The tour enters a defile between towering peaks, some bare and rugged, others heavily forested. Here are the last of the heavy lava flows to be seen throughout eastern Washington. Looming north of the road is Fife’s Peak, the highest point of Fife’s Ridge. Geologists believe it to be a remnant of an old volcano, which was probably the source of some of the lava flows of Yakima County.

An early name of the American River was Miners Creek. As the area developed a patriotic title which was not used for other rivers in the state was chosen.