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Odessa - Lake Creek Trail

Featured In: Best Desert Hikes: Washington, by Dan Nelson and Alan Bauer.
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With about 13 miles of one-way mileage, this route stands out as one of the longest shrub-steppe hikes in Washington. You could arrange a vehicle shuttle to enjoy the entire distance one-way, or you could do a daylong round-trip hike of 26 miles.

The trail is smooth and mostly level the entire way. You also could load your backpacking gear, hike 13 miles, and spend a night at the established campground at Pacific Lake.

The trail leaving the south trailhead is a lovely dirt path winding through basalt hills, piles of crumpled rock, and gullies. After about 0.5 mile, it merges with an old road. Head west on this road as it passes under a series of power lines. At about 2 miles, the trail angles north through a gate on an old jeep track. Here you'll start to find great views over the rugged Lake Creek drainage area: a lovely little canyon/gully in this channeled scablands terrain. You eventually wind down basalt cliffs, and at 6 miles from the trailhead you'll cross Lake Creek at the south end of Bobs Lakes. The lakes are frequently dry, and you can roam across the muddy flats to enjoy the animal tracks imprinted in the mud.

From the west side of the lakes, head north again, winding up the basalt rocks. Once on top of the highlands again, head straight north, once again on an old road. At about 10 miles from the start, you get to the gates that begin the start of the ORV-accessible portion of the trail (that is, the northernmost 3 miles of road) before you eventually curve to the right and come out just north of Lakeview Ranch and Pacific Lake. If you like, you can join with the Lakeview Ranch route here and expand your outing by linking that hike (Hike 78) with this one. The campground at Pacific Lake and the Lakeview Ranch trailhead area is 0.5 mile south of where you come out to the road.

Driving Directions:

From Vantage, drive east on Interstate 90 to exit 206, signed "State Route 21--Lind/Odessa." After exiting, turn left and drive 18.1 miles north on SR 21 into Odessa. In town, turn left at the junction with SR 28. In one block, turn right onto Birch Street, which is well signed for "Odessa--Lake Creek Trail." Drive over the train tracks and in 0.1 mile turn left following the signed route to the trailhead (this is Alice Street). Pass between two trucking company buildings on a gravel road and continue beyond, following signs for 0.3 mile to the trailhead, veering to the left the last 100 feet to the parking area.