Frenchman Coulee — Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

This place is a gem, and I lucked into a perfect day for it. My first time here, and I knew very little about it in advance. I took the simple, direct, 2-mile walk as described by WTA, to the waterfall which is running strong and picturesquely. As hikes go, it's short and not at all challenging, but it's a great journey through geologic history, conveniently packed into a relatively small area.

It's also home to an unfortunate quantity of "cultural artifacts," including the remnants of at least two cars that appear to have plunged 250 feet or more from the road that runs along the upper edge of the coulee. It's not a pristine wilderness. But that's just a minor distraction from the scenic bounty.

I hope to come back and explore some of the interesting features, off the beaten path, that other reporters have described.