News Release

National Park Rangers to Lead History Hike with Stunning Views

Participants on the Hike Through Time program gather around to learn about the history of the Manhattan Project at the top of Candy Mountain

NPS/Zimmerman

News Release Date: October 16, 2023

Contact: Becky Burghart, 208-848-6098

Richland, WA. – Rangers with Manhattan Project National Historical Park and Whitman Mission National Historic Site will lead a history hike up Candy Mountain on Saturday, October 21 from 12:00 pm–2:00 pm. The “Hike Through Time” ranger program is a free, guided 3.6-mile (5.8 km) 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. 

Hikers will gain 555 feet (170 m) of elevation as they hike to the top of Candy Mountain.  Participants should be prepared to hike uphill, bring water and food, and plan for a variety of weather. 

“The Tri-Cities region has intersecting histories that helped shape the development of the United States and the world order after World War II. We are excited to work with rangers from Whitman Mission National Historic Site to share this history that is right here in our backyard,” said Hanford Unit Site Manager Becky Burghart. 

To learn more about the event, visit: www.facebook.com/ManhattanProjectNPS. Learn more about Candy Mountain and the Candy Mountain hike.