Discover Selah

Selah combines impressive natural scenery with trails, regional history, and insights into the apple industry. Those planning a trip with varied daily rhythms will find both longer hikes and shorter walking opportunities, nature observation, and cultural points of interest here.

Nature around Selah

One special place is the Selah Cliffs Natural Area Preserve. It was established in 1993 to protect the largest known population of basalt daisies (Erigeron basalticus). The plant usually blooms from May to October, with a peak in June. The preserve also provides nesting and roosting sites for prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus), red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), and American kestrels (Falco sparverius).

An interpretive trail system is available for exploring the area, including an accessible 0.5-mile loop made of compacted gravel. The access road and parking area are located immediately off Highway 821, south of mile marker 3. These specific details help you fit a visit into your daily plans without combining it with a longer hike.

Walking trails and longer tours

Selah Parks and Recreation offers 13 different walking trails through the city’s main corridor. The Straight Away Walk is a 5-mile round trip from Trolley Park to the Selah Loop Roundabout. Those looking for a longer tour can plan a 7.3-mile round-trip hike from the river up to the summit. Hiking is also possible on the Umtanum Ridge Trail and the Tieton River Trail.

Playland Riverside Park is another possible destination and features a riverside viewing platform. Selah is also connected to the Yakima Greenway. The area around Yakima River Canyon offers river trips, cycling, fly-fishing, hunting, backpacking, sightseeing, cross-country skiing, and camping. This makes it possible to combine active and more relaxed travel ideas, with the specific choice depending on your planned route and desired length of each day.

History, the apple industry, and local traditions

East of downtown, Produce Row has preserved its character as a warehouse district to this day. The historic Selah Line was part of the Yakima Valley Transportation Company’s route network until 1919. A walk through Selah takes you past the entrance gates of some of the city’s largest apple producers and highlights the town’s agricultural character.

The Tree Top Store & Visitor Center provides information about the history of the apple industry, as well as tastings and shopping opportunities for products from the Pacific Northwest. It is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Selah Community Days takes place annually on the third weekend of May and includes activities and events involving Selah residents, businesses, and organizations.

Selah as a starting point for planning your trip

When searching for a vacation apartment or vacation home, you can first determine your preferred focus: short walks and nature observation, longer hikes, regional history, or excursions into the Yakima River Canyon area. Searching for accommodation in Selah can thus be tailored to your personal travel rhythm without limiting the trip to just one type of experience. For more places to consider when planning your trip, you can also explore Toppenish, Union Gap, Outlook, Sunnyside, Wapato, Zillah, and Yakima.

To the overarching travel overview: Yakima.