New public archery range opens near McNary Dam

A new public archery range overlooking the Columbia River has officially opened at McNary Beach near Umatilla. The project, organized through a partnership between the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Walla Walla District), the Mid-Columbia Archers, and various local union groups, restores recreational access that was lost in 2016.

Project lead Travis Swayze worked with the Army Corps to secure the high-bluff site. The facility includes a new access road, gravel parking lot, safety boulders, buck-and-pole fencing, and a concrete shooting platform. The range accommodates target distances up to 100 yards and includes a 70-meter target, which is the official distance used in Olympic archery.

Funding for the development was raised via the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s annual Tri-Cities Conservation Dinner. The construction was supported by volunteer labor from various regional building trades, including members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, laborers, cement masons, painters, and pipefitters.