The tour follows the banks of the winding Wenatchee River, above which rise foothills dotted with clumps of pines. Orchards claim every available foot of valley land. Dryden, a fruit-packing and shipping center, was named by the Great Northern Railroad in honor of a noted Canadian horticulturist.

In 1907, it was named by Great Northern Railway officials, for an eminent Canadian horticulturist who accompanied James Hill on a tour through the area. The place is noted for its fine fruit crops.