Stateline Wind Farm

Stateline Wind Farm at Wallula, Washington

You probably won't find this on any tourist maps, but the Stateline Wind Farm at Wallula Junction, Washington, is a fun place to visit.

You can see the wind turbines from Highway 12 as you travel between Pasco and Walla Walla, but they're even neater seen from close. To get there, you take a county road that begins in Wallula Junction (easy to find, as it's about the only road there). Perched on the Washington-Oregon border, the Stateline Wind Farm is the largest wind farm in the United States. There are hundreds of wind turbines that stretch for miles in the distance. It is an awesome sight!

I know some people think the wind turbines are ugly. I'm not one of them. I think the turbines are sleek and graceful. I especially like these turbines because they're silver. If you travel to Portland from the Tri-Cities, you'll see wind turbines on the hills near Biggs Junction on both sides of the Columbia River. They're white and, I think, not as pretty; they seem clunky to me.

While the road through the wind farm is public, don't get off the road. I did this one time as I wanted a photo shot from the base of the turbine looking up. Before I knew it, security guards swooped down from out of nowhere and reminded me to stay on the road.

Because the view is so stupendous, we like to take our out-of-town visitors there, and then continue on to Walla Walla to visit wineries and have dinner. It makes a pleasant outing.