I hadn’t been to Steamboat Rock in 7 years, and what a nice choice for a late winter day to perhaps catch some waterfowl migrations and wildflowers that might be brave enough to pop up. We saw more than we expected, including buttercups, the green shoots of bitterroot, 4 bald eagles (2 immature), sage sparrows & towhees, ducks & geese, and a nice herd of 18 mule deer on top. They were looking very well fed, and eyed us at various stages of the hike. There were 2 other cars parked in the lot when we got there around 11:30 am Saturday morning, but didn’t see a sole until the end of the hike. We took the only trail up, but instead of taking the loop south, we headed straight for the west side of Steamboat, then took a shortcut up a scree slope til we intersected the trail (see attached pic of our GPSed route). It was a little overcast, but by afternoon the sun shined on us. The sky was clear enough to see the Cascades to the west, and prominent Moses Mountain to the northeast. Our elevation gain/loss was 1475 feet in 4.9 miles of hiking. I’m always amazed at these post-Pleistocene landscapes that the scablands of Eastern Washington have to offer. Standing on the south end (the bow of the steamboat) and looking afar, I could imagine mammoths and bison eating grass on the plateaus below. Of course this is a manmade lake now, but back then there were likely wetlands and maybe a stream through the coulee. We noticed glacial striations on the tops of columnar basalts along the trail, leading us to think that the landscape is not just “Missoula Floods” scenario, but a combo of the two. The many granitic glacial erratics on top of Steamboat Rock also are evidence of a glacial advance. A little post-hike research shows that the Okanogan ice lobe passed just over Steamboat rock before ending its journey 15,000 years ago. But the landscapes reflecting the “floods” are the most prominent geomorphic feature here. On the hike up, there are also outstanding entablatures and columnar basalts that showcase the best of the 15 million year old volcanic flows, with 50 million year old granite underneath. All in all, this hike is bound to get better and better as the spring emerges. Late March, April and May are probably the best times to go to see the wildflowers blooming prior to rattlesnake activity …!

What a great day to hike Steamboat Rock Trail. The first section of the trail is a little strenuous but my kids had little difficulty making their way to the top. The views are breathtaking, especially the Cascades in the horizon and the occasional eagle that few by. The weather was sunny and about 27 degrees, perfect for hiking. After reading several reviews regarding children, I would say that on the way down the trail took a little extra time to maneuver but both of my kids beat me down to the trail head. Overall it was a great hike for something close by and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a different kind of beauty.

This was a wonderful winter's day hike. The steep section at the start should be a warning for the return trip, but if a 25 week pregnant lady and 2 mom's with babies in front packs can do it- anyone can. Worth the 360 view at the top! We saw deer and thoroughly enjoyed the walk around the ridge.

Pick a clear day to do this hike - the views from every step of the trail are wonderful. The scramble up the first section of scree field is not easy - but once you are through that the rest is a piece of cake. Might want to consider leaving fido or smaller kids at home. But what views once you get to the top. The rest of the park offers beautiful camp/RV sites, lots of nice beach, boat ramp and more flat trails.

Imagine climbing up a desert island surrounded by gorgeous green-blue water all around you. This hike stirred up many images of paradise while hiking along the upper edge of this 800 ft tall - 600 acre rock. We started late Friday evening so we ended up hiking the trail over the span of two days to complete it. It has a slight scramble when climbing up the side of the rock to reach the first valley that runs down the middle of it separating the two upper plateaus. When we got to the valley the trail split both north and south, each one heading to a different plateau. We took the north trail first, heading us over to a beautiful view of banks lake and the top of the Grand Coulee Dam. From this height you can see all the intricate islands and peninsulas that weave throughout banks lake. That view alone was worth the hike up the rock. On Saturday morning we hiked back up the rock taking the south trail. It was windy, but not too cold. The views of the sandy shores of banks lake propagated images of tropical beaches as the sun lit up the water down in the canyon. Truly an amazing sight.