Tumwater Pipeline Trail

The Tumwater Pipeline Trail follows the Wenatchee River for 1.2 miles just west of Leavenworth. After crossing an iron bridge at the start, the wide path tracks the river through cottonwoods and ponderosa pines with Castle Rock rising across the water. The trail dead-ends at a cliff face, making it a simple out-and-back with almost no elevation change.

Spring brings wildflowers along the riverbank and a seasonal creek about halfway in. The river runs fast and high through the Tumwater Canyon narrows here, so the creek is the safer spot for cooling off. Fall colors light up the cottonwoods, and birders will find the riparian corridor productive year-round.

The trailhead parking lot holds about a dozen vehicles and fills to three-quarters capacity by midday on weekends. A Northwest Forest Pass is required. The trail can get snow in winter, and road access through Tumwater Canyon occasionally closes for maintenance or weather. A concrete wall and boulder field about half a mile in can confuse first-time visitors, but the main trail continues past it.