Directions on how to get into Sandstone lake Yakima Co

[JOSHUA BURCK]

Title explains it all. Sometimes I like to look for less visited lakes, and this lake seems like it would be one. I located and makes it’s name on my greentrail map but can’t seem to figure the best way into in. Logically it seems like the 4X4 trail to the East of it would make sense, but I could also picture crossing the Bumping river to get into it. I could cheat and punch the coordinates into my phone to help locate it, but I never had to use a GPS and really don’t want to start now.

I feel the chances are good someone on this forum knows the way in, and a little help would be appreciated.

[Brian Curtis]

I’ve never been in there so I can only speculate. I would go in from the roads to the east or take the Little Bald trail up the ridge. The Bumping River would likely be tough to cross, especially early in the season.

I don’t think that using a GPSr is cheating. You still have to plan and execute your route and can’t just follow the arrow.

[KGabriel]

I am pretty familiar with Sandstone. The first time I found it, almost no water, I thought, “you’ve got to be kidding me,” but subsequent years have found it with plenty of water and fish survive in it. Early in the year, it’s very muddy, but it will settle out and by August/September it’s clear. The local biologists cross the river, usually later in fall, but we’ve pioneered a route off the top, using game trails and some cross country travel. It’s not terribly far off the top, but very steep, lots of deadfalls. Fishing can be pretty good, lightly visited, only once have I seen people there and not much other sign of the flotsam and jetsom of human beings.

[Jim Mighell]

I have been fishing Sandstone since 1962 (before any record of plants): has plenty of western newts and occasionally good fishing – but on several years It has been completely waterless (dry); I originally crossed the Bumping and on up the hill, but in recent years, I drop off the top from the rimrock trail and use contour maps (before GPS) to find the way; been briefly lost on a few times in, but almost always get there. Westslopes do well, growing on the abundant shrimp but have never found any over 14″ – believe the dryup kills them often, but also lack of water when frozen over creates an anoxic condition for any survivors for next year.

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