Quincy

All around you, waterfalls pour over cliffs as you gaze upon colorful lakes. If you're lucky, a coyote scampers by through a patch of wildflowers – it's just another beautiful day in the Ancient Lakes basin, a gem tucked along the Columbia River Gorge in Central Washington. From the parking lot, meander through a valley of sage brush under the hot sun until the whispers of waterfalls become ro...

On the hunt for a dry, scenic backpack during a weekend of dreary, wet, early September weather in the mountains, we decided to head toward the high desert outside of Quincy, WA. After a short hike in, we found a site seldom seen - waterfalls and lakes in the midst of the desert - an area known as Ancient Lakes. During our research, we had read that there was only room for 7-8 cars in the park...

Occupying a cluster of desert canyons and mesas perched atop the cliffs overlooking the eastern bank of the mighty Columbia River, the Frenchman Coulee is a rock climber’s paradise. Featuring dozens of world-class sport and trad routes, both single- and multi-pitch, the climbing around Vantage lives up to its considerable hype for novice and expert rock climbers alike.Numerous free, dispersed c...

I had never been outdoor rock climbing before, but when I heard my school was offering a trip out to Vantage, Washington over the weekend I couldn't pass up the opportunity!Vantage, Washington is smack in the middle of Washington's two largest cities, Seattle and Spokane. With its close proximity to each city (2 hours away from both Seattle and Spokane), Frenchman Coulee in the town of Vantage ...

If you're traveling along Hwy 90 in the middle of Washington State, the Wild Horse Monument is a fun and rather quick area to explore. Located 30 miles east of Ellensburg and 60 miles northwest of Yakima, the monument is located just across the Columbia River as you head east. As you drive, there are a couple signs which will indicate the location and distance to the monument. Once off the high...

Whiskey Dick OHV Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Vantage, Washington.

Squilchuck State Park Loop is a loop trail that takes you through a nice forest located near Wenatchee, Washington.

Upper Wheeler Reservoir is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Wenatchee, Washington.

Starting from the south end of Wenatchee, hike straight up the obvious wide trail to the south side of Saddle Rock. You'll wind around the iconic rock feature and approach it from the back. A short and steep hike will reward you with wide open views of the Wenatchee Valley as you crest the hill in the middle of the saddle. This is a very short and steep hike, a good option if time is limited...