Dry Island Hike
NOTE:
The Dry Island Hike and environs burned in the 243 Command
Fire of June 2019. It may be a few years before this area
recovers for recreational use.
Hike Rating: Easy
Hike Length: 6.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 440’
Trailhead Elevation: 560’
Best Season: April-June and September
Driving Access: Any vehicle
Plus
Points
• A diverse desert hike with
marshes, basalt buttes, sage steppe and rimrock views
• Panoramic vistas of Saddle Mountain range, Lower Crab
Creek and Jericho coulees
• Marshes along Crab Creek support many wetland waterfowl
and songbird species
• Spring wildflowers include balsamroot, purple sage, phlox
and evening primrose
• Little sign of recent cow activity, though old cow trails
make easy hiking routes
• A sense of peace and solitude in this quiet,
little-visited corner of SE Washington
Minus
Points
• No established trail, so good
route finding skills and our GPS points will be helpful
• Mosquitoes can be bothersome at Crab Creek and pothole
ponds, so bring repellent
• Very little shade or cover on this hike, so plan to start
in the early AM on hot days
• Rattlesnakes are a possibility throughout the summer, so
be alert
Download
(PDF, 812 KB): Photos of Dry Island
Hike
Download
(PDF, 606 KB): Topo Map for Dry Island
Hike
Download
(GPX, 1 KB): GPS Points for Dry Island Hike
Download
(PDF, 691 KB): Road Map for Dry Island
Hike
Trail
Notes
The trail
begins on a jeep road leading north, across Lower Crab
Creek Road from the salt flat parking area. At 0.3 miles,
one comes to the abandoned twin railroad bridges over Crab
Creek. Climb up onto the railroad bed between the bridges
and hike west over the recently refurbished span. For the
next 800 yards, one has nice views down from the railroad
bed into the marshes and riparian forests along Crab Creek.
Look for herons, egrets, waterfowl and colorful blackbirds.
At 0.7 miles, where the marsh ends on the north and the
first rock outcrops appear (GPS Point 1), turn off the
railroad bed and start north cross-country through the
sagebrush. Within 100 yards, one comes to grassy channels
with willow trees winding among the basalt buttes. The
easiest hiking is along these channels bottoms, following
old cow trails north between the buttes. There's no correct
route, but a prominent draw at 1.2 miles (GPS Point 2)
offers easy access up toward Dry Island.
The hike
continues north through the sage until one meets the
powerline and road running east-west under the Dry Island
escarpment. Walk west along the powerline road to where it
descends into a deep, gentle swale, just below a hanging
coulee to the north (GPS Point 3). This hanging coulee is
the only obvious break in the rimrock and one follows old
cow trails up through the break onto the rim of Dry Island.
Once on top, the route is northeast up a broad grassy swale
between low rimrocks. The cross-country walking is easy
over loess soils with yellow balsamroot and other
wildflowers in Spring.
At 2.4 miles (GPS Point 4), one reaches the highest plateau
of Dry Island, where the route continues northeast through
the sage steppe toward the north rim.
The easiest
hiking is along narrow cheatgrass plains between the low
basalt ridges. At about 2.9 miles, one reaches the north
rim of Dry Island, with panoramic vistas over Sand Hollow
Lake and the Jericho Coulee. Some spots along the rim have
better views than others and one can easily wander east
along the rim edge until a good lunch spot appears (GPS
Point 5). Return as you came.
Road
to Trailhead
From the north on State Hwy 26,
1.5 miles east of Royal City and 6.3 miles west of Hwy 262,
turn south on Road E SW (aka Red Rock Coulee Road). Drive
south for 3.7 miles to a "T". Bear right (west) onto Lower
Crab Creek Rd and drive 6.9 miles, past the end of the
pavement, to a large, salt flat parking area on the left
(south).
From the west on State Hwy 243, turn east onto the
Beverly/Crab Creek Road, just south of a huge railroad
trestle bridge. Drive 9.2 miles east, past the Beverly
Dunes ORV Area, to the large, salt flat parking area on the
right (south) side of the road.
From the parking area, cross the road and start the hike
north on a jeep track, heading toward the railroad trestles
at Crab Creek. A WA State Discover Pass is required here.
Camping
Options
The nearest full-service
campground is Ginkgo-Wanapum State Park on the west bank of
Wanapum Lake on the Columbia River, 3 miles south of the
Vantage I-90 Bridge and about 21 driving miles
northwest of
the trailhead. This campground has 50 sites with full
hookups, plus drinking water, flush toilets, showers and a
boat ramp into Wanapum Lake. The campground is open from
April through October and reservations are recommended
during the summer months. Visit the WA State Parks
website or call (888) 226-7688.
Camping fees are based on the campsite selected.
Another full-service campground is Potholes State Park,
about 30 driving miles northeast 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.
Finally, there are 5-6 primitive campsites at Beverly Dunes
ORV Area, just 7 miles west of the trailhead on Lower Crab
Creek Road. This campground has portable toilets and a few
picnic tables with fire rings, but no drinking water. A WA
State Discover Pass is required.
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