- The Oak Creek Unit is comprised of riparian, shrubsteppe, mixed forest, and cliff and talus habitats that support a diverse array of fish and wildlife, and offer a host of recreational opportunities. Close to the visitor center, a winter elk feeding program is conducted annually to help reduce conflict between elk and neighboring agricultural land, providing an excellent opportunity for visitors to observe elk up close.
- Hyman G. Rickover (Wikiquote)
Hyman George Rickover, U.S. Navy (27 January 1900 – 8 July 1986) was a United States Navy admiral who directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of Naval Reactors. Rickover built the world’s first atomic power plant in only 4.5 years, starting as a Captain in 1950 and building a team that would beat other branches of the military and all private industry to the task by launching the world’s first nuclear powered submarine in 1955. In addition, he oversaw the development of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station, the world’s first commercial pressurized water reactor used for generating electricity. Rickover is known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy”.
- Oak Creek Wildlife Area (wdfw.wa.gov)
The Oak Creek Wildlife Area is located in Yakima County and Kittitas County and covers 67,100 acres. The topography is dominated by steep, rocky slopes, and a series of ridges and canyons. Open ridges and southern slopes at the lower elevations support sagebrush, bitterbrush and rabbitbrush. Bluebunch wheatgrass is the most prevalent native grass. In the early spring the area is full of color with wildflowers scattered across the rangeland. At higher elevations, the vegetation transitions to conifer forests. Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce and western white pine can all be found as elevations increase in the Rock Creek Unit.