Black Lake Hike
Hike Rating: Moderate
Hike Length: 6.8 miles roundtrip
Elevation Change: 230’
Trailhead Elevation: 885’
Best Season: April-June and September
Driving Access: Any vehicle
Plus
Points
• Picturesque basalt bluffs and
scabland topography within the Drumheller channels
• The hike features deep rimrock lakes, reed-cattail
marshes and stream cataracts
• Birdlife includes egrets, herons, ducks, geese, osprey
and red-tailed hawks
• Abundant Spring wildflowers, including larkspur, phlox,
asters and yarrow
• One of the more scenic, cow-free coulee hikes in
Southeast Washington
• A feeling of wilderness solitude, even though farmlands
are just a few miles away
Minus
Points
• No established trail, but
hiking is easy on old cow trails and game tracks
• Good route finding skills are required and use of our GPS
points may be helpful
• Rattlesnakes are a possibility throughout the summer, so
be aware
Download
(PDF, 752 KB): Photos of Black Lake
Hike
Download
(PDF, 763 KB): Topo Map for Black Lake
Hike
Download
(GPX, 1 KB): GPS Points for Black Lake Hike
Download
(PDF, 634 KB): Road Map for Black Lake
Hike
Trail
Notes
From the
parking area at the Upper Goose Lake boat launch, the hike
starts on a trail leading southeast up the steep-walled
coulee away from the lake. After 0.3 miles, the rock wall
on the south side of the coulee peters out (GPS Point 1)
and one can easily walk up the grassy bank to the top of
the rim. The route then follows old cow trails back
northwest along the rim edge toward the lake, with
panoramic vistas of the lake and coulee. Near the lake, the
route follows the rim as it bends west, and then ascends up
over the highest rimrock to avoid the steep slopes facing
the lake.
At 1.0 miles, one comes to a wide, steep draw leading north
down through the rim (GPS Point 2), providing an easy
hiking route down to a lower bench near the lake. Descend
to this flat lower bench and walk west, keeping to the
bench edge for the best views of the lake and its
waterfowl. At 1.3 miles (GPS Point 3), the route descends
off the bench through a wide pothole to lakeside, where one
finds game trails running near the water's edge under shady
willow trees.
For the next
2 miles, the route roughly follows the east edge of the
lakes and streams south, at times climbing up onto the
nearby rim, at times descending to the water, as the
topography and game trails dictate. At 1.8 miles, one comes
to the stone-fill dam of Upper Goose Lake, marking the
start of a long cattail marsh between the two lakes. The
route soon passes through a grove of willow trees, then
climbs south on a well-built trail up onto a higher rim and
emerges on a bench overlooking Lower Goose Lake. From 2.0
to 2.7 miles, the walking is easy on grassy benches above
the lake, with vistas of scenic basalt buttes.
At 2.8 miles, one comes to the low rock-and-mortar dam
holding back Lower Goose Lake. Past the dam, the stream
descends to Black Lake through a
narrow rocky
canyon with both cataracts and small marshes. The easiest
walking is on game trails on the east side of the creek,
with sightings of egrets, herons and waterfowl in the
marshy backwaters. At 3.4 miles, just past a series of
splashing waterfalls, one emerges on a bench overlooking
Black Lake, with long views of the lake and coulees to the
south — a fine hike destination. Return as you came.
Road
to the Trailhead
From the north on State Hwy
262, 4.9 miles east of Potholes State Park and 6.7 miles
west of State Hwy 17, turn south on a gravel road at the
east end of O'Sullivan Dam. This gravel road leads into the
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. Drive south about 2.9
miles to a junction, where the Upper Goose Lake Road is
straight ahead.
From the south on State Hwy 26, drive north to the town of
Othello, then follow McManamon Road north out of town as it
descends into the Drumheller Channels. At 5.7 miles, turn
north onto paved Morgan Lake Road. Follow this road north
into the Refuge, past the end of the pavement, for about
4.6 miles to a road junction. Turn left (west) here onto
the Upper Goose Lake Road.
Drive southwest on the Upper Goose Lake Road for about 1.7
miles to the road's end at the Upper Goose Lake boat ramp.
A WA State Discover Pass is required at this trailhead.
Camping
Options
The nearest
public campground is Potholes State Park, about 10 driving
miles northwest of the trailhead. This is a large
campground with 126 sites, 60 with full hookups for travel
trailers and RVs, and 66 more primitive sites for tent and
car camping. It features drinking water, flush toilets,
coin-operated showers and boat ramps into Potholes
Reservoir. Reservations are available April 15 through
September 15 and are highly recommended for the summer
months. Visit the WA State Parks website or call (888) 226-7688.
Camping fees are based on the type of campsite selected.
Note that camping and overnight parking are prohibited
anywhere within the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.
Agency
Contact: Washington Dept. of Fish &
Wildlife, (509) 765-6641
DISCLAIMER:
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this
information, but the authors do not guarantee that it is
either current or correct. The reader assumes full
responsibility for any use of this information, and is
encouraged to contact local public land agencies to inquire
about current conditions before
traveling.
Page
last updated: 12/8/14