Ancient Lakes Loop
Wander through this flood-carved coulee to enjoy the geology, wildflowers, and desert landscape.
Total Distance: 5.0 miles
Total Ascent: 200ft
Highest Point: 1000ft
Total Ascent: 200ft
Highest Point: 1000ft
Take I-90 east to Exit 149 for SR 281 North to Quincy and Wenatchee. Turn right, heading north on SR 281 toward Quincy. After 5.6 miles turn left on White Trail Road, following it 7.8 miles through a couple of curves to Road 9 NW. Take a left onto the gravel road and continue 5.9 miles as Road 9 NW drops down toward the river and becomes Ancient Lakes Road. Find the parking area at the end of the road. View Google Directions >>
Potholes Coulee was carved by the ice age flooding caused by the sudden drainage of Lake Missoula around 15,000 years ago. While the sheer scale of these floods can difficult to grasp, Potholes Coulee provides some dramatic context for the volume of water that inundated this area. The rushing waters scoured out the coulee, leaving a thin rib of basalt dividing the 2-mile wide coulee into two alcoves. It’s not hard to imagine water plunging over the cliffs above and rushing toward the Columbia.There's a lot more to Ancient Lakes, and you can learn all about it in Washington Wildflower Hikes: 50 Destinations. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!
Nearby hikes
- None
Similar Difficulty
Similar Features
