Rattlesnake Hills
Encyclopedia
The Rattlesnake Hills is a 16 mile (26 km) long anticline
mountain ridge in Yakima County
and Benton County
in the U.S. state
of Washington. Also known as Rattlesnake Mountain and Rattlesnake Ridge, it should not be confused with the much smaller Rattlesnake Ridge located near the west end of Ahtanum Ridge
. Rattlesnake Hills' highest summit is 3629 feet (1,106.1 m) tall, which is also the highest point in Benton County. The Rattlesnake Hills are part of the Yakima Fold Belt of east-tending long ridges formed by the folding of Miocene
Columbia River basalt flows
.
The Rattlesnake Hills form the northern edge of the Yakima Valley
, running from the vicinity of Benton City
to just south of the city of Yakima
, where the Yakima River
cuts through the mountain ridge via Union Gap
. To the west of the Yakima River the mountain ridge is known as Ahtanum Ridge.
North of the Rattlesnake Hills is Moxee Valley and the Black Rock Valley. The hills extend into the Hanford Site
. A spur on the north side of the ridge nearly connects with the west end of Yakima Ridge
.
Roza Canal, used for agricultural irrigation, passes under the Rattlesnake Hills through a tunnel.
Named high points of the Rattlesnake Hills, according to the USGS, include Elephant Mountain, Zillah Peak, Eagle Peak, High Top, and, near the eastern end, Rattlesnake Mountain
.
Anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core. The term is not to be confused with antiform, which is a purely descriptive term for any fold that is convex up. Therefore if age relationships In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is...
mountain ridge in Yakima County
Yakima County, Washington
Yakima County is the second largest county by area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Yakama tribe of Native Americans. In the 2010 census, its population was 243,231...
and Benton County
Benton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. Also known as Rattlesnake Mountain and Rattlesnake Ridge, it should not be confused with the much smaller Rattlesnake Ridge located near the west end of Ahtanum Ridge
Ahtanum Ridge
Ahtanum Ridge is a long anticline mountain ridge in Yakima County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located just south of the city of Yakima....
. Rattlesnake Hills' highest summit is 3629 feet (1,106.1 m) tall, which is also the highest point in Benton County. The Rattlesnake Hills are part of the Yakima Fold Belt of east-tending long ridges formed by the folding of Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
Columbia River basalt flows
Columbia River Basalt Group
The Columbia River Basalt Group is a large igneous province that lies across parts of the Western United States. It is found in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California...
.
The Rattlesnake Hills form the northern edge of the Yakima Valley
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
, running from the vicinity of Benton City
Benton City, Washington
Benton City is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,038 at the 2010 census. The city is strongly associated with nearby Kiona, with which it shares a school district.-History:...
to just south of the city of Yakima
Yakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
, where the Yakima River
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
cuts through the mountain ridge via Union Gap
Union Gap, Washington
Union Gap is a city in Yakima County, Washington, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,047.-History:The city of Union Gap was originally named Yakima and was officially incorporated on November 23, 1883...
. To the west of the Yakima River the mountain ridge is known as Ahtanum Ridge.
North of the Rattlesnake Hills is Moxee Valley and the Black Rock Valley. The hills extend into the Hanford Site
Hanford Site
The Hanford Site is a mostly decommissioned nuclear production complex on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, operated by the United States federal government. The site has been known by many names, including Hanford Works, Hanford Engineer Works or HEW, Hanford Nuclear Reservation...
. A spur on the north side of the ridge nearly connects with the west end of Yakima Ridge
Yakima Ridge
Yakima Ridge is a long anticline mountain ridge in Yakima County and Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington. From its western end just north of the city of Yakima, the ridge runs east-southeast through the Yakima Training Center to its eastern end at Hanford Reach National Monument and the...
.
Roza Canal, used for agricultural irrigation, passes under the Rattlesnake Hills through a tunnel.
Named high points of the Rattlesnake Hills, according to the USGS, include Elephant Mountain, Zillah Peak, Eagle Peak, High Top, and, near the eastern end, Rattlesnake Mountain
Rattlesnake Mountain, Benton County, Washington
Rattlesnake Mountain is a 3,527 ft windswept treeless sub-alpine ridge overlooking the Hanford nuclear site...
.
See also
- Rattlesnake Hills AVARattlesnake Hills AVAThe Rattlesnake Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Yakima County, Washington. United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau awarded Rattlesnake Hills its appellation status on March 20, 2006, making Rattlesnake Hills Washington’s ninth federally recognized American...
- Horse Heaven HillsHorse Heaven HillsThe Horse Heaven Hills are a long range of high, rolling hills in Klickitat, Yakima, and Benton counties in Washington State located east of Satus Creek and west of the Columbia River between the Yakima River and the Wallula Gap. The hills are an anticline ridge in the Yakima fold belt formed by...
- Manastash RidgeManastash RidgeManastash Ridge is a long anticline mountain ridge located in central Washington state in the United States. Manastash Ridge runs mostly west-to-east in Kittitas and Yakima counties, for approximately 50 miles...
- Umtanum RidgeUmtanum RidgeUmtanum Ridge is a long anticline mountain ridge in Yakima County and Kittitas County in the U.S. state of Washington. It runs for approximately 55 miles east-southeast from the Cascade Range, through the Yakima Training Center to the edge of the Columbia River at Priest Rapids Dam and Hanford Reach...
- Columbia Plateau (ecoregion)#Yakima Folds (10g)