WAHKIACUS — The scent of desert parsley fills the nostrils with its light, sweet aroma as the wind wafts up Swale Canyon.
Mallards resting on Swale Creek leave as the hikers and mountain bike riders intrude on their solitude. The meadowlarks, with their distinctive call, go about their business unconcerned.
Yellow-colored parsley and balsamroot are everywhere, balanced by the blues and purples of lupine, combining in a showy wildflower display.
Klickitat Trail stretches 31 miles from Lyle on the Columbia River along the banks of the Klickitat River to Wahkiacus, then up scenic Swale Canyon ending west of Centerville.
Once a railroad route, the trail is owned by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
And like so many places in Klickitat County, the trail is at its best in May, when the land is green and full of blooming wildflowers, before the heat of summer.
The Swale Canyon portion of the Klickitat Trail is 12 miles, stretching between trailheads at Harms Road near Centerville and Schilling Road at Wahkiacus.
“You really feel like you’re in a primitive place when you’re in the section that is in the bottom of that canyon,’’ said Stan Hinatsu, recreation manager for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. “You’re really out of civilization until you reach the houses along the lower quarter.’’
Hinatsu said he’s been down the Swale Canyon portion of the trail several times.
“It’s really a nice walk or ride, although it does get hot on a hot day,’’ he said. ‘’That’s not really a problem at this time of year and the creek is full of water.’’
Dana Hale of Wahkiacus said Swale Canyon is a beginner-to-intermediate ride for mountain bikers.
“It’s a great ride for people who are not into climbing or want big descents,’’ Hale said. “Most of the time I go climb steeper stuff to get a better workout.’’
Swale Canyon closes to the public once the fire danger gets high. It reopens in fall when the rains return.
Hale said he would not want to ride in the Swale Canyon in summer anyhow.
“When it dries out, this place fills up with snakes,’’ he said.
Hikers and mountain bike riders will find eight trestles in the Swale Canyon stretch of Klickitat Trail.
Four of the trestles have been decked by volunteers of the Klickitat Trail Conservancy, a non-profit group organized in 2002 to promote the trail.
Bev Linde of Goldendale, media chair for the conservancy, said the state parks agency provides the material and KTC volunteers do the labor on the trestle decking.
About half the users of Swale Canyon are hikers, and half are mountain bikers, Linde said.
“There’s an increase in the number of people who are interested in going down there,’’ she said. “There’s different things to see at different times of the year.’’
The Klickitat Trail Conservancy offers hikes in the fall and spring, when the colors are at their best.
Equestrian use is not allowed, but long-range plans call for surfacing a side trail to be suitable for horses, she said.
The conversion from railroad line to trail was not a smooth ride.
The state parks commission acquired the abandoned rail corridor in 1994. Adjacent landowers filed a suit in April 1994 to block creation of the trail, but it was dismissed five months later.
Planning for the trail was blocked by pressure, at times, by the Klickitat County commissioners. A student was cited for trespassing in 2001 for bicycling part of the trail, which was public land. Those charges also were dismissed.
But support for the the trail has grown, Linde said.
“Klickitat and Lyle support the trail,’’ she said. “It’s just a wonderful feeling to know people support it.’’
Kevin Gorman, executive director of the Friends of the Columbia Gorge, agreed.
“There were chain-link fences, locked gates and private property signs,’’ Gorman said. “It went from so hot to so mundane in just a matter of a few years. It’s viewed as an asset, and is no longer an issue.’’
Gorman said Swale Canyon is a special place.
“It’s a sweet hike and a great mountain bike ride,’’ he said. “You go through this transformation from flat land to steep canyon to pine forest.’’
Swale Canyon is managed by the staff of Columbia Hills State Park. Fritz Osborne, a park ranger, said Swale Canyon is best now, during the spring wildflowers, and again in early to mid-October.
“There’s the oaks and a lot of vine maple that turn colorful in fall, plus some fall-blooming wildflowers,’’ Osborne said. “The creek starts flowing again then and it’s not blazing hot weather.’’
Swale Canyon’s best attribute may be its solitude, he said.
“You can hike the whole thing in one day and not see anyone else,’’ Osborne said. “It’s really cool.’’
GETTING THERE: To reach the Schilling Road trailhead, follow state Highway 142 from Lyle up the Klickitat River for 16.5 miles to Horseshoe Bend road. Turn right on Horseshoe Bend Road and then turn right again on Schilling Road and the parking lot is obvious.
To reach the Harms Road trailhead, take the Centerville Highway out of Lyle. Turn north off state Highway 14 between the gas station and cafe in Lyle to get on the Centerville Highway. Follow the highway north and east for 15 miles, then turn left on Harms Road and go north for a half-mile to the bridge crossing Swale Creek. There is roadside parking for a half dozen cars on the shoulder of Harms Road.
