Considering Banks Lake is frozen, I expected the trail to be frosty or snow covered. Nope. No frost and no snow. Mud. Lots and lots of mud. It started at the base of the trail on the flat part. Actually, any place that looked flat and rock free had 2-4 inches of chocolate pudding or soft serve mud. Muddy silt from the bed of an ancient river.
We took a right and headed for the far end of the plateau. The only wildlife we saw on top was eagles and ravens. Oh yeah, one marmot scrambling across the scree. We saw deer and turkeys down by the campground. When the wind picked up and rain started to fall we turned around.
I love it here. If you’ve never driven the coulee corridor when the waterfalls turn to ice, you should do it. The geology here is something to see.
We had trouble with the state park reservation website. There was one tent camper and one RV but the cabins looked vacant this weekend. We chose to stay at a hotel in the area which is way better than making this a day trip.
As much as I love it here, I’d recommend waiting until it dries out or freezes up.
Type of Hike
Day hikeTrail Conditions
Minor obstacles posing few problemsRoad
Road suitable for all vehiclesBugs
No bugsSnow
Snow free
Comments
DRDana on Steamboat Rock
I'm sorry you got stuck with the mud. When I was there a few days earlier, the ground was still frozen firm everywhere. But you may have been lucky to have problems with the cabin reservation. During my 3-night stay there was a plumbing problem that shut down the water to the restrooms by the cabins, and the nearest functioning toilet was 1/3 of a mile away.
Posted by:
DRDana on Feb 23, 2025 10:39 PM
hikingwithlittledogs on Steamboat Rock
The mud was kind of a bummer but I’m still glad we went. In my next life I’ll be a geologist and study those amazing rocks. I’m in awe every time I’m there. That would be a serious bummer to have such a long trek to the bathrooms! We ended up at the Soap Lake Resort for one night. Lucky to have indoor plumbing.
Posted by:
hikingwithlittledogs on Feb 24, 2025 08:18 PM