Info to help you find your way around our lakes
Here’s our 2023-24 Visitors’ Guide, the print version in online form. Use this to keep it “in your pocket” for quick reference
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Pick up the actual print version just about anywhere in town, at the Visitor Center at Grand Coulee Dam or at several visitor centers around the state.
Fishing has resumed in most of the state following Gov. Jay Inslee’s adjustment to his Stay Home – Stay Healthy orders. Fishing has not opened up all the way on the Colville Indian Reservation, however, as the Colville Tribes is keeping it closed to non-members until May 29.
Get the rest of the story here.
It’s a little easier in the Coulee now to get a Discover Pass to park at Washington State Parks.
An automated pay station located at Northrup Point along SR-155, in the same area as Northrup Canyon and Steamboat Rock, accepts credit and debit cards to buy annual Discover Passes, day-use Discover Passes, as well as boat launch permits and more.
The pay station is located in the parking lot at Northrup Point near the boat launch there.
An annual Discover Pass cost $30 for the year; a day-use Discover Pass cost $10. A boat launch permit costs $7, and an unattended overnight vehicle parking fee is $10.
Denis Felton is the area manager for area state parks, including Steamboat Rock, Sunlakes, Dry Falls, and Potholes.
Felton said one of the main purposes for installing the pay station at Northrup Point is to simplify their work and reduce the use of cash in envelopes, used for boat launch and overnight parking fees, to appease the state auditor.
“The state auditor hates it when people collect lots of cash,” Felton said. “It’s an audit nightmare.”
Felton said the automated pay station, installed around late April 2019, has reduced the amount of self-pay envelopes by about half, although they’d like to reduce the envelopes by as much as possible.
Felton said that another automated pay station at Steamboat Rock State Park sometime “down the road” is possible, “but it’s not a priority right now.”
Discover Passes are available at the arrival booth at Steamboat Rock State Park when the booth is open.
A paystation has been where Felton’s office is located, at Sunlakes State Park, for four or five years now, he said.
An option to buy an annual Discover Pass is also included when renewing vehicle license tabs through the Washington State Department of Transportation, and they are also available at Coulee Playland.
The state Legislature passed the law to create the Discover Pass in 2011, in part for “recovering the cost incurred by the state for operations and management of recreation opportunities.”
There are 74 automated Discover Pass pay stations statewide. At the most recent purchase cost of $7,000 each, that’s the equivalent of 17,266 annual Discover Passes.
If you’d like some active fun on New Year’s Day, here are a couple local options:
1. Meet at Spring Canyon at noon for a polar bear plunge into Lake Roosevelt or join a few crazy kayakers braving the cold. They’re both happening at noon.
Spring Canyon, the National Park Service’s closest campground in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area to Grand Coulee, isn’t open with full service now, so plan on taking any trash with you when you leave. And be sure to bring a thermos of something hot to drink when you get cold, plus a way to dry off and warm up.
We understand some folks will also make their way to a local bar to help in that effort, if that’s your thing.
2. Take a hike at Dry Falls with the Washington State Park’s “Adventure Awaits” event, “New Year’s Day — Tracks & Impressions — Dry Falls Hike.”
Starting at the Dry Falls Visitor Center on highway 17, you’ll walk the western rim of the Lower Grand Coulee. (If you drive there from the city Grand Coulee, you will have driven the length of the Upper Grand Coulee along Banks Lake.)
The 2.5-mile hike, judged to be of “moderate” difficulty starts at 10:30 a.m. and lists no minumum age on the adventurewaits.com website. But note that the trail is NOT stroller or ADA accessible.
Dogs will be allowed on a leash.
Hikers should be prepared for winter conditions, of course, but also note that you’re hiking the rim, so prepare for wind. You should also bring a day pack with water and snacks, winter boots and hiking poles.
Park Interpretive Specialist David McWalter is organizing it: david.mcwalter@parks.wa.gov. , 509-632-5214.
The Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, including Spring Canyon, is scheduled to be open for Labor Day Weekend according to the National Park Service website.
Various locations on Lake Roosevelt have been closed due to pavement construction projects.
From the NPS website:
Updates on Closed Areas – Updated 08/28/2019
The following work and closure timeline is tentative and subject to change depending on weather, wildfire, and other unforeseen circumstances.
Closures for the week of August 26:
All locations are currently scheduled to be open for Labor Day Weekend with the exception of Porcupine Campground, Day-use, and Fish Cleaning Station. The Porcupine Bay boat launch may not open until late Friday or early Saturday depending on cure time for the micro surfacing. This schedule is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
For Crack Sealing:
Spring Canyon Group Campsites
Spring Canyon Campground
Spring Canyon Day-use
Spring Canyon Boat Launch
For Patching:
The following locations will be open but with traffic diversions in place. Please drive carefully and pay attention to the flaggers.
Lincoln Mill Boat Launch (Reopened 8/28/2019)
Hanson Harbor Boat Launch
Keller Ferry Campground
Keller Ferry Boat Launch
Keller Ferry Day-use
https://www.nps.gov/laro/planyourvisit/pavement-project.htm
