News Release

Ranger-led bike ride and hike provide opportunities to enjoy fall weather and learn about local history.

Participants learn about the many chapters of human history in the Tri-Cities area on the Hike Through Time program.

NPS/Zimmerman

News Release Date: September 23, 2024

Contact: Becky Burghart, 208-848-6098

Richland, W.A. – Manhattan Project National Historical Park will host two programs this fall that share Hanford and the Tri-Cities’ role in the Manhattan Project. Ride with a Ranger, offered in partnership with Bike Tri-Cities and the REACH Museum, is scheduled for Saturday, September 28 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Rangers will also lead a history hike up Candy Mountain on Saturday, October 5 from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm.

Ride with a Ranger participants will join National Park Service Rangers and REACH Museum staff on a 13-mile round-trip ride that starts at the Green Bridge Historical Marker near the south side of the Cable Bridge in Kennewick. From there, riders will bike the Sacajawea Heritage Trail along river and then ride through Columbia Park to the REACH Museum. There will be two stops along the route for presentations. At the REACH, participants will have the opportunity to attend programs about the Manhattan Project and explore indoor and outdoor exhibits. Registration is required to participate in this free event. Event registration is open until September 26 at 6:00 pm. Bike Tri-Cities paid for REACH Museum admission for registrants.To register and learn more about the event, visit: https://www.biketricities.org.

On Saturday, October 5 from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm rangers will lead a free, guided 3.6-mile round-trip moderate hike to the top of Candy Mountain. There will be several stops along the trail up to the summit where rangers will share short histories about the events and people that shaped the mid-Columbia region. Hikers will move forward in time as the stops progress from the Ice Age Floods to the Manhattan Project and its legacies. Topics will include the Native Peoples who have lived here since time immemorial, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the arrival of Christian missionaries, and the selection of Hanford for plutonium production during World War II. Participants should be prepared to hike uphill, bring water and food, and plan for a variety of weather. No advanced reservations required or accepted.

“Fall is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the wonderful weather and fall colors while learning about our local history that continues to have a global influence,” said Hanford Unit Site Manager Becky Burghart.

To learn more about these events, visit go.nps.gov/hanfordrangerprograms or www.facebook.com/ManhattanProjectNPS. Learn more about Candy Mountain and the Candy Mountain hike.