Hiking Steam Boat Rock
Steamboat Rock is a massive "island" of a rock mountain floating on the
shore of Banks Lake. The durable rock was left behind through all of the
Great Missoula Floods and was later nearly surrounded by the waters
diverted by the Grand Coulee Dam. The top of the rock is a broad, flat
plateau offering stunning views across the scablands of coulee country.
From the parking area, the trail tracks across the lower slope of the rocky butte. Wildflowers abound along the lower foot of the butte: arrowleaf balsamroot and prairie star flowers are particularly prominent. Within the first few hundred yards, the trail becomes very rough and steep for about 0.15 mile as it runs up through a slot in the cliffs.
Halfway up the butte, the trail slides across a broad ledge, which is carpeted with sagebrush buttercups. The trail splits here (both forks lead to the top). Go left to climb another couple hundred vertical feet to the western end of Steamboat Rock's top. Stroll over to the sharp edge of the butte to peer down to the lake far below. The top of the rock here is blanketed in foliage, with a large garden of prairie lupines.
Drop back down the trail and head up the eastern spur trail to reach the eastern flank of the butte's top. Keep an eye out for deer here as a small herd lives on the rock, and they generally browse up high during the day but come down for water in the morning. Scramble around the butte as much as you desire before heading back down.
From the parking area, the trail tracks across the lower slope of the rocky butte. Wildflowers abound along the lower foot of the butte: arrowleaf balsamroot and prairie star flowers are particularly prominent. Within the first few hundred yards, the trail becomes very rough and steep for about 0.15 mile as it runs up through a slot in the cliffs.
Halfway up the butte, the trail slides across a broad ledge, which is carpeted with sagebrush buttercups. The trail splits here (both forks lead to the top). Go left to climb another couple hundred vertical feet to the western end of Steamboat Rock's top. Stroll over to the sharp edge of the butte to peer down to the lake far below. The top of the rock here is blanketed in foliage, with a large garden of prairie lupines.
Drop back down the trail and head up the eastern spur trail to reach the eastern flank of the butte's top. Keep an eye out for deer here as a small herd lives on the rock, and they generally browse up high during the day but come down for water in the morning. Scramble around the butte as much as you desire before heading back down.
From Ellensburg, drive east on Interstate 90 to exit 151 (State Route 283), signed "Ephrata/Soap Lake." Drive through Ephrata. At Soap Lake, turn north on State Route 17. Drive through Soap Lake and keep going about 20 miles to SR 2. Turn right onto SR 2. In 4.2 miles, you'll come to a Y junction. Stay straight to merge onto SR 155. At 15.5 miles from the Y junction, turn left into Steamboat Rock State Park. In 2 miles, pass through the entrance station, to arrive in another 0.5 mile at the trailhead area.
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