Much of Central Washington is desert, not unlike the scrub deserts of Arizona. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees in May, June, July, Aug, and September. The difference is that there are also many lakes in the Central Washington desert. Between the town of Soap Lake (population 1700) and Coulee City (population 600) is a lookout point. Looking south from this stop you get this view:
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| Blue Lake, Washington |
Looking north from this stop you get this view:
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| Dry Falls Lake, Washington |
Dry Falls is a 3.5 mile long scalloped precipice just south of Banks Lake. At the north end of Banks Lake is the Columbia River, the Grand Coulee Dam (the largest dam in the US), and Roosevelt Lake (formed by the dam). Dry Falls was once the greatest known waterfall that ever existed, 10 times the size of Niagra Falls. Water flowed through the Upper Grand Coulee and over the 400 foot falls at a speed of 65 miles per hour. It has been estimated that the flow of water was ten times the flow of all the rivers of the world today combined! Oh, maybe I should mention we are talking 13,000 years ago. There's a fascinating history about how this all occurred.
Dry Falls Lake was one of my favorite fishing lakes in Washington. (Fly fishing only and with single barbless hook). My record catch was 74 in one day, all over 18 inches. I have many wildlife photos from this area including my first Porcupine. But, the photo I want to show you is as I was coming into the park one day and needed to stop at the pedestrian crosswalk:
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| Sun Lakes State Park, Washington |
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