17-044 Rooks Park to open for vehicles Saturday

Published March 31, 2017
WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Rooks Park will open its gates to vehicle traffic on Saturday, April 1, Walla Walla District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today. Rooks Park is located on Mill Creek Road just east of Walla Walla, Washington.

Rook Park is normally open to vehicle traffic from 7 a.m. to sunset, April through mid-October, but accessible year-round to pedestrians. Rooks Park offers visitors a wide variety of recreational opportunities. The 18-acre park includes a reservable picnic shelter, sand volleyball court, playground, horseshoe pit, group fire rings, picnic sites with tables, barbecue grills and restrooms. Large open areas allow for football and soccer games, while small secluded areas provide a quiet place to enjoy the outdoors. The park’s group picnic shelter is reservable via the online national reservation website www.Recreation.gov.

Rooks Park is one of several recreation areas associated with Walla Walla District’s Mill Creek Dam and Bennington Lake project. The recreation areas also include Bennington Lake and about 20 miles of recreation trails. The lake parking lot is open for visitors from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. However, a portion of the trail is temporarily closed to accommodate levee repair work. In the interest of safety, visitors are advised to avoid entering construction work zones.

Corps recreation planners invite the public to "play it safe" while having some warm-weather fun. Although above-water temperatures are becoming warmer, springtime water temperatures can be cold enough to cause hypothermia – a severe lowering of core body temperature. State boating, hunting and fishing regulations apply to visitors at Corps sites. Hunting on Corps property is only allowed in designated areas and seasons.

For more information on Corps parks, visit www.nww.usace.army.mil/corpsoutdoors. Keep up with events at Mill Creek Dam and Bennington Lake on Facebook at www.facebook.com/millcreekdam.
-30-

Contact
Public Affairs Office
509-527-7020
cenww-pa@usace.army.mil

Release no. 17-044