Sheer cliffs of basalt frame the Yakima River Canyon, casting shadows on the
sparkling waters below. Located between Yakima and Ellensburg, the 15-mile canyon
rises as much as 2,000 feet above the river that carved it.
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The prairie falcon is one of many raptors that nest on the steep basalt cliffs of the Yakima River Canyon. |  © Art Wolfe
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These rock faces are home to the densest concentration of nesting hawks, eagles
and falcons in the state. A rare plantthe endangered basalt daisygrows only in
the Yakima Canyon and one if its tributaries.

© Keith Lazelle | The lavender basalt daisy clings to the cliffs of the Yakima River Canyon and nowhere else on earth.
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The Conservancy established its Yakima Canyon preserve in 1993 to protect this
unique habitat. The preserve includes 105 acres of basalt cliff as well as
important grasslands and an island in the middle of the Yakima River.
Bright yellow arrowleaf balsamroot flowers overlook the Yakima River Canyon. |  © Keith Lazelle
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Cooperating with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy
of Washington began a long-range protection program for the canyon with the
acquisition of a 391-acre parcel of grassland and cliff habitat in 1992. The program ensures the protection of plant and animal life, as well as scenic
and recreational resources which significantly benefit the region's residents
and economy. The Conservancy transferred the parcel to the Bureau of Land
Management in 1992 for management under the agency's Yakima River Canyon
Management Plan.

© Keith Lazelle | The steep basalt cliffs of the Yakima River Canyon Preserve.
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