September was a rough month for me, as it was for many on the west coast. Thick, heavy smoke from the California and Oregon wildfires blanketed much of Washington, including the Seattle area. Thankfully, several days of rain towards the middle of the month cleared the smoke and brought fresh, cool air. I don’t think I have ever been so happy to wake up to rain as I was on those days.
As grateful as I was for the rain, I really wanted to go backpacking, but didn’t want to spend an entire weekend in the drizzle. I also didn’t have anyone to go with, as my normal adventure partner (my boyfriend), wasn’t up for it that weekend.
Several months before, I had joined a Facebook group for women in the Pacific Northwest who like to hike and backpack (PNW Outdoor Women). A lady in the group made a post asking if anyone would join her on a short overnight trip to Ancient Lakes that weekend. Because Ancient Lakes is in central Washington, it was forecasted to be dry and sunny. Even though going on an overnight trip with people I’d never met made me a little anxious, I was desperate to get outside. Plus, I had been wanting to make more female friends that share my love of the outdoors. So, I stepped outside my comfort zone and commented on her post that I was interested in going on the trip. We coordinated our trip over Facebook Messenger and finally met up Saturday morning to carpool to central Washington.
Approaching the canyon, Columbia River valley in the distance
The first part of the trail was a dirt road, but we turned off on a footpath after a quarter of a mile. In the distance, I could see the canyon where we were headed, and beyond that, the Columbia River valley. Prior to this trip, I had never backpacked in any kind of plain or desert environment. As we walked, I noticed the subtle beauty of the landscape: rolling hills, tiny wildflowers, and resilient shrubs.
After a mile, we began to descend into the canyon. At first, the descent was gradual. Cliffs slowly climbed from the landscape as we made our way through tall grasses. Finally, we emerged at the top of a waterfall. From our vantage point, we could look down into the main canyon area and gaze at the Ancient Lakes. The sparkling blue lakes were a stark contrast against the brown, rocky canyon edges. It truly was an oasis in the middle of the Washington plains.
First view of Ancient Lakes from the top of the canyon
Next to the waterfall, the trail descended a steep, rocky hillside. The rocks were very loose, so we inched our way down. Luckily, we reached the bottom of the waterfall without rolling any ankles. At this point, we were also standing at the edge of the first lake. To the right, a small boulder field separated us from the plateau on the other side of the lake. As we crossed the boulder field, I noticed small, thin “plates” of rock in between the larger boulders. They were unstable to walk on, but interesting to look at and contemplate.
View from plateau, the waterfall can be seen above the lake, to the left
Once we were out of the rocks, we ascended a small grassy hill to the top of the plateau in between the lakes. We started scouting good campsites while marveling at the canyon walls rising around us. Along the walls, we noticed several little waterfalls trickling over the edges and giving life to small grasses and plants nearby. These little waterfalls are actually irrigation run off from nearby farmlands, as are the Ancient Lakes themselves. Though beautiful, the water is full of chemicals and is not safe to drink, even after filtering. For this reason, we had to pack in all the water we would use.
After exploring the canyon and the lakes, we settled on a campsite in the center of the canyon. From every direction we were able to enjoy breathtaking views of the landscape. After setting up camp, we had dinner and watched the sun go down. As the sun dipped behind the canyon walls, it painted the underside of a large cloud in a deep gold hue, such that it seemed to glow. As the moon rose, we got to know each other more and ended the day not as strangers, but as friends.
Sunset over the canyon
Several hours after we had gone to bed, I had to get up to use the restroom. While I dreaded getting out of my warm sleeping bag, it was worth it to see the stars. Words fail to accurately describe the brilliance of the night sky. I could see many constellations shining brightly over the dark canyon. I sat with the door of my tent open for a few minutes to gaze at the sky before going back to sleep.
In the morning, we had a leisurely breakfast and packed up camp. Since we only had a two mile hike back to our cars, we weren’t in a major hurry. The only difficult part of the return journey was climbing out of the canyon near the waterfall. It was very steep, but we took it slowly and made it up without any problems. After that, the trail was smooth sailing and we made it back to our cars in no time.
Ancient Lakes was a beautiful, unique place to spend a weekend away from the rain and gloom of the city, and I’m so thankful I got to experience it with new friends.
Purple wildflowers by the lake
Logistics
- Parking Permit: Discovery Pass
- Trailhead: There are two different trailheads. My group parked at the upper trailhead. Parking at the lower trailhead would give you a hike of similar length but would allow you to skip the steep section by the waterfall.
- Water: All the water in the lakes and waterfalls is irrigation run off and isn’t safe to drink, even after filtering. Plan on bringing all the water you need. I had 5 liters and used 3 liters (make sure to bring water for cooking as well)
- Total mileage: 4.73 miles
- Total elevation gain: 480 feet
- Time of year I did this trip: late September. This trip is a great one for the spring or fall. In the summer, it would be very hot and you may encounter rattlesnakes.
Sunrise in the canyon
