Wandering Through Ancient Lakes

Ancient Lakes is a cluster of three small lakes nestled at the head of Potholes Coulee; a flat bottomed, cliff ringed valley.

Ancient Lakes

Recently I was watching a gear review video on YouTube. I don’t remember what they were reviewing but I remember where they were doing their review; Ancient Lakes. I had never seen or even heard about this area of Washington, and did some quick calling to my buddies. They weren’t familiar with the area either. That’s all it took for me to pull maps and start making plans to visit the area.

Ancient Lakes
Having hiked up to the saddle between coulees we were able to look down at Dusty Lakes.

Ancient Lakes is a cluster of three small lakes nestled at the head of a flat bottomed, cliff ringed valley called a coulee in these parts of Washington. The Ancient Lakes coulee is carved into the orchard-covered Quincy plateau and faces west, toward the Columbia River. This area is a great example of a recessional-cataract canyon. Potholes Coulee caught the attention of J Harlen Bretz in the early 20th century, which led to his “outrageous hypothesis” of Ice Age flooding; a very controversial theory during his time, but one that proved to be correct!

Support

Our mission is a labor of love, but it does come with overhead. If you’d like to support our efforts we’d certainly appreciate it. Currently, we’re actively participating in the following field research:

  • COASST Beached Bird Surveys
  • Wild and Scenic River Project

Thank you.

advertisement

Ancient Lakes is a cluster of three small lakes nestled at the head of Potholes Coulee; a flat bottomed, cliff ringed valley.

Ancient Lakes

Member of the following

We are the learned society for geography and geographers.
as-seal-gr
Working to provide opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to make a difference as they play in the outdoors.
coasst-logo
Working to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions.
Sea Grant Washington
Provide integrated research, communication, and education to coastal communities that lead to the responsible use of the nation’s oceans.

Latest Instagram

A forgotten sailboat, once at home on the open seas, now rests as a forgotten relic in the parking lot near Damon Point, standing as a haunting reminder of forgotten dreams and the relentless power of time. ...

The golden hues of the sunset cascade through the dense trees of the Pacific Northwest forest. It's a sight that never gets old, a reminder of the beauty that can be found in even the simplest things. ...

Walking through the forest near our campground on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It’s almost hypnotic listening to the breeze in the canopy and the waves on the shore. ...

As the sun ascends, an explosive burst of vibrant hues paints the sky over Damon Point, illuminating the world with a kaleidoscope of colors and reminding us of the breathtaking beauty that awaits those who embrace each new day. Read more about our adventure; the link is in the bio.⁠ ...

Theresa is leading the way to Pebble Beach. A local in the area had shared that this was once an Indian summer camp and that you could still find arrowheads and pottery. ...

Camping with Jason who found us a great spot on the Columbia River. It’s unbelievable how close the shipping channel comes to our sites. ...

Come explore the stunning beauty of Tokeland with us! 📸 Click the link in our profile to see what Theresa captured and to join in on the conversation about conservation. ...

Exploring the Coastal Charm of Tokeland - Essex Media & Explorations ...

From above, the waves on Long Beach Peninsula look like a canvas of abstract art, each one unique and captivating in its own way. It's like watching a symphony of nature in motion - powerful, graceful, and utterly mesmerizing. 🌊✨ ...

I recently witnessed a breathtaking sunset on the Pacific Coast. The hues of orange, and pink painted the sky and reflected off the calm water. It was a truly unforgettable moment. ...

Theresa's enjoying a moment of peace in Long Beach - just look at that sunset! All of us can help preserve these beautiful places for people to enjoy for years to come. Share your favorite conservation memory in the comments below! ...

We recently camped at Lake Sylvia State Park and were fortunate enough to have a break in the weather. Just as we were rounding the lake's northern end, there was a break in the clouds revealing a golden sky. ...

I'd love for you to check my lastest article which includes a short video of my visit to one of Washington's fire lookouts. https://buff.ly/409XOYR ...

Just published an article over on the website which also has a short clip of my trip to find the Burley Mountain Fire Lookout. Find the link in the bio. ...

Fluffy cotton candy clouds adorn the serene skies and tranquil waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We had to wait a bit for the tide to recede before we could start our #COASST bird survey. ...

We took shelter under an underhand to wait out a squall while conducting our #COASST bird survey on Murdock Beach. Theresa took advantage to do a bit of Agate hunting while the storm blew over head. ...

Potholes State Park

This year it’s hard to get short notice camping reservations as I’m sure everyone has noticed, but we did luck out and found a spot over at Potholes State Park which is only about a 45-minute drive from Ancient Lakes. We camped here once before when the temperatures had been a blistering 105 in the shade. Can’t say we enjoyed it much that time, but this time of year we had cold nights, and pleasant day temps this go-around and did enjoy the campsite.

We left early in the morning for Ancient Lakes and as we pulled in the parking lot it looked like we were going to have the place much to ourselves. However, before we could even gear up the parking lot started filling up with arrivals. There are so many trails that spider web off the parking area that we rarely saw but a handful of fellow hikers once on the trail.

The only exception to this was the waterfall at the head of Ancient Lakes. This seemed to be the main attraction and it looked like a tour bus had ejected its payload at its base. As such we contented ourselves with the view from across the lake.

The real treat and view were when we decided to hike up to the south rim of the coulee. The topo map should have a saddle that would give us a view of the neighboring Dusty Lake. Not only did that prove to be the case but the views from the rim top back over Ancient Lake were spectacular.

We did get lucky with our timing. The desert flowers were in bloom, and there was an incredible number of birds in the area. And I’m happy to say that the one animal that I kept seeing a warning about — rattlesnakes, didn’t make an appearance at all. We’re already making plans for a return visit in the fall.

Please share this:

More to explore

Escape Heat
Journal

Record Heat and Nowhere to Run

With record heat searing the Pacific Northwest, over 100 juvenile Caspian Terns fled overheated rooftop nests and fell to their deaths on the pavement below.

Read More »
Wild China
Journal

Wild China – Exploring a Different and Enchanting Land

Along the way, I managed to cross the highest mountain pass I’ve ever been on, view the highest mountain I’ve ever seen, immerse myself in the cuisine and culture of ancient peoples, and gain a new and renewed appreciation for this home of ours which is, of course, my favorite planet

Read More »
Whidbey Island
Journal

Cruising Whidbey Island

Stepping on to Whidbey Island is to follow in the steps of Capt. Vancouver and Lt. Puget. The island itself is named after the Sailing Master Joseph Whidbey.

Read More »

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.