The Retreat Fire closures on lands managed by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife expired at midnight on Oct. 23, 2024. This means that these lands will be open on Thursday, Oct. 24. However, access may still be restricted on adjacent lands under other public management within the fire footprint and will likely affect hunting opportunities in the Oak Creek basin as well as lands south of US Highway 12. Currently, the Oak Creek USFS 1400 Road and USFS 1302 Road near Windy Point remain closed. Please continue to check this page along with other agency websites for further information to make sure lands are safe to enter before heading out.
The Oak Creek Unit is comprised of riparian, shrubsteppe, mixed forest, and cliff and talus habitats that support a diverse array of fish and wildlife, and offer a host of recreational opportunities. Close to the visitor center, a winter elk feeding program is conducted annually to help reduce conflict between elk and neighboring agricultural land, providing an excellent opportunity for visitors to observe elk up close.
The Oak Creek Unit is located 6 miles west of Naches in Yakima County. The visitor center and elk feeding station can be accessed from Highway 12 and are located at 16601 U.S. Highway 12, Naches, WA 98937. The entrance is two miles southwest of the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 410.
The bighorn sheep feeding site is located at 14300 Old Naches Highway, Naches, WA 98937.
The Oak Creek Unit is located on the east slopes of the Cascades and within the Naches and Tieton River Sub-basins of the Yakima River Watershed. The majority of the unit is in checkerboard ownership with Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Forest Service.
This unit is part of the Oak Creek Wildlife Area.
Game Management Units: 364, 368, 360, 342
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
This location participates in the Green Dot system which restricts motorized vehicle use to marked roads. See the Green Dot Page for more information and detailed maps.
Public facility information:
- Large gravel parking area
- Vault toilets
- Visitor center
- ADA-accessible viewing platform
Recreation and access advisories
During months that elk are being fed, guided truck tours of the wildlife viewing areas are offered daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the visitor center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dates for feeding vary depending on weather conditions, but typically the months of January and February provide the most likely viewing opportunities. Call ahead before heading out to the wildlife viewing site(s) to ensure the elk are being fed that day and that there aren’t any closures. Oak Creek Headquarters Office: 509-653-2390. Tour Reservations/Visitor Center: 509-653-1237.
- Annually from Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. until May 1 at 6 a.m. the Cleman Mountain/Sanford Pasture area is closed to motor vehicles to protect wintering wildlife. This area is open to walk-in access.
- Annually from the start of winter feeding until May 1 at 6 a.m. large portions of upland range is closed to all public entry to protect big game during winter recovery period. The boundary of the closure is clearly posted and marked on Green Dot maps.
- Rock climbing will not be permitted with presence of nesting golden eagles from Feb. 1 until end of nesting season. The boundary of the closure is clearly posted and the Tieton River Nature Trail remains open year round.
- The Oak Creek Unit is under a Green Dot travel management system. Roads open to motor vehicles are marked with a white carsonite post with a green dot. Roads that are unmarked are closed to motor vehicles. Maps are available at the Oak Creek Headquarters and the Region 3 Office in Yakima.
- USFS 1400 Oak Creek Road is closed to motorized traffic from junction of Hwy 12 to R2500 North Fork Oak Creek green dot road (approximately 5 miles) during winter feeding operations. The R1000 Bethel Ridge Tie Green Dot road is also closed to motorized traffic from Oak Creek Headquarters to R5100 Meloy Canyon Road (approximately 7 miles) during winter feeding operations.
Hunting
The area is a popular big game hunting area for deer, elk, bear, and big horn sheep (permit only) during fall seasons.
Fishing
Tim's Pond along Highway 12 is stocked with trout several times a year, making it a popular family fishing spot. Native trout occur in the Naches and Tieton Rivers.
Wildlife viewing
This unit includes Tieton River riparian habitat, shrubsteppe, oak woodlands, Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests, cliffs and talus slopes, offering opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including elk, California bighorn sheep, and, in winter, abundant bald and golden eagle.
During winter, guided truck tours are conducted daily for the public to view elk at the Oak Creek Headquarters feeding site. The winter elk feeding program is conducted annually to help reduce conflict between elk and neighboring agricultural land. California bighorn sheep are also fed during the winter on Cleman Mountain along Old Naches Highway. These feed sites provide an excellent opportunity to observe elk and sheep up close. Donations are suggested and support the winter feeding program.
The Tieton River Nature Trail offers bird watching opportunities.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Conservation
Special habitats and species
The unit was purchased primarly for elk winter habitat. The Naches and Tieton rivers bisect the unit and are important for the recovery of steelhead and chinook salmon.
Conservation goals
- Identify acquisition priorities for expansion of wintering habitat for elk, mule deer, and other fish and wildlife species
- Improve ecological integrity of forests while maintaining and/or improving habitat for wildlife
- Maintain and enhance the Oregon white oak woodlands
- Develop and implement a shrubsteppe post fire rehabilitation plan
- Maintain and enhance upland bird habitat
- Maintain and restore riparian and instream habitat for steelhead, bull trout and other priority species along the Tieton, Oak Creek and Naches Rivers
- Maintain big game feeding program annually
The unit was purchased primarly for elk winter habitat. The Naches and Tieton rivers bisect the unit and are important for the recovery of steelhead and chinook salmon.
- Identify acquisition priorities for expansion of wintering habitat for elk, mule deer, and other fish and wildlife species
- Improve ecological integrity of forests while maintaining and/or improving habitat for wildlife
- Maintain and enhance the Oregon white oak woodlands
- Develop and implement a shrubsteppe post fire rehabilitation plan
- Maintain and enhance upland bird habitat
- Maintain and restore riparian and instream habitat for steelhead, bull trout and other priority species along the Tieton, Oak Creek and Naches Rivers
- Maintain big game feeding program annually
Land stewardship
Acquisition of the Oak Creek unit began in the 1940s. Through a combination of purchase using federal funds, and purchase and exchange of perpetual timber rights with private timber companies, WDFW was able to protect low elevation deer and elk winter range. Acres along the Naches and Tieton rivers were later added through exchange of lands with the Department of Natural Resources.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1940 and 2022.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Bonneville Power Administration | Mitigation Funds |
| Power, dike & irrigation districts | Mitigation Funds |
| State of Washington | Mitigation Funds |
| State of Washington | WA Dept of Ecology |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Endangered Species Act Section 6 Program |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program |
| US National Park Service | Land and Water Conservation Fund |
| WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife | WDFW Game Fund (now Wildlife Fund) |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | State Bond Account |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
2018 Oak Creek Wildlife Area Management Plan
In 2018, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) updated the management plan for the Oak Creek Wildlife Area, which consists of three units. The management plan addresses the status of wildlife species in the area and their habitat, the progress of restoration efforts, and public recreation opportunities. The plan covers activities for three landscapes in the Cowiche, Oak Creek, and Rock Creek units. Every eight to 10 years, WDFW revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments.
Planning Advisory Committee
Oak Creek Wildlife Area Advisory Committee