Vantage

Just a short drive from Ellensburg, the Columbia River and a variety of activities lure outdoors enthusiasts to Vantage. Spectacular viewpoints await a visitor. Wanapum Dam is located a mile and a half from Vantage. Its Heritage Center provides insight into Native American, trapper, soldier, miner and rancher life in the early 1900’s. The Gingko Petrified Forest is one of the most unusual fossil forests in the world with over 200 species of trees. Once swamps, lakes and trees from upland were swept downstream, sinking. Covered in molten lava, the sealed, undamaged tree’s cell structure was perfectly preserved by silica in the ground water. Stripped away by the last ice age, what remains are the petrified logs seen today. Rock climbing, hiking, fishing, boating, and skiing are popular activities. The Columbia River Gorge Concert facility at George located in the vicinity hosts renowned entertainers in a spectacular outdoor venue.