • Owls • Pheasants • Quail • Woodpeckers	• Bass • Bluegill • Bullhead • Trout

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life
The park is on a floodplain of the Yakima River. It is an irrigated desert with ponds and lakes and a variety of beautiful deciduous trees. The area receives an annual average rainfall of seven inches and an annual average of eight inches of snowfall. Summer temperatures are in the 80-to-90-degree range.		• Ash • Birch • Maple • Oak • Poplar • Berries • Thistle • Poison Ivy

Park photo gallery

     

The Discover Pass