Yakima Sportsman State Park — Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021

After setting up camp at Yakima Sportsman SP, we hiked the wetland trail to the viewing platform of the wetland area and then hiked around the juvenile fishing pond. We could hear red-winged blackbirds from the viewing platform, but they were in the distance and hanging out low in the cattails so we didn't get any pictures.  Yakima Sportsman SP is a 247 acre park which is on the flood plain of the Yakima River. This is not a destination hike from Seattle, but it is a nice place to visit if you are camped in the park or if you are in the area and need to stretch your legs after a long drive! The fall colors are beautiful now. The water level of the pond and the wetland areas is very low. We saw 30-40 wood ducks, but in areas in the distance or flying so we didn't get any close up photos which was disappointing as they are such beautiful ducks. There was a very large fungus on a dead cottonwood tree along the trail to the viewing platform. The campground in the park closes at the end of the month, but the day use area remains open.