I was over in the Tri-Cities visiting family this weekend.  I always love hitting up Badger and Candy Mountains when I am over there.  The weather was forecast was for cool, clear conditions so I hooked up with a local Nomad Runners of Eastern WA runner Brandon for a sunrise run of both mountains.

On the way out we took the Sagebrush trail to the Skyline trail to the far end of Badger then ran the road over to Candy.  Apparently, there is a trail planned to connect the two trail systems but it has not been built yet.  We ran to the top of Candy then down the back, not quite to the culvert, to get some extra elevation.  Once back on Badger we followed the Skyline trail again but descended via the Canyon trail where we ran into lots of little trick-or-treaters coming up the mountain.

Great day out!

This trail is entirely exposed and was more than 90 degrees by 10:30.  Bring sunscreen and a hat during a sunny day.   Air quality and visibility was poor from smoke.  I hiked the trail to the top and back from 9:15-10:30 AM and only observed three other hikers.  The trail is well-marked and I observed lots of quail and several species of birds associated with shrub-steppe habitat.  Good views of West Richland neighborhoods were present, but I couldn't see all the way to Hanford.

Had a fun jaunt with my five and seven year old sons. Busy trail, but always friendly hikers. Excellent views of West Richland and the near side of the Hanford Reservation. 

Candy Mountain is a great easy after-work hike that gives you amazing views of surrounding areas and is especially beautiful around sunset. The trailhead is easy to access with ample parking, and the trail itself is wide and well-maintained. It's all gravel up until the very last section at the top. At a brisk walking speed it takes about half an hour up and slightly less down, and does get your heart pumping but won't make you out of breath. Sunset views across the region as you get near the top are stunning, and I was lucky enough to see a rainbow on my way down!