wild horse renewable energy center

The Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center is on a mountain top East of Ellensburg, Washington. It is a little hard to find as the GPS did not give an accurate enough location so be sure to call ahead and get directions. Once you get there you will see the Wild Horse Renewable Energy wind mill farm and the solar powered visitor center on top of the mountain. The very modern visitor center has equipment displays and movies about generating renewable energy. There is even and antique electric buggy in the showroom. The tour guides are very knowledgeable. They answered all our questions on the walking tour of the site which terminated inside one of their huge wind mill towers were we learned about the construction and operation of the wind mills . Views from the windy top of the mountain are fantastic. It felt like being on top of the world. We could see the peaks of Mount Rainier, Hood, and I believe Mount Adams from the visitor center patio before they were obscured by distance clouds moving in from the west. I highly recommend this place for anyone interested in solar and wind energy production or anyone who likes to see the views and the scenery along the way. Travel to the wind farm takes you through the apple farming country. I guess I am a bit lazy. I liked being able to drive to the top. There are not very many mountains where you can drive to the top in air conditioned comfort of your car!

There is a lot to learn here. The best thing is to get close to the turbines and the tour guide was very informative. Bring a jacket and be prepared for wind. Glad we made time for it.

We took a trip up to Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center with our 4 kids ages 2, 3,5 and 7. We didn't take the tour, but we still must have spent an hour with their fun displays and walking around the property. The staff there is amazing - they got out some of the fun kid experiment stuff for our family and answered all our questions. Best part of it all - everything is free! We were sooo glad we stopped and will totally recommend this place to anyone we know passing through the area.

I took a group of students up here to do some writing. Hospitable people, good presentation and a great conference room. They let you use the kitchen if you need it. Great views and on the tour, we got to go into one of the wind turbines. They are huge! All 15 people in my group fit into the base. It's so windy that you'll need a coat. Easily accessible and you can buy shirts and the like if you'd like to. Good displays in the education center. Clean and bright. Did I mention that everything is free? Yeah. Cool beans!

Took tour on facility. Be sure to bring coat, its windy even on nice days. Great tour, interesting to see everything up close. Worth the side trip off the highway.

We got a nice tip from the owner of the gem shop in Vantage to drive the 12 miles to the Wild Horse Wind Farm and check out the wind turbines. Very glad we did. They did an excellent job with their interpretive center! We learned a ton about wind energy and got to see and hear them up close. They also have a full turbine and engine on display. The drive takes you to an excellent vantage point with views of Mt. Rainier, Adams, and St. Helen's on a clear day. If you have time this is well worth the short drive.

This is the only opportunity the average person will have to go on a guided tour to see a wind turbine up close. If you can walk a block on a crushed rock trail the tour will take you to the base of a near by turbine, then inside to have a look at the ladder to the top and all the inner workings. The views of the surrounding landscape are breathtakingly beautiful. The Renewable Energy Center itself is beautiful and provides those unable to take the tour with a relaxed safe learning experience. This is a one of a kind learning experience.

Wind farms are fascinating whether you love them or hate them. The visitor center is spectacular and, not surprisingly, quite windy. But the tour is actually quite informative despite a bit of propoganda. Make sure to call ahead or check the web for their tour schedule.

1. In a time when the use of fossil fuels is complex in it's consequences, it is important to examine alternate sources of energy and the Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center provides a rare educational opportunity. Driving among the wind towers when the wind is blowing and the rotors are turning is an uncanny and strangely disorienting experience you won't soon forget. 2. Located on a promontory, the view of the surrounding land is wild and wonderful, with miles and miles of high desert scrub lands bordered in the furthest distance by snow topped mountain ranges, Mt Rainier and Mt Adams. Wild flowers abound in season, including a variety of blooming cactus which is found nowhere else in the state. You may wander the ridges and valleys on your own if you fill out a permit.3. The interpretive center offers many meaningful displays, besides being a particularly attractive building (with nice restrooms.) Often tea and coffee are offered by various organizations, which is a nice touch. Several picnic tables offer a sunny vantage point for a pleasant lunch.4. Most people agree, however, that the free wind tower tours are the feature that makes this stop memorable. A knowlegable guide will take you around the facility, explaining the size and power of the towers and of the solar arrays. You can see up close, and touch, one of the huge tower blades. Finally, you will get to enter an actual tower -- large enough at the base to fit 20 people or a small car -- and a peek up into the tower.Hint: Allow at least an hour or two for this stop, giving time for the drive up to the top, the tour of the wind tower, an examination of the displays, and time to stare at the wonder of these surroundings. This is a great place to take out-of-town guests and is always a hit.

I spent an afternoon here with my aunts & just loved it. We were able to go on the guided tour. It was informative & interesting. Adam is a great tour guide. The view from up there is spectacular & it was very exciting getting to look up inside a turbine.

Excellent view, just hang on if the wind is blowing. Very educational for all. A very close up look at these huge wind towers

A very interesting and informative experience. Great to see a resource utilized for the good of all.

It helps to have a techie orientation to get the most out of this well-planned wind power interpretive center, but the scenery and up-close views of working wind turbines makes Wild Horse a nice stop for any traveler. I live in Ellensburg and we take out-of-town visitors out to Wild Horse if they're in town for a day or two.

Interesting for adults as well as children. Fun to see these turbines up close and the people running the center know what they are talking about.

Following the directions on the website takes you along a less traveled road that parallels I-90. The center has nice displays, but the real fun is to walk by the windmills. There are a couple right by the center house, so you can see them up close even if you miss the tour times.