The ''Desert'' of Eastern Washington State

Talk about the weather in the state of Washington, and rain most often comes to mind. We can probably blame that on the popularity of Washington's largest city, Seattle, which averages 156 days days of rain each year.

So we were in for quite a surprise when we entered the eastern part of the state for the first time. It was the mountains, high ridges, rolling hills, deep river gorges and lakes in a ''desert'' setting that surprised and delighted us as we explored another new-to-us state.

Spokane was our first stop. We stayed two days on the property of another gracious Boondockers Welcome host. Their home overlooked the Spokane River and was near to Riverside State Park where we were able to do some hiking. While at the park, we purchased Washington state's ''Discover Pass'' for $30. This pass gives us access any Washington state park or recreational area for the next year. We figured that we would make good use of it for the month or so that we plan to be in the state. 

''Spirit'', our Boondockers Welcome
greeter, seemed ready to move in
and hit the road with us!

A beautiful bike trail connected
the park with downtown Spokane,
so we were able to park there and
bike into the city to see its sights.

A friend, whose daughters went to
Gonzaga University, first told us about
the beauty of Spokane, and we totally agree!

We enjoyed a delicious lunch and
craft brew alongside the river
on the deck of No Li Brewhouse.

Biking back we enjoyed spectacular
views of the Spokane River that had
a hint of ''desert'' in the background.

After leaving Spokane, our drive west started to take on more of a dry dusty feel. With the parched landscape and temps approaching 100, we quickly realized that we had made it to the ''desert'' of eastern Washington. The Cascade Mountain range that runs down the middle of the state effectively blocks much of the ocean precipitation and creates this desert climate that is so different from ''rainy'' western Washington. We stopped to look at the Grand Coulee dam that spans the Columbia River. In addition to producing hydroelectric power, the dam creates an important source of water for irrigation of local farms in this otherwise dry area.

Lunch with a view of the Grand Coulee Dam

After lunch, we decided to use our Discover Pass to check out Steamboat Rock State Park, just down the road on the banks of the Columbia River.  Such an amazing formation like Steamboat Rock just begs to be hiked up, so....

How hard can that climb be?

Quite hard ... and hot ...

... and outside of my skill level
and comfort zone at times,

... but the view from the top, and the sense of achievement
made me take back every bad word that I thought
about saying aloud as Doug was encouraging me up!

Crazy 360 degree beauty!

Mountain goat, I am not,
but I am grateful for being able
to safely finish this challenging
and rewarding climb!

After our climb we were able to find the pay showers at the state park campground to wash off all the desert dust that I was beginning to accept as the ''new norm''. From there we set off for another night with no hook-ups but with a lot of peace and quiet at North Ridge Farm, our Harvest Host camping location for the night. As the name suggests, we drove out of the Columbia River valley and ended up on a high ridge covered with fertile wheat fields for as far as the eye could see.

We weren't able to visit with our hosts much
as they were in the midst of wheat harvest season,

... so we checked out the green house
and found the carrots that they
said we could feed to the animals.

And although they came across as shy at first,

... the donkeys quickly warmed up when
they realized that the new guests had
some special treats for them.

With all the farm animals content,
Baby Beest settled in for a quiet night's sleep.

When we visit a new area, we try to get local recommendations of what to see and do. A suggestion to visit the Lake Chelan area came up often, so we decided to make that our next stop. As we drove down off the high ridges that house the wheat farms of Washington, we were greeted by the sight of a huge lake surrounded by rolling hills covered with orchards and vineyards. Could a winery visit be in my future??!!

From the start, the Lake Chelan area looked like an amazing place to visit, but we failed to take into consideration that we were coming into a popular resort town on a warm summer weekend with no reservations. Not the smartest move ever. The Harvest Host wineries were already booked, but we did manage to get a site at Lake Chelan State Park. Now, while we love the great hiking and sightseeing opportunities in Washington's state parks, we quickly realized that they are not our favorite overnight camping destinations. We have found they charge a lot for a campsite, the sites are very close together, and  the campgrounds are very busy with lots of people just trying to get out and enjoy summer. 

With over 300 days a year of sunshine and
summer temps in the 90s, Lake Chelan is
the popular spot for fun in the desert sun!

We, like the many other visitors, came to Chelan to enjoy lake time also ... in the form of a day trip on The Lady of the Lake passenger ferry that would take us 50 miles up to the northern tip of Lake Chelan.  There at the end of the lake lies the small isolated village of Stehekin and a first glimpse of North Cascades National Park.

About half way up the lake the roads end,
and the beauty of the Washington wilderness begins.

In the distance, the snow peaks
of North Cascades National Park appear.

The town of Stehekin is accessible only by
taking a boat or hydroplane,
or by hiking in from the Pacific Crest Trail
and other trails in the national park. 

 

After lunch, we hiked a little ways
along the shoreline trail before heading
back to Chelan on the ferry.

The presence of huge pines and more green vegetation around the north shore of Lake Chelan gave us a clue that we were not far away from the mountains that divide this state and gives it two very different climates. The Cascade Mountain Range effectively blocks the precipitation from the eastern half of Washington state, but also gives it a ''desert'' beauty that is enjoyed by so many outdoor adventurers ... including us!

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