Steamboat Rock, Umatilla Rock And Palouse Falls

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Steamboat Rock, Umatilla Rock And Palouse Falls

On 1 August 2026, Zosia Zgolak and I visited a trio of state parks in Washington. We started the day with a visit to Steamboat Rock State Park located off State Highway 155 about twelve kilometres southwest of Grand Coulee. The centrepiece of the park is Steamboat Rock, a basalt butte that is nearly surrounded by Banks Lake. The plateau atop the butte can be accessed by trails from a nearby campground and day use area, and circumnavigating the perimeter of the plateau is an easy and popular hike. Knowing that the weather would be hot later in the day, we aimed to start our hike as soon as the park opened. We actually arrived a little early and were pleasantly surprised to find the park gate already open.

From the day-use parking lot (47.86376, -119.12103), Zosia and I crossed the access road to one of several trails that converge at the bottom of the only weakness in the basalt cliffs which guard the plateau. After a short but steep climb, we reached a T-junction where we turned right to begin the perimeter loop in a counter-clockwise direction. The loop hike was easy and very scenic. Partway along the eastern rim, we left the trail briefly to tag the apparent high point of Steamboat Rock. At the south end of the loop, we took another short detour to tag a survey benchmark. Before closing our loop, we took a longer and more strenuous detour to a separate high point on the southern outlier of Steamboat Rock where we stopped for a short break in the shade of a large boulder. Upon returning to the loop trail, we hiked to the T-junction and descended back to the parking lot without any issues.

Guess which hump is higher!

Sonny hikes one of the approach trails to Steamboat Rock.

Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

	Zosia aims for a weakness in the cliff bands guarding Steamboat Rock.
	Some deer forage below cliffs comprised of basalt columns.
	The morning sun has a reddish hue due to wildfire smoke. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	An obvious trail goes up the weakness in the cliff bands.
	This is the steepest and loosest part of the trail through the weakness.
	The basalt cliffs of Steamboat Rock's southern outlier are covered with yellow lichen.
	Zosia begins the loop portion of the hike in a counter-clockwise direction by following the trail to the northeast.
	Sonny stands on a rock outcrop looking toward Steamboat Rock's high point which is somewhere among the bushy rise at far left. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Sonny takes a short detour from the trail to get a better look at Thompson Lake (centre). The body of water at left is part of Banks Lake but also known as Devils Punch Bowl. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

We'll have to come back some other time to bag Castle Rock!

The channel at right is the entrance to Devils Punch Bowl (far right). Beyond the channel at the far side of Banks Lake is a flat top officially called Castle Rock.

	Zosia and Sonny stand on the apparent high point of Steamboat Rock (707 metres).
	Sonny ventures out to an overhanging cliff on the east side of Steamboat Rock. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Here is a look back along the eastern cliffs from Sonny's location in the last photo.
	This is one of many western spotted orbweavers (or zig-zag spiders) that apparently thrive on the bushes that grow atop Steamboat Rock.
	Sonny pauses at yet another viewpoint overlooking Banks Lake to the north.
	Zosia hikes along the top of Steamboat Rock's northern cliffs.
	Zosia scrambles through a broken erratic on the grassy plateau.
	Zosia stands on Steamboat Rock's benchmark (696 metres) which is located far from the true high point (right of centre on horizon).
	Here is a closer look at Steamboat Rock's benchmark. The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency that oversees water resource management.
	Here is a slightly different-looking orbweaver spider found on the southern outlier of Steamboat Rock.
	Zosia scrambles onto a rock at a viewpoint on Steamboat Rock's southern outlier.
	Here is a last look at Steamboat Rock across Banks Lake from the highway to the south. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Total Distance: 7.8 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 3 hours 52 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 253 metres GPX Data

Leaving Steamboat Rock State Park, Zosia and I next drove south to Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park off State Highway 17 about seven kilometres west of Coulee City. A few years ago, we stopped briefly at the scenic visitor centre along the highway but did not have a chance to further explore the park. Most visitors congregate at the beach and campground near the east end of Park Lake, but we had our sights set on Umatilla Rock, an impressive rock fin that dominates the eastern half of the park. Like Steamboat Rock, Umatilla Rock is a flat-topped butte guarded by a seemingly-impregnable band of cliffs. A well-documented trail hike circumnavigates Umatilla Rock, but information from peakbagger.com shows that some folks have scrambled up to the summit plateau via a weakness along the western cliffs. With no GPS track available, we were a little uncertain about where to start as we drove into the park.

From the campground gate opposite the beach at the east end of Park Lake, drive south along Park Lake Road for 200 metres and turn left onto Deep Lake Road. Drive east for 1.6 kilometres to a split and keep left following signs for Dry Falls Lake, Camp Delaney and Perch Lake. Drive 600 metres to a 4-way junction and go straight on a rough 2WD gravel road with Umatilla Rock Trailhead just a little further on the right. Drive another 750 metres and park in a pullout (47.59472, -119.36514) on the right. More parking is available at a second pullout (47.59606, -119.36467) further down the road or a large parking area (47.59656, -119.36478) at the east end of Perch Lake.

From the pullout, Zosia and I walked a little further along the road before leaving it and turning uphill to climb a steep talus slope below the only obvious weakness in the western cliffs of Umatilla Rock. The rocks on the talus slope were generally stable, and we made good progress up to the base of the cliffs. The crux is comprised of two short cliff bands with the first one being more exposed and the trickier of the two to surmount. Fortunately, we found enough good handholds and footholds to safely climb up both cliff bands and reach the summit plateau. On the plateau, we first turned northward to go tag the true high point of Umatilla Rock before turning around and wandering to the very south end which is marked by two large cairns. We then returned to the spot where we first gained the plateau and safely down-climbed the crux. Descending the steep talus slope also required some care, but we eventually made it down to our car without any mishaps. On our way out, we stopped at the campground to grab a quick shower before exiting the park.

Maybe we should just go jump in the lake instead? The weakness at upper right is the key to scrambling up Umatilla Rock.

And you can see my car too...baking in the hot sun! Sonny climbs up a steep talus slope with Perch Lake behind him.
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

Nice butt shot! Sonny scrambles up the first cliff band above the talus slope.
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

And showing off for the driver coming along the road! It is Zosia's turn to scramble up the same cliff band.

Looks more like a kidney bean than a perch!

Here is another view of Perch Lake from the plateau atop Umatilla Rock.

	Zosia stands on a cliff on the east side of Umatilla Rock.
	Sonny and Zosia stand on the high point of Umatilla Rock (476 metres).

Feels like desert hiking near Las Vegas!

Zosia heads for Umatilla Rock's south end which is visible at left.

	Zosia reaches one of two large cairns at Umatilla Rock's south end (464 metres). At right is Rainbow Lake (or "Vic Meyers Lake"), and further in the distance is Park Lake.
	On descent, Zosia looks for the exact spot where she came up.
	Zosia carefully down-climbs the crux.
	Here is a last look at the south end of Umatilla Rock from its namesake trailhead.
	Total Distance: 1.7 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 1 hour 26 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 59 metres GPX Data

Zosia and I made our final stop of the day at Palouse Falls State Park located off State Highway 261 about ninety-five kilometres southeast of Moses Lake. The park features the official state waterfall where the waters of Palouse River plunge about sixty metres into a picturesque pool surrounded by dramatic canyon walls. This was little more than a rest stop for us to stretch our legs a bit after a rather lengthy drive. Nevertheless, we were impressed by the waterfall and glad to have made the effort to come see it before moving on to our next destination.

	Palouse Falls State Park showcases Washington's official state waterfall. Click on the photo to see a video of the waterfall in action.
	The canyon walls of Palouse River look radiant in the late day sunshine.

	The weakness at upper right is the key to scrambling up Umatilla Rock.
	Sonny climbs up a steep talus slope with Perch Lake behind him. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Sonny scrambles up the first cliff band above the talus slope. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	It is Zosia's turn to scramble up the same cliff band.