Steamboat Rock State Park

Climb to the top of a massive basalt mesa to vistas that provide a birds-eye view of the area’s fascinating geological history. Loop through scablands brimming with wildflowers during the season and find vantage points that reveal the colossal scale of the ice age floods that carved the landscape.

From the parking area, follow a dusty path toward Steamboat Rock. Wander through the sagebrush along the base of the butte for 0.4 miles to a rough trail leading uphill. The first section is a steep climb on scree and loose rock that very quickly leads to a hillside with more stable footing. The 0.25-mile climb ends at an intersection in a low point that divides Steamboat Rock. What you’re standing in is actually a coulee, a legacy of a stream that ran here before ice age floods tore through and made Steamboat Rock into an island.

There's a lot more to Steamboat Rock, 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!