Grand Coulee Dam Area Visitors’ Guide
Treat yourself to a tour … with our help!
2021-2022 A Supplement to The Star Newspaper
GRAND COULEE GRAND COULEE Center Lodge Center 404 Spokane Way, Grand Lodge Coulee, WA 99133
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Steamboat Rock is silhouetted by a spectacular sunset that also graces the cover of this visitors guide. The area’s beauty is on display all year. This photo was shot in November.
Electric City Located on the shores of Banks Lake and minutes from the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Electric City has much to offer visitors to the area.
A beautiful place to live or visit.
Come and see the historic Grand Coulee Dam, “the largest concrete structure in the United States.”
Enjoy the warm summer weather, and come experience some of the areas annual events like the Triple Fish Incorporated in 1950, Electric City offers outstanding Challenge in April, the Colorama Festival and PRCA recreational activities like golfing, fishing, boating, Rodeo in May, Koulee Kids Fest in June, the amazing climbing, camping Festival of America in and generally enjoy- City of Electric City (509) 633-1510 electriccity.us July, and the Harvest ing the wonderful Skydeck Motel (509) 633-0290 skydeckmotel.com Festival in Septemeastern Washington ber. Coulee Playland (509) 633-2671 couleeplayland.com climate. Located just Sunbanks Resort (888) 822-7195 sunbanksresort.com a few miles from the Go on a hiking adGrand Coulee Dam Banks Lake Golf (509) 633-1400 bankslakegolfcourse.webs.com venture at Northrup and Lake Roosevelt, Canyon, view the numerous opportuniunique Ice Age Flood geology, or just relax and get ties exist to enjoy yourself. Electric City is a beautiful away from the big city for a while. place to live or visit. No matter if you’re in pursuit of fur, feathers, horns or Electric City offers year-round fishing, an 18-hole golf scales, the Grand Coulee Dam area has much to offer a course, access to miles of lakes for water sports, and dedicated sportsman. a wide variety of camping, lodging and RV facilities, Whether it’s fun and recreation, or rest and relaxation, like Steamboat Rock State Park, Sunbanks Lake Resort, Electric City is waiting just a few hours away from Coulee Playland, and the lakefront SkyDeck Motel. anywhere in Washington. 1
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
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Table of Contents
Basic Questions................................................................. 3-5 Grand Coulee Dam Facts.............................................6-14 Where Can I Camp?............................................................15 Are the Fish Biting?..................................................... 16-18 Monthly Fishing Guide.............................................. 17-18 Hunting the Coulee.................................................... 18-19 Lake Roosevelt Facts.................................................. 20-21 Four-town Map............................................................ 24-25 Parks and Viewpoints........................................................26
Coulee Facts.................................................................. 27-28 Colville/Native People............................................... 30-32 Lake Chelan................................................................... 34-35 Welcome to Okanogan County.............................. 36-37 Hiking the Coulee ....................................................... 38-39 Adventures in Okanogan County.......................... 35-36 Golfing....................................................................................40 Laser Light Show Facts.....................................................33
Coulee in Covid
Most of the information on schedules in this guide are designed to help our visitors in normal times. At this writing, nothing is normal, yet, but may be by the time you’re visiting. Our area offers plenty to do and see at the dam and the surrounding area, so we offer those regular schedules, hoping that normalcy will return soon. But check with phone calls or website visits before planning. The Bureau of Reclamation plans to open the Visitor Center and start the nightly Laser Light Show on the Memorial Day weekend in 2021. No plans are currently in place to offer tours in 2021.
On the cover
The view from the shadow of Steamboat Rock looking northeast over wildflowers and the beauty of Banks Lake and the granite cliffs that welcome us when coming into town from the south on SR-155.
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Put your business in this Visitors‘ Guide in print and online at gcdvisitor.com. Need more guides at your visitor location?
Call 1-509-633-1350 or email to
star@grandcoulee.com
• Family clothing • Swimsuits • Shoes • Candy • Spices • Cosmetics • Crafts • Notions/Yarn • Domestics • Fishing/camping • Seasonal • Souvenirs • Small electronics • Greeting cards • Office supplies • Party decorations • Pet supplies • Toys, games, puzzles • RV supplies • Water toys
Coulee Wall VARIETY STORE
414 Midway Ave., Grand Coulee
509.681.0468 / facebook.com/couleewallvariety
Coulee Wall
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Basic Questions
What town am I in?
There are four towns adjacent to the Grand Coulee Dam. The city of Grand Coulee is above the dam. Electric City is two miles west of Grand Coulee. These two municipalities are located in Grant County. To the north, the town of Coulee Dam is directly below the dam. Coulee Dam — divided by the river — lies within three counties: Okanogan County on the east side of the river, and Douglas County and a tiny portion of Grant County on the west side of the river. The town of Elmer City, less than two miles north of Coulee Dam, also is in Okanogan County. The Colville Indian Reservation begins in the middle of the Columbia River Bridge in Coulee Dam and extends north to Omak. The east side of Coulee Dam and the town of Elmer City are within the boundaries of the reservation.
What time does the laser light show begin? The laser show is normally held nightly at Grand Coulee Dam. It is not currently running but should have (and may yet) followed this schedule in 2020: May 29 to July 31 at 10:00 p.m. Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 at 8:30 p.m. The show is about 28 minutes in length. There is no admission fee. Call 509-633-9265 for more information.
Where can I view this show?
• The best location: the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center (VC) at the dam and from the park below the VC. These areas are covered by an outdoor sound system. • On the east side of the bridge and across the street from the Coulee Dam Casino, a terraced, grassy park makes a great place to watch the show and hear the accompanying audio. • Other view spots: from Douglas Park in Coulee Dam, from Crown Point Vista atop the granite cliffs and above Lake Rufus Woods — access from SR-174 toward Bridgeport. • The USBR broadcasts the audio portion of the Laser Light Show nightly at 90.1 FM.
How do I take a tour of Grand Coulee Dam?
At the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Visitor Center on SR-155 just north of Coulee Dam, tours are offered. The VC offers movies about the dam, informational displays, and guides can answer questions. Youcangetthelatestinformationthere,orcall509-633-9265.
Where are public restrooms? • Steamboat Rock State Park, SR-155 eight miles south of Electric City • Coulee Playland, SR-155, Electric City • North Dam Park, SR-155, west of Grand Coulee • Grand Coulee City Hall, SR-155, Grand Coulee • Grand Coulee City Park, SR-174 • Etheta Anderson Memorial Library, Grand Coulee • Spring Canyon, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, SR-174 east • Visitor Center and park below • Mason City Memorial Park, Coulee Dam, across street from Havest Foods and Variety. • Coulee Dam Town Hall, 300 Lincoln, Coulee Dam
Where can I find overnight accommodations? • AREA MOTELS: Coulee Dam - Columbia River Inn, 10 Lincoln Ave., 509633-2100, 800-633-6421; Coulee House Inn and Suites, 110 Roosevelt Way, 509-633-1101,800-715-7767 Grand Coulee - Grand Coulee Center Lodge, 404 Spokane Way, 509-633-2860, 866-633-2860; TrailWest Motel, 108 Spokane Way, 509-633-3155, 866-633-8157 Electric City - The Skydeck Motel, on Banks Lake, 509633-0290 • AREA CAMPGROUNDS - Steamboat Rock State Park on Banks Lake, 11 miles south of Electric City on SR-155, 509-633-1304; Spring Canyon on Lake Roosevelt, 1.4 miles east of Grand Coulee on SR-174, 509-633-9188; Coulee Playland Resort on Banks Lake in Electric City, 509-633-2671; Lakeview Terrace Mobile Park, 2.4 miles east of Grand Coulee on SR-174, 509-633-2169; King’s Court, SR-174 toward Wilbur, 509-633-3655.
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Where can I eat? Family Style
Café Espresso, Grand Coulee Fusion Café & Espresso, Electric City Hometown Pizza, 121 Bridgeport Hwy.Grand Coulee Pepper Jack’s Bar & Grille, 113 Midway Ave., Grand Coulee PK’s Culinary, 415 Midway Ave., Grand Coulee R&A Cafe, 514 Birch St. or Coulee Dam Casino, across the street, Coulee Dam. Voltage Coffee House, Grand Coulee
Fast Foods
Jack's, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam Electric City Bar & Grill, Electric City
Specialty
Siam Palace (Chinese/Thai/American), Main St., Grand Coulee La Presa (Mexican), SR-174, Grand Coulee
Where can I have a picnic?
Where can I buy postcards, gifts, and souvenirs?
Many area retailers carry postcards, as do motels, restaurants and area concessionaires. • In Coulee Dam: Colville Tribal Museum Harvest Foods & Variety Coulee View & Fuel • In Grand Coulee: Coulee Wall Variety, Jack's Four-Corners, Spring Canyon Exxon VISITOR • In Electric City: Coulee Playland Resort H&H Grocery Coulee Pioneer Museum • Outer Area: Trading Post, Nespelem Grant Co. Museum, Ephrata
What else is there to do besides tour the dam?
• 12 Tribes Coulee Dam Casino, 516 Birch, Coulee Dam • Banks Lake Golf Course,public golf,SR-155 west of Electric City, 7 a.m. - dark • Hiking trails abound in the coulee area. See Hike section pages 40-41 • Houseboat, skiing and fishing boat rentals on Lake Roosevelt • Boating on Banks Lake,Lake Roosevelt and Rufus Woods Lake; Small boat, party boat and pedal boat rentals at Coulee Playland, Electric City • Swimming at Steamboat Rock State Park and Coulee Playland on Banks Lake, and at Spring Canyon on Lake Roosevelt • Canoeing on Crescent Lake, below the city of Grand Coulee. • View Gehrke Windmills, North Dam Park, Grand Coulee • Panoramic view of Grand Coulee Dam at Crown Point Vista. Take Highway 174 two miles west toward Bridgeport and watch for signs. Great spot for camera buffs. • Bowling at Riverview Lanes in Coulee Dam View from the park below • Public library, Federal Avenue, Grand Public launches on Banks Lake are at: the Visitor Center Coulee Coulee Playland, Jones Bay, Northrup Point and Steamboat Rock State Park. On • Tennis courts at North Dam Park, Grand Lake Roosevelt, local launch ramps are at Coulee; behind the Federal Credit Union in CrescentBayinthecityofGrandCoulee,andatSpringCanyon Coulee Dam's Cole Park; and at Lake Roosevelt High School campground, both operated by the National Park Service. • Year-round fishing The Columbia River below Grand Coulee Dam (Lake • Skate Park, North Dam Rufus Woods) can be accessed at Seaton's Grove, north • See gcdvisitor.com for updates and other activities. of Elmer City. • Steamboat Rock State Park, SR-155, eight miles south of Electric City in the Grand Coulee • Spring Canyon, SR-174 east toward Spokane • Grand Coulee Dam’s Visitor Center Park, below dam and Roosevelt Memorial Park. (Look for the bust of Franklin D. Roosevelt off SR-155 near the top of the dam.) • Municipal parks are located at: North Dam Park,SR-155,Grand Coulee (covered eating area); Grand Coulee City Park, SR-174 east toward Spokane; Douglas Park, SR-155, Coulee Dam; Cole Park, just off SR-155 on Columbia Avenue (do not cross Columbia River Bridge); Mason City Memorial Park, across street from Coulee Dam shopping center; National Park Service headquarters, Crest Drive, Coulee Dam.
Where can I launch a boat?
Continued on page 5
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
The feeder canal carries a river of water pumped up 280 vertical feet from Lake Roosevelt in the background to Banks Lake, which is an irrigation reservoir that waters 670,000 acres of farmland in the Columbia Basin project.
Where are the grocery stores/mini marts? • Electric City — H&H Grocery, Coulee Playland. • Grand Coulee — 4 Corners where SR-174/155 meet; Spring Canyon on Grand Coulee Ave., Safeway on SR174. • Coulee Dam — Harvest Foods & Variety, Coulee View, 2 Okanogan Ave. • Outer Area — Trading Post, SR-155, Nespelem
Is medical care available?
Coulee Medical Center is open seven days a week, with the emergency room open 24 hours a day in
Grand Coulee. Take SR-174 toward Bridgeport, watch for road signs. The center is on the right just past the four-corners as you head toward Bridgeport.
Where can I get propane? King’s Court RV Park, Coulee Playland, Electric City
Where are holding tanks dumped?
Coulee Playland, Electric City; Steamboat Rock State Park on Banks Lake; Spring Canyon on Lake Roosevelt; and Coulee Dam's station on Stevens Ave., one
Made fresh to order
• Authentic Mexican Food • Margaritas • Daiquiris • Beer & Wine
• Daily Specials • Banquet Room • Catering • Take-Out Orders Open Monday thru Saturday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
515 E. Grand Coulee Ave., Grand Coulee ORDERS TO GO - Call 509-633-3173 Also - 13308 W. Sunset Highway, Airway Heights • (509) 244-7001
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
Grand Coulee Dam on an evening in spring with Banks Lake and Steamboat Rock in the distance to the south. If you look closely, you can see the dozen “penstocks” or huge pipes that take the water up 280 feet to the feeder canal, which is above the Left Powerhouse in the photo.
Grand Coulee Dam Facts When was Grand Coulee Dam built and by whom? The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation began construction of Grand Coulee Dam in 1933 as the key structure in its multipurpose Columbia Basin Project.It has since become the linchpin in harnessing the second largest river in the United States. It took nine years to build the dam, but even more years of battling and political maneuvering before construction started. While it was recognized early in the century that the Columbia Basin had rich farmland that only needed water to flourish, the method for providing that water caused much controversy. A Spokane group 6
insisted upon a 134-mile gravity-flow canal from Lake Pend Oreille to the Basin, while a Wenatchee/Central Washington group favored building a big dam on the Columbia at Grand Coulee. The battle raged for 13 years. At its conclusion, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized $60 million to get the dam project started. In the Grand Coulee, life changed dramatically and quickly once work on the dam began in 1933. Not only did the undertaking of this massive project forever change the shape of the river, but overnight it created towns where nothing but sagebrush, sand and rocks had previously existed. Thousands came to the Grand Coulee looking for work in the midst of the Depression. They worked around the clock to finish the dam by 1942.
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Big jobs on a the biggest power facility Above, workers are doing maintenance on the drum gates on top of the spillway on Grand Coulee Dam. Below, a shot of the (almost) full mile wide-plus dam. The Left Powerhouse is in the foreground on right, the Right Powerhouse is tucked past the spillway, and the Third Powerhouse extends to the left from there. The two photos together give some sense of the size of the dam, the power from which can be used to support other renewable energy production, such as wind and solar, which does not have ready-made energy storage, like Lake Roosevelt. Grand Coulee is the largest energy production plant in North America by capacity. Lake Roosevelt must be lowered at least 35 feet from full pool to do the work each spring on the drum gates.
How many dams are on the Columbia River?
How big is Grand Coulee Dam?
Altogether, a total of 11 dams have been built on the river in the United States, as it winds its way from the Canadian border toward the Pacific Ocean; Grand Coulee Dam is the keystone of the Columbia River system dams. Five other dams in the Big Bend region of the river also offer facilities for visitors — Chief Joseph Dam on Highway 17 in Bridgeport; Wells Dam, south of Brewster on Highway 97; Rocky Reach Dam, north of Wenatchee on Highway 97; Wanapum Dam, six miles south of the I-90 crossing of the Columbia; and Priest Rapids Dam on Highway 243.
Grand Coulee Dam dwarfs the Great Pyramids of Egypt and generates more power than a million locomotives. An engineering wonder, it is also the country’s largest hydroelectric project. Grand Coulee Dam is one of the largest concrete structures in the world, containing almost 12 million cubic yards of concrete. It towers 550 feet above bedrock (as high as the Washington Monument) and is 500 feet wide at its base. There is enough concrete in the dam to build two standard six-foot-wide sidewalks around the world at the equator. 7
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
A group gets a special tour inside the a powerhouse at Grand Coulee Dam.
How is the electricity produced? Electricity is generated by unseen torrents of water rushing through the turbines within the dam’s hydroelectric plants. There are three powerhouses at Grand Coulee Dam with a total rated capacity of 6,809 megawatts,
making this dam the largest hydroelectric producer in the United States.
What is the dam’s main purpose? Actually, Grand Coulee Dam has three important functions: irrigation, power production and flood con-
Open 24 Hours
Great Convenience Store & Deli • Beer • Lottery 509.631.7466 212 Midway Ave., Grand Coulee on SR 155, north of Safeway 8
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022 trol. Although electricity was not foreseen as a primary function when the dam was built, today the production of electrical energy is one of Grand Coulee Dam’s most important jobs.Recreation is another important function, facilitated by the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.
How many acres does Grand Coulee Dam help irrigate? Water supplied by Grand Coulee Dam irrigates more than 670,000 acres of rich farmland in the Columbia Basin annually. Water from Lake Roosevelt (behind the dam) is lifted 280 feet up a hillside to flow into the Banks Lake reservoir, where it starts a journey that eventually covers an area more than twice the size of the state of Delaware. Each of the six conventional pumps in Grand Coulee’s PumpGenerator Plant is powered by a 65,000-horsepower motor and will pump 1,600 cubic feet of water per second, or 781,128 gallons per minute. In addition, six pump-generators, each having a 67,500-horsepower rating, can pump 1,948 cubic feet of water per second. One of these 12 units can fill the water needs of a city the size of Chicago, Illinois.
Life happens, Coffee helps. • Espresso • Latte • Americano • Granitas • Italian Sodas • Sparks • Red Bull • & more...
Next to Coulee Hardware Midway Ave., Grand Coulee
509.633.1613
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
Cars on highway 155 look like ants under a tree as they drive by the massive walls of the upper Grand Coulee along Banks Lake.
We are celebrating 36 Years!
TREE LINED LAKESIDE PARK
Tenting, Full Hook-ups 2 miles to Golf Course and 2 miles from Grand Coulee Dam
LARGE SELECTION OF TACKLE/RODS, REELS MARINE/RV/CAMPING SUPPLIES BANKS LAKE APPAREL RENT: PONTOON BOATS, FISH BOATS, PEDAL BOATS, STAND UP PADDLE BOARD (SUP) - the SUP can be easily transported to other lakes - Lake Roosevelt, Crescent Bay, south side of Osborne Bay.
YURT — SLEEPS 5 Tribal & State Game Licenses Lake Roosevelt Boat Launch Passes www.couleeplayland.com
Reservations recommended but not required
401 Coulee Blvd. E. (509) 633-2671 Box 457, Electric City, WA 99123 10
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Chinese, Thai & American Family Dining Dine-In or Take-Out Banquet Room Available 325 Midway Ave. Grand Coulee, WA 99133 213 Main St., Grand Coulee ~
• Ready-made lunch and breakfast items • Fresh pastries, cookies and breads made daily from scratch • Gluten free and dairy free options • Delicious Blue Star coffee and espresso as well as tea, Italian sodas and other drinks • Cool remodelled historic building • Green packaging including non-plastic corn based cups and straws and fiber to-go containers OPEN: 6:30 - 2:30 daily (7:30 Sunday) 140 Spokane Way / Grand Coulee 509.631.2035 / voltagecoffeehouse@gmail.com
633-2921
POWERED BY RECREATION At Grant PUD we have created plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy the Columbia River. Go play at any of our 20 recreation sites. Visit grantpud.org to learn more.
GRANTPUD.ORG
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
How does Grand Coulee Dam help in flood control?
Each spring, the water level of Lake Roosevelt, behind Grand Coulee Dam, is lowered to make space for massive amounts of water that will flow down the Columbia River in late spring and summer as rising temperatures melt snow in the Rocky Mountains. The water is “captured” in the lake to prevent flooding downstream and to provide a steady flow of water for the whole year.
How big is Lake Roosevelt behind Grand Coulee Dam?
VISITOR
The dam’s blocking of the Columbia River has created Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, which extends 151 miles upstream to the Canadian border. The reservoir has a shoreline of 660 miles, a surface area of 82,000 acres, and a total storage capacity of 9,562,000 acre-feet of water.
How is Lake Roosevelt managed for public recreation?
Recreation on the lake is managed cooperatively by three federal agencies and two Indian tribes.The National Park Service has authority for the portion of the lake and adjacent shoreland comprising the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (LRNRA).The Colville Confederated Tribes and the Spokane Tribe manage public recreation along the areas of the lake and shoreline that fall within their reservation boundaries. Other partners cooperating in the lake’s management are the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Each year, more than a million visitors enjoy the beauty and recreational opportunities of the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.
Every year, using observation and measurements of snowpack in the mountains from here to Northern British Columbia, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sets lake elevation goals for the drawdown of Lake Roosevelt. As the only big storage reservoir on the Columbia with the capacity for deep drawdowns, the lake’s level is sometimes dropped dramatically in the spring to capture as much runoff as possible to prevent flooding downstream.
How do I take a tour of Grand Coulee Dam?
This 50-minute guided tour is free of charge and available only on a first-come, first-served basis. The tour begins at the tour building, on the east side of the river above the Third Power Plant, where you will board a van and be taken to the Pump-Generating Plant. Highlights include a look at the large pumps used for transporting water from Lake Roosevelt to the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, concluding with a van ride across the top of the dam. Handicap-accessible tours are available with advanced notice by calling (509) 633-9265. All tour participants are required to pass through a metal detector prior to beginning the tour. Weapons, purses, bags, backpacks, fanny packs, and packages are not permitted on the tour. Cameras, but not camera cases, are allowed on the tour. On-site storage for personal belongings is not available. Be sure to lock your car. A federal armed security officer will escort all public tours.
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Tours of the dam include stops on top of it, where visitors can peer over the edge to the river about 390 feet below.
About those tours … For the remainder of 2021, the Bureau of Reclamation will not offer public tours of Grand Coulee Dam, although the Visitor Center will re-open May 29, 2021, following the recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because the normal tours involve crowding onto
a small bus or van, USBR did not believe it could safely conduct the tours. We also note that scheduling and arranging the tours normally requires a months-long lead time for hiring and training tour guides. That could also have been a factor in the decision to not offer tours this year.
Normally… When not shut down for a pandemic, a 50-minute guided tour is free of charge, only on a firstcome, first-serve basis. Seating is limited. Groups should call (509) 633-9265 at least 15 days prior to their visit. The tour begins at the tour building where you will board a van or bus to be taken to the PumpGenerating Plant. Highlights include a look at the large pumps used for transporting water from Lake Roosevelt to the Columbia Basin Project, conclud-
ing with a ride across the top of the dam. Accessible tours are available with advanced notice by calling (509) 633-9265. Or check the website at All tour participants are required to pass through a metal detector prior to beginning the tour. Weapons, purses, bags, backpacks, fanny packs, and packages are not permitted on the tour. Cameras, but not camera cases, are allowed on the tour. Onsite storage for personal belongings is not available. Be sure to lock your car. 13
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Interactive exhibits offer fun at Visitor Center (located on SR-155 below the dam)
VISITOR
Exhibits at the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center aren’t just to look at. From hands-on experience of touching tools used to build the dam, to a newly produced (2014) documentary film in the upstairs theater, the Visitor Center offers something for everyone.
at 3 convenient locations!
4 Corners WE NOW ACCEPT SAFEWAY CLUB CARDS FOR GAS! Intersection of Hwy 155 & 174
Grand Coulee
509.633.2472
at Coulee Dam
Located across from the Visitors Center at the dam
509.633.2951
at Spring Canyon Located 2 miles west of Spring Canyon Campground
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509.633.3073
Cooper’s Fried Chicken & JoJos Fresh Sub Sandwiches, Old Fashioned Burgers & much, more Ice, Beer, Wine, Pop & Slushies 12 Flavors (make your own) Milkshakes / Fishing Supplies
ATM Machine, Lottery • All your Grocery needs
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Where can I camp? At a private campground Coulee Playland Resort , SR-155, 509-633-2671 King’s Court RV Park, SR-174 (East), Grand Coulee, 509633-3655, with laundry and more
At a state park Steamboat Rock State Park — One of the most popular attractions along Banks Lake, this park is 5,043-acre camping park with 50,000 feet of freshwater shoreline. Three campground areas and a large day-use area are protected from winds by tall poplars, a camping, swimming, hiking and boating mecca. One of more than 100 state parks, Steamboat Rock is among Washington’s best. It has a sandy beach and sheltered swim area (no lifeguards), plus a modern bath house and a concession stand. The wide grassy picnic area contains playground equipment (currently closed) and a truly unique view of Banks Lake and Steamboat Rock. For overnight camping,this state park offers 100 campsites with full hookups.Water, electricity, sewer, tables and stoves are on each site, and 26 standard sites with table, stove, and tent pad, plus 12 boat-in campsites located on the north end of Steamboat Rock. The restrooms have hot showers. The park also offers 80 primitive sites at Jones Bay and Osborn Bay Campgrounds, with tables, stoves and vault toilets, but no running water. Steamboat Rock State Park is part of the state’s reservation camping system. Reservations can be made year round by going online at www.parks.wa.gov or by calling 888-226-7688. The popular campground fills up fast and early reservations are recommended.The park is open for camping year-round. Please Note: A permit is required at all state parks for boat launching, and trailer dumping. Permits may be obtained at the park office or from the Washington State Parks Commission in Olympia, Washington.
At NPS campgrounds There are 35 campgrounds located along the 660 miles of shoreline around Lake Roosevelt. Five of these are maintained by the Colville Confederated Tribes, two others by the Spokane Tribes and 28 by the National Park Service. These facilities are available for camping, picnicking, boating, swimming and fishing. NPS camping sites along the lake vary from fee campgrounds with major facilities, including picnic areas, swim beaches and interpretive programs, to primitive boat-in campgrounds.
Clear waters and sandy beaches on Lake Roosevelt make for happy dogs, as well as humans.
• Spring Canyon on SR-174 is the closest NPS campground; turn left approximately three miles east of the town of Grand Coulee. There are 87 campsites including RV (dump station but no hookups), tent and group camping sites. Fees are charged. Reservations are available by going online at www.recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Other major NPS campgrounds are located at Keller Ferry, Fort Spokane, Porcupine Bay and Kettle Falls. • Keller Ferry is about 14 miles from Spring Canyon by boat, or 15 miles overland from the Highway 2 cut-off near Wilbur. This area includes a marina, store, and free ferry across the lake to the Colville reservation. • Fort Spokane, built in 1880 and used by the U.S.Army until 1898,became an Indian agency,boarding school and tuberculosis hospital until the late 1920s. It’s about 50 miles up the lake from Spring Canyon at the confluence of the Columbia and Spokane Rivers.To see Fort Spokane, take SR-174 to Highway 2 east, watch for road signs and turn north at Miles-Creston Road, just east of Creston. The Fort Spokane campground is the second largest in the recreation area. Picnic area, historic trail, swim beach and boat launch are available. • Kettle Falls, at the north end of the lake, is enjoyed for its beautiful setting and good boating. It has a houseboat rental operation.
Indian reservation camping when available Several campsites on the Colville Indian Reservation are normally open to non-members, although the Colville Tribes has closed non-essential travel through 2020 and barred non-members for camping during the Covid- 19 pandemic. When it is open again, various permits and random camp fees (for boats along the lake) can be purchased for one day, three days, seven days and seasonal use. 15
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Are the fish biting? Is fishing good in the GCD area?
The three largest reservoirs in the state of Washington are within 10 miles of Grand Coulee Dam — Roosevelt, Banks and Rufus Woods all offer excellent year-round fishing. McGinnis and Buffalo Lakes on the Colville Confederated Tribes‘ reservation can also be fished. Many changes have occurred to the warm-water fisheries on Banks Lake and Lake Roosevelt. Increased smallmouth bass and walleye limits and reduced size restrictions should keep you out on the lake all day! Make sure you measure your fish and keep only what you can eat.
What kinds of fish are found locally?
There are over 14 species of game fish found in nearby Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, Rufus Woods Lake and Banks Lake. These include: largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, kokanee, perch, crappie, whitefish, ling cod, sunfish and sturgeon. The sturgeon is by far the largest, and has been known to measure over 13 feet and weigh over 1,000 pounds.For fishing information,call Coulee Playland Resort at 509-633-2671.
When can I fish Lake Roosevelt?
This major waterway is a year-round fishery in Washington state. Fishermen are reminded to adhere to state and tribal fishing regulations. Copies are available where fishing licenses are sold. Rainbow and kokanee are the stars of the lake, with walleye and smallmouth bass in supporting roles. In the summer months,trolling is the most popular way to fish the lake. During the cooler months, bank fishing is popular where fishermen can stand by a fire or sit in their rigs while waiting for the fish to strike. Still fishing is popular above Grand Coulee Dam during the winter and spring. A tribal license is required on the north side of the reservation on Colville Reservation and above the Third Powerhouse.
Banks Lake has a growing reputation and is becoming increasingly attractive to bass organizations hosting tournaments.For more information on these tournaments, stop by or call Coulee Playland Resort at 509-633-2671.
Tribal lakes closed to nonmembers during Covid Rufus Woods Lake – 52-mile reservoir stretching from VISITOR Grand Coulee Dam to Chief Joseph Dam in Bridgeport, is an excellent fishery too. Locally, a boat launch is located near Elmer City on Lower River Road. Heading north, turn left onto Lower River Road just past Lake Roosevelt High School on SR-155. Or ask one of the friendly folks in Elmer City.Boating is prohibited between the SR-155 bridge and Grand Coulee Dam. McGinnis Lake – Take SR-155 north from Coulee Dam toward Nespelem. Approximately one mile past Elmer City (three miles from Coulee Dam) turn right on Peter Dan Road. Drive about three miles, then watch for a sign which indicates a left turn toward McGinnis and Buffalo lakes. Three or four miles after this turnoff, the road comes to a “T.” Take the right turn and the lake is a quarter mile away. Buffalo Lake – Follow the same directions to McGinnis Lake, but turn left at the “T” instead of right. Buffalo Lake lies another three to four miles beyond,on a good dirt road.
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What kind of fishery is Banks Lake?
The sprawling Banks Lake reservoir covers 30,000 acres and is regarded as one of the finest fishing lakes in the state for bass, perch and walleye. In spring, summer and fall, it provides plenty of room for fishermen, both along its shores and from boats. In winter, ice fishing is popular and, depending on the winter, can last as long as four months. Corner of Federal & Spokane Way, Grand Coulee
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Can you fish on the reservation? Normally , yes. In 2020, no. Fishing is not currently permitted for non-members. Usually, Rufus Woods Lake and in the Colville Confederated Tribes’ ”designated fish area” can be fished with either a tribal permit.More designated areas will be added later. For updates,call the state Department of Fish and Wildlife at 509-754-4624. Non-members of the Colville Tribes must purchase a special permit for all other reservation waters. These can be purchased at certain local businesses, such as Coulee Playland Resort in Electric City. Please note: a state license is required when fishing from the shoreline of Douglas County on Rufus Woods Lake. Also, anglers fishing the Spokane Arm (of Lake Roosevelt) must have a Spokane tribal permit when they fish from the reservation shore out to the midpoint of the Spokane Arm’s channel. Anglers wishing to fish the Sanpoil River arm of Lake Roosevelt would do well to check with tribal authorities for permits.
Monthly Fishing Guide January: Ice fishing attracts its own special following in the coulee. Some years, Banks Lake has safe ice for four months; other years, for only two week; and at times, no ice at all. Ice may form as early as December and run through February, or be available only for a fortnight in January. A unique way to ice fish on this lake is at night using a gas lantern, with the prey being whitefish. The best ice fishing spot on Banks Lake is the causeway area west of Electric City—for perch. Many anglers fish the shoreline of Lake Roosevelt for large rainbow by parking their vehicle next to the lake. (Caution: unattended poles warrant a $100 fine.) A tworod endorsement may be purchased; check the fishing regulations. February:Walleye fishing now comes into its own,with boat fishermen launching their boats at the Elmer City ramp (below the dam; check on accessibility) and fishing either upstream to the Highway 155 bridge or downstream to Chief Joseph Dam, a distance of approximately 50 miles. Shore fishing continues along Lake Roosevelt for large rainbow and kokanee (silvers or landlocked sockeye salmon). March: During the month of March, the ice is about gone from Banks Lake and now the big walleye are caught. Fishing on Lake Roosevelt, is good not only from a boat but also from the shore. Crescent Bay Lake, midway
between Grand Coulee and the dam, offers spiny ray fishing from the bank. Boats with motors are not permitted on the lake. The fishing is also good for walleye and trout in the Columbia River below Grand Coulee Dam. April: The month of April is a continuation of March fishing patterns, with a few additions. The lakes on the Colville Indian Reservation open to fishing. McGinnis and Buffalo Lakes provide excellent trout fishing. McGinnis Lake has only eastern brook, with some exceeding three pounds. Buffalo carries “brookies,” rainbow and kokanee. Weekend bass tournaments are scheduled April through October on Banks Lake. Bass tournament headquarters are usually at Coulee Playland Resort (between Grand Coulee and Electric City). The Banks Lake Triple Fish Challenge is held the fourth weekend in April. May: Many area fishermen head for Grand Coulee Dam in May, where they fish directly upstream or downstream from the dam. Rainbow and walleye are caught not only early in the evening, but also during the pre-dawn hours. A major bass tournament is held on Banks Lake over the Memorial Day weekend. June: In Banks Lake, the walleye are taking jigs and spinners, just about anything tipped with a nightcrawler. Lake Roosevelt is dotted with boats fishing for rainbow and silvers. Some fishermen use “hardware” (Pop Geer and Ford Fenders) while others use small spoons fished from either leaded line or with a downrigger 30 to 50 feet below the surface. 17
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022 July/August: Lake Roosevelt is usually warm enough by the end of July that the water is tolerable for swimming close to shore. D u r i n g t h e s e wa r m m o nt h s, h owe ve r, f i s h will seek the cooler deep waters of the lake. Other spiny rays that offer fishing all summer long are perch and “slab” crappie in the small coves along Banks Lake. September/October: While the fishing is still exceptional in September, hunting season arrives. With the emphasis now on hunting, sportsmen tend to taper off their fishing during October. November/December: If the month of November has been cold, Banks Lake is beginning to freeze and ice fishing comes to mind.The small bays freeze first and offer fishing for yellow perch. By December, the lake is often ice-bound and holes are being cut in the ice.
VISITOR
FISHING REGULATIONS KEEP CHANGING. PLEASE REFER TO THE CURRENT STATE AND TRIBAL FISHING REGULATIONS FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Hunting the Coulee What’s it like?
To the outdoorsman who likes to hunt, the Grand Coulee Dam area offers unparalleled hunting pleasure. No matter if the hunter is in pursuit of fur, feathers or horns, the coulee has much to offer to the sportsman. Beginning in September with the opening of dove season, through the middle of March when the rabbit season ends, the hunter will find a variety of animals, birds and waterfowl to test his or her skills. Weather extremes are also a factor. The dove season opener usually brings the warmest weather of the year. A goose hunter in December and January may experience sub-zero temperatures, while the March rabbit hunter will encounter weather comparable to late October and early November. The mourning doves arrive in July and by the first of September, the normal opening day, this migratory buzzbomb is ready to test the mettle of the best wing shooter. They always fly fast. Then add a tail wind and they will appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. These birds can be found in stubble fields on both sides of the coulee walls and can also be found in sagebrush and scabland surrounding some stubble fields. With the end of dove season,usually around the middle of September, the hunter waits for the opening of the general hunting season in which upland birds, deer and waterfowl open on one glorious October Saturday. Mule deer can be found in sagebrush-covered flatland and draws surrounding the coulee, as can a few whitetail close to timber. Special archery-hunting seasons can also be found in the area. Opening day also sees the upland bird hunter, with his 18
Mule and Whitetail Deer are abundant.
flushing and pointing dogs, hunting the brushy draws for quail,the rugged hills for chukkar,and the stubble fields for Hungarian partridge or more commonly known as“huns.” At the same time, the waterfowl hunter, with his retriever, is scouring the small potholes and lakes for ducks and the stubble fields for geese. “Serving our community for 44 years.”
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022 As any bird and waterfowl sportsman knows, the birds soon become wary. Quail, chukkar, “hun” and the occasional Chinese pheasant flush as the 4x4 stops and it is only the skillful hunter who can put birds in the game bag during this period. The ducks cannot be found, as they spend most of their days out of harm’s way on the waters of the big reservoirs. The goose hunter spends his days, when he is not hunting, driving the miles of back roads in the coulee looking for feeding geese. Once the birds are spotted and found to be using a particular field, the hunters dig their pit long before daylight the following morning. (They have, of course, been careful to obtain permission from the landowner first.) Once the pit is dug, they wait in hopes that the geese will return to the same field as they did the morning before. By the middle of November, the deer season is usually over, except for a few special hunts, and the only quarry to be bagged are the upland birds and waterfowl. By the end of December, the dedicated goose hunter becomes a solitary figure in the fields, as most seasons usually end the first of January. When goose season ends in the middle of January, a few hunters will begin hunting the cottontail rabbit until the end of February. And then there is always fishing if a hunter gets tired and wants a change of pace during the day. Coulee country encompasses many acres of state and federal land that offer free hunting. Write to the Department of Natural Resources, in Olympia, for information and maps of the area. Or visit one of the local businesses advertising hunting licenses.
A personal watercraft pilot has fun spinning a spiral on Banks Lake.
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
This aerial view from the back side of Grand Coulee Dam over Lake Roosevelt at sunrise accentuates the fact that Grand Coulee Dam holds back a lot of water in the 150-mile-long lake. It holds 9,402,000 acre feet when full. The town of Coulee Dam lies just below the dam, where the Columbia River flows northward. Technically called Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, it is the 25th largest lake in the United States by volume.
Lake Roosevelt facts When was Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake formed?
When construction of the Grand Coulee Dam was completed in 1941, the waters of the mighty Columbia River began to backfill behind this enormous concrete structure. As a result, the waters of the once-untamed river swelled to create a 151-mile long reservoir, first called Columbia Reservoir. It was renamed Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake in honor of the 32nd President of the United States on April 17, 1945, five days after the death of Roosevelt.
What is the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area?
Lake Roosevelt is a federally-owned reservoir which is administered by the Bureau of Reclamation. However, recreation on the lake is managed cooperatively by three federal agencies and two Indian tribes. The National Park Service (NPS) has recreation authority for that portion of the lake and adjacent shoreland comprising 20
the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (LRNRA). The Colville Confederated Tribes and the Spokane Tribe manage recreation along those areas of the lake and shoreline that fall within their reservation boundaries. The two other partners in the management agreement are Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
How many campgrounds are there in the LRNRA?
Thirty-five campgrounds are located along the 660 miles of shoreline around Lake Roosevelt. Five are maintained by the Colville Confederated Tribes, two by the Spokane Indian Tribe and 28 by the National Park Service. The facilities provide opporunities for camping, picnicking, boating, swimming and fishing.
Is there a fee for camping?
Camping sites along the lake vary from fee campgrounds with major facilities, picnic areas, swim beaches and interpretive programs, to primitive boat-in campgrounds.
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Does the NPS offer programs? The National Park Service often offers ranger-conducted canoe trips on Crescent Lake, below the city of Grand Coulee. All canoeing equipment (canoes, paddles, life vests) is provided. First come, first served. Visitors often see beavers, deer, muskrats, great blue herons, Canada geese, turtles, frogs and nesting cliff swallows. Other NPS-conducted activities at Spring Canyon include: • campfire programs at the amphitheater • hikes on the Bunchgrass Prairie Trail • night sky astronomy tours Contact NPS before making plans. All programs are subject to change. Call 509-754-7843 or check campground bulletin boards.
Where are the other major NPS campgrounds? Maintaining the giant
Bureau of Reclamation employees tackle maintenance on the big “drum gates” atop the dam. The gates, here completely lowered, float in water reservoirs that are controlled by operators. When you see the water spill before the laser light show, these enormous gates have been lowered slightly.
Which campground is closest?
The closest NPS campground is located at Spring Canyon on SR-174; turn left approximately three miles east of the town of Grand Coulee. There are 87 campsites including RV (dump station but no hookups), tent and group camping sites. Reservations are available online at www.recreation.gov or at 877-444-6777. A fee is charged.
What else is at Spring Canyon?
Spring Canyon has a beautiful sandy beach and adjacent shaded picnic area, including grills and playground equipment. There are restrooms plus boat launching. A fee is charged.
Where can I hike in the LRNRA? Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area consists mainly of Lake Roosevelt and has very little land base. As a result, there are few hiking trails within the park. There is a selfguided nature trail at Spring Canyon, which starts at the campground.There are also trails at Fort Spokane and Kettle Falls. When the lake level is low, you can walk many miles of interesting shoreline.
Major campgrounds are located at Keller Ferry, Fort Spokane, Porcupine Bay and Kettle Falls. Keller Ferry is about 14 miles from Spring Canyon by boat, or 15 miles overland from the Highway 2 cut-off near Wilbur. This area includes a marina, store, and free ferry across the lake to the Colville Reservation. Fort Spokane, built in 1880 and used by the U.S. Army until 1898, became an Indian agency, boarding school and tuberculosis hospital until the late 1920s. It’s about 50 miles up the lake from Spring Canyon at the confluence of the Columbia and Spokane Rivers. To see Fort Spokane, take SR-174 to Highway 2 east, watch for road signs and turn north at Davenport on SR-25. Besides some of the original outposts, there is a visitor center and a trail. The Fort Spokane campground is the second largest in the recreation area. Picnic area, swim beach and boat launch are also available. Kettle Falls at the north end of the lake is enjoyed for its beautiful setting and good boating. It has a houseboat rental operation. St. Paul’s Mission includes the original site of Fort Colvile, once the second-largest center for fur trading in the Northwest, and a rustic log missionary church. Nearby are Sherman Pass and the Kettle River, where hiking and canoeing are popular.
Where can I get an Interagency Senior or Access Pass? You can acquire either at the Fort Spokane Visitor Center during the summer months.The LRNRA headquarters office, 1008 Crest Drive in Coulee Dam, and the Kettle Falls Ranger Station have the passports available all year. Interagency Senior Pass be obtained by persons 62 years of age or older. The Interagency Access Pass admits people into many federal fee areas, including national parks, for free and reduced fees in campgrounds. It is available for people with disabilities. 21
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
A rainbow on Banks Lake seen from the entrance to Sunbanks Lake Resort.
Coulee Medical Center is home to a wide range of onsite healthcare services and a full staff of physicians, visiting specialists, and other medical providers, who are passionate about caring for you.
Family Medicine - Obstetrics - Endocrinology 411 Fortuyn Rd. Behavioral Health - Collaborative Care Program Grand Coulee, WA 99133 509.633.6229 Coulee City Medical Clinic - Dietary - Emergency - Radiology - Lab www.cmccares.org Surgery - Visiting Specialists - Referrals - Long Term swing - Acute Care 22
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Four-Town Map The Grand Coulee Dam community is made up of four towns and more than a dozen unincorporated areas between and around those towns. Electric City is the farthest south on SR-155. Next, VISITOR heading north, is Grand Coulee, then Coulee Dam, which straddles the Columbia River, then Elmer City. Heading north toward Omak as you cross the river in Coulee Dam, you enter the Colville Indian Reservation.
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
North Dam Park includes shade and lawn for all kinds of play, but also eight acres for hiking, two softball fields and a skate park.
Parks and Viewpoints
What are the local choices for a picnic, viewing, easy hike or bike trail?
• Banks Lake Park – maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation, is located on SR-155, just 0.3 miles south of its junction with SR-174 just above North Dam Park. It overlooks Banks Lake and has picnic areas, water and restrooms. • North Dam Park is adjacent to Banks Lake Park and offers a shady picnic area, tennis courts, softball fields, amphitheater, horseshoe pits, a covered grill, picnic areas and playground equipment for children. A novelty of the park, the Gehrke Windmill Garden is a frequent tourist stop. Built by a local resident, who made over 680 of them before his death several years ago, the windmills are constructed of castaway iron pieces and painted in bright colors. Emil Gehrke’s windmills are recognized as“folk art”treasures and have been given media coverage on television, and in National Geographic and Sunset magazines. • Shane Proctor Park (formerly Grand Coulee City Park) – located on SR-174 east in Grand Coulee. A children’s play area and an adjacent picnic section are found in this tree-shaded park. A large basalt rock in the center is typical of the natural landscape of the Grand Coulee. Restrooms and water are available. A proposal was made 26
to the Grand Coulee City Council to rename the park in honor of Shane Proctor, who has distinguished himself on the professional bull riding and rodeo circuits, having won the World Champion PRCA Bull Riding title in 2011. Procter was a graduate of Lake Roosevelt High School in 2003 and has been a rodeo contender ever since. • Douglas Park – found on SR-155 in the town of Coulee Dam. This well-manicured park, just below Grand Coulee Dam, has large evergreen trees shading its picnic tables. A paved sidewalk takes the visitor to a scenic spot along the river, providing an excellent view of the dam. • Cole Park – also maintained by Coulee Dam, affords a variety of recreational activities.It is located just off SR-155, five minutes north of the Visitor Center. Do not cross the Columbia River Bridge but continue north onto Columbia Avenue past the bridge. The park is located one block ahead on the west side of the river next to the Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union. It is a pleasant area shaded by large trees and offers tennis, handball, horseshoes and basketball courts. • Mason City Memorial Park – a Coulee Dam town park, is located in east Coulee Dam adjacent to the shopping center and post office. It contains picnic table, grills and play equipment in a shaded setting. Mason City was the early name of a portion of the town now called Coulee Dam. The town of Coulee Dam boasts a new park with provisions for viewing the laser show at Grand Coulee Dam. Freedom Point Plaza is adjacent to the Columbia River Bridge, across the street from the shopping area, and features live performances from time to time.
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Steamboat Rock at sunrise as viewed from above. You’re looking south down Banks Lake. The irrigation reservoir exists because the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation pumps all its water up 280 feet to a feeder canal. The lake waters 670,000 acres of farmland in the Columbia Basin.
Is Banks Lake a natural lake?
Coulee Facts
Banks Lake is a 31-mile long reservoir, which was filled by the Bureau of Reclamation in the 1950s to provide irrigation water to the Columbia Basin. The reservoir starts just east of the city of Grand Coulee and extends south to Coulee City.
What is a coulee?
As a geological term, coulee means a ravine or deep gully, usually dry, which has been cut by water. The Grand Coulee of Eastern Washington was formed over millions of years by eruptions of lava which solidified and was later swept away by massive and tumultuous Ice Age floods. Forty to 60 million years ago, a large inland sea covered the Columbia Basin. The basin was formed as a result of uplift in the surrounding territory. Ten to 15 million years ago, volcanic eruptions began to occur and many layers of lava flowed over the basin, forming the Columbia Plateau. Today, these layers can be seen as they erode, exposing the different lava flows. Approximately two million years ago,the Ice Age began. Several times, the ice pushed south and then retreated. Glaciers covered some of this area. It was during the last Ice Age, approximately 10,000 years ago, that an ice dam holding the waters of Lake Missoula (Montana) broke and massive floods swept through the area. Evidence suggests that one of the last floods had waters that were over 800 feet high. It is these successive floods that carved and shaped the coulees and other landforms that are so prominent throughout the area.
What will I find in the Grand Coulee?
Besides the geological wonder of the Grand Coulee and the Banks Lake reservoir, there are some surprises hidden here, too. It is a wonderful wildlife habitat for dozens of species of birds, as well as for deer and coyote. The only natural forest in Grant County is located in a canyon of the coulee. Called Northrup Canyon, it is located across the highway from Steamboat Rock State Park and is open to hikers.
Can I camp in the Grand Coulee?
Yes, campgrounds can be found at each end of the Grand Coulee and in the very heart of the coulee. • Coulee Playland Resort — In Electric City, it's two miles from Grand Coulee and two miles from the golf course. It features 40 sites with full hookups, 25 primitive and 10 tent sites, showers, restrooms, laundry, mini-store, dump station, playground equipment, boat launch, marine fuel, boat rental and overnight docking. Campers also will find a swimming area (no lifeguard). Open year round. • Steamboat Rock State Park — One of the most popular attractions along Banks Lake, this park is a 900-acre camp for swimming, hiking and boating. It has a sandy beach and sheltered swim area (no lifeguards),plus a bath house, a concession stand, a grassy picnic area with playground equipment, and a truly unique view of Banks Lake and Steamboat Rock.
Continued on page 28
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022 It offers over 100 campsites with full hookups. Water, electricity, sewer, tables and stoves are located at each Tucked away in the coulee is the Grand Coulee Dam site, and 26 standard sites with table, stove, and tent airport. Operated by the port district, this landing field for pad, plus 12 boat-in campsites located on the north end small aircraft is located alongside the lake and accessed of Steamboat Rock. The restrooms have hot showers. At by car from the golf course road. Jones Bay and Osborne Bay are 80 primitive sites with table, stove, and a vault toilet, but no running water. Steamboat Rock State Park is part of the state’s reservation camping system. Reservations for camping can be made online at parks.wa.gov or by calling 888-226-7688. The popular campground fills up fast and early reservations are recommended. The park is open for camping year round. Please Note: A permit is required for boat launching and trailer dumping at the park. A boat launching annual pass may be obtained at the park office or VISITOR from the Washington State Parks Commission in Olympia, Washington.
There’s an airport, too?
Where can I launch a boat?
Boat launching ramps can be found at Steamboat Rock State Park, 11 miles south of Grand Coulee on SR-155, and at Coulee Playland Resort in Electric City. There are two other launching sites found about midway along the lake. One is at Barker Canyon on the west side of the lake, and the other is on the small peninsula that juts out toward Steamboat Rock from the east side of the lake, just off SR-155. While boating is great fun on Banks Lake, navigators are cautioned that the lake can become rough very quickly. Keep an eye on the weather,and carry the necessary safety equipment—flotation devices for each passenger, a bell or whistle and a fire extinguisher.
GRANT COUNTY WA S H I N G T O N
Just Natural Ingredients
A boat launch at Steamboat Rock State Park.
We Are Open for 2021
thru
September 30
Open 10am – 5pm closed wednesday & sunday GUIDED TOURS until 4pm Following Covid protocol – MASKS REQUIRED
LIVING MUSEUM & PIONEER DAY
Fishing • Hunting Camping • Hiking Watchable Wildlife
Dates questionable due to COVID-19
a walk through the past ...
Grant County Tourism Commission
P.O. Box 37, Ephrata, WA 98823 • 800.992.6234
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TourGrantCounty.com
situated on 3½ acres, a complex of 38 buildings preserving the historical legacy of Grant County.
G ran
t
Cou n t
y
Est. 1970
742 Basin NW • Ephrata • 754-3334 • PAID FOR BY GRANT COUNTY TOURISM •
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Coulee Dam
N
Legend
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Colvilles — Native People
VISITOR
Colville Tribal member Nathan Moses, whose M3 Consulting Group uses drones in agriculture in Eastern Washington, displays one to kids attending the Colville Tribes’ annual Earth Day Celebration at the powwow grounds on the Colville Indian Agency in 2018.
Who are the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation? For hundreds of years before explorers and settlers reached the lands of the Columbia Plateau, numerous tribes of native people occupied the territory of Eastern Washington. Up to the mid-1850s, the ancestors of the Colville Confederated Tribes were nomadic, but life changed for them with the coming of settlers in the 1800s.Today, the Colville Confederated Tribes is made up of 12 different bands of Indians. Eleven bands are from eastern Washington state, and one band, the Nez Perce, is from northeast Oregon. The 12 bands are: Wenatchi, Entiat, Chelan, Methow, Okanogan, Nespelem, San Poil, Lakes, Moses, Palus, Nez Perce and Sweelpoo.
How did the Native Americans live? As nomadic peoples, the different bands followed the seasons and their sources of food. Deer and other big game plus dried salmon were the primary food of winter.Small groups lived in the mountains and hunted the abundant game. In the spring, the native people congregated in slightly larger groups to gather camas and other roots in the lower valleys.Through the summer and fall, the Columbia River provided abundant salmon and other fish, which encouraged large concentrations of Salish-speaking Colville people. 30
How did the different bands come to be called the “Colville” Tribes? Many different tribes fished and traded goods with each other in the area of Kettle Falls, Washington. In the 1820s,non-native people learned that the Indians excelled at trapping and stalking game for the large fur trade. For this purpose, a new fort was established at Kettle Falls by a man named Simpson. The new post was to be called Fort Colvile, after the leading member of the committee of directors in London, Andrew Wedderburn Colvile. Andrew Colvile, who was in the rum and molasses business, never set foot in America. He had, however, advanced Simpson to his position of leadership. Trading took place at Fort Colvile almost daily. From 1826 to 1887, Indians traded beaver, brown or black bear, grizzly, muskrat, fisher, fox, lynx, martin, mink, otter, raccoon, wolverine, badger and wolf. Beaver and otter were most important, but martin and bear became popular after the 1840s. As many as 20,000 pelts a year went out of Fort Colvile. The word “Colville” was used by government officials, not the aboriginal Indians, who never met Andrew Colvile. As time went on, and for convenience, the term “Colville” came more and more to be used as a designation for the native people of this area. Because of Fort Colvile, all neighboring bands were eventually confederated as Colville Indians. By executive order of President Ulysses S.Grant on April 9, 1872, the Colville Indian Reservation was formed and became the permanent home to the 12 bands. Continued on page 31
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022 St. Paul’s Mission, near Kettle Falls today, includes the original site of Fort Colvile, once the second largest center for fur trading in the Northwest, and a rustic log missionary church. Nearby is the Kettle Falls Historical Center Building, which features native American crafts, history and a retail shop. The exhibit is open weekends in May, and Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day.
When were the boundaries of the Colville reservation established?
The original reservation was in existence for less than three months of 1872 when other executive orders and agreements began to take portions of the reservation for public domain. Over a 10-year period, the Colville Indian Reservation was reduced to its present size, less than half the original.
How many Colvilles are there today?
More than 9,000 people are members of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
How is the reservation governed today? Today’s Colvilles, an enterprising and progressive community of people, are a sovereign nation governed by their own administrative and judicial branches within the boundaries of the reservation. Leading the tribal membership is a 14-member business council, elected from the four reservation districts of Omak, Nespelem, Keller and Inchelium.
Where is the tribal
T I T W A A T I T G A L L E R Y government located? How big is the Colville OPENING reservation?
Tribal headquarters are located on the Colville Indian Agency campus near the town of Nespelem.
The Colville Indian reservation is 2,300 square miles — about 1.4 millionTHIS acres.GALLERY It is bigger than the state IS OF AND FOR THEofINDIGENOUS ARTIST OF THE PLATEAU Rhode Island.
TITWAATIT GALLERY O P E NGallery ING Titwáatit
Continued on page 32
“A Native Art Gallery”
THIS GALLERY IS OF AND FOR THE INDIGENOUS ARTIST OF THE PLATEAU
Gallery Opening May 11th 2019 1-7PM Operating Hours Wednesday -Sunday 1-7PM 312the Spokane Way This gallery is of and for Indigenous Artists of the Plateau
Gallery Opening May 11th 2019 1-7PM Grand Coulee, WA 99133
Contact Cassandra Waters OPERATING 509-633-9940 HOURS cassandraw@thenndf.org.
Wednesday - Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. @titwaatit
Operating Hours Wednesday -Sunday 312 Spokane Way, Grand Coulee / 509.633.9940 / cassandraw@thenndf.org 1-7PM 31
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
What are some of the cultural/ religious practices on the reservation? Proud of their heritage, the Indian culture and religions are very much alive and active on the Colville reservation. There are the Seven Drums and the Indian Shaker religions as well as the Indian Winter Chinook Dances, the annual spring thanksgiving Root Feasts, and the memorial giveaways in honor of the deceased. Today, many of the young and elder tribal members continue to celebrate seasonal events such as the annual Sunflower Festival at the Paschal Sherman Indian School in Omak, the July 4th Powwow Celebration at Nespelem, the powwow at the Omak Stampede in August and other traditional gatherings.At these events, and at a number of locations on the reservation, members display traditional bead and buckskin items often done in designs handed down for generations. In Nespelem, the powwow takes place in the Tribe‘s “Circle,” a traditional gathering place. Indians arrive from reservations in Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon to join in the festivities. Authentic ceremonial dress, stick games, dozens of teepees and a long-established rodeo make the celebration memorable. This Annual Fourth of July Celebration lasts for 10 days. The public is invited to attend the powwows and other tribal-sponsored activities,
Is there a tribal museum? The Colville Tribal Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday, until Labor Day, then on Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. for fall and winter throug December 26. The museum first opened in 1995, and is located in Coulee Dam at 512 Mead Way.During 2009,the exhibit gallery was closed for renovation.In March 2011,themuseum became a reality for the 12 bands of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation, representing the Okanogan, Nespelem, Sanpoil, Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce, Chelan, Wenatchi, Entiat, Methow, Lakes, Colville, Palus and Moses peoples.
What is sold in the gift shop? The Museum Gift Shop features such items as traditional clothing, beaded items, books, silver and turquoise jewelry, and Pendleton Woolen Mills items, such as bags, cups and coats and blankets. The inventory includes tribal members’ artwork, 32
VISITOR The Colville Tribal Museum in Coulee Dam is just east of Harvest Foods.
beaded items, and items with the tribal seal. The museum merchandise is always changing to include new items and artwork. The public is invited to the free museum. Donations are accepted.
What can visitors see and do on the reservation?
While traveling through the Colville Reservation, visitors are invited to visit the tribal headquarters near Nespelem or the other reservation communities. Just another two miles north, in the town of Nespelem, is a memorial to Chief Joseph who was sent to the reservation in 1884 with 150 of his band of Nez Perce Indians. Joseph, famous for his intelligence and peacekeeping efforts, is best remembered for the heroic march by his people in the late 1800s in an effort to resist the gradual and painful takeover of Indian land by non-Indians. From Nespelem, take Cache Creek road over a quiet and picturesque mountain pass to Keller on the San Poil arm of Lake Roosevelt. There is a free ferry across Lake Roosevelt here, which has been in operation since 1948. Farther east, over another forested mountain pass, is the scenic community of Inchelium. If traveling west,continue from Nespelem on Highway 155 over beautiful Disautel Pass to Omak in the sunny Okanogan Valley. There are 18 well-stocked lakes on the reservation with limited fishing as well as hunting for non-members. Information about these sporting activities is available from the Tribal Fish and Wildlife Department in Nespelem (509) 634-2110.
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Lasers tell the story of the dam and its effects with animation across the 300-foot-tall spillway as water spills over the top from the reservoir behind.
Laser Show entertains and informs
How long is the laser show?
The laser light show lasts approximately 30 minutes, during which time colorful images created by the lasers dance back and forth across the huge surface of the dam.
How are the lasers used at Grand Coulee Dam?
As one of the largest entertainment laser projection systems in the world, and certainly the largest outdoor laser show in North America, the lasers at Grand Where can I view the Coulee Dam tell the story of the show? Columbia River and how its power (Expected) 2021 The best locations are the seating was harnessed to provide multiple Laser Show Times area at the Visitor Center and from benefits to mankind, including electhe park below the Visitor Center. Nightly at Grand Coulee Dam trical power, irrigation for farming, These areas provide an outdoor and exciting recreational opportunisound system. May 29 to July 31 at 10:00 p.m. ties. As a result of the open process The town of Coulee Dam has a Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 at 9:30 p.m. of scripting the new show in 2014, park — terraced and grassy for viewviewers will also understand the costs Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 at 8:30 p.m. ing the laser show — adjacent to the of building the dam — cost to wildlife, east end of the Columbia River bridge. and to native peoples whose way of Other viewing spots: from Douglife was dependent on that wildlife, in particular, the salmon that las Park in Coulee Dam; from Crown Point Vista atop the granite no longer could continue upstream to spawn. cliffs above Lake Rufus Woods, with access from SR-174 towards Bridgeport. How much did the lasers cost? The USBR broadcasts the audio portion of the laser light With the original equipment in use since 1989, the Bureau of show nightly at 90.1 FM. Reclamation commissioned a new show and new equipment. The equipment began operation in May of 2013, but projecting What is a laser? the new show began in May 2014.Lumalaser, of Eugene, Oregon, Lasers are intense beams of light commonly used in medicine bid the project at $1.6 million. and science, but they've also found a niche as a high-tech, fastmoving form of entertainment.They are controlled by computers How big are the laser images? which, at Grand Coulee Dam, are in the Visitor Center. Pictures are beamed at the awesome height of nearly 300 feet. Although a single dot of light, lasers can trace an image so How far do the lasers project? rapidly it appears as a solid figure to the human eye. The laser lights are beamed between 2,000 and 4,000 feet to The term“laser”is actually an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It is so commonly used the surface of the dam. now that the tradition of using capital letters for an acronym has been dropped. 33
Lake Chelan Valley Lake Chelan Valley VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
The Lake Chelan Valley has long been a destination known for the cool, refreshing lake, warm summers and crisp winter days.longer Pleasure-seekers visittime year-round layover allows to rent atobicycle experience the friendly communities and abundant opportunities for recreation, and take your own tour, with a stop at the especially during the summer, bakery, and a visit to Historic Buckner The Lake Chelan has when the lake is at Valley “full pool” and Orchard, or hike one of the trails for a ideal for playing longconditions been a are destination known in grand view overlooking Lake Chelan and the sun and water. for the cool, refreshing lake, the Stehekin River. warm summers and crisp winHikers, backpackers and Located near the center of Washington ter days. Pleasure-seekers campers flock to the idyllic visit valley, state, about 150 miles from Seattle or year-round to experience which is surrounded by partsthe Spokane, Lake Chelan is the deepest friendly communities and abunof North Cascades National gorge in North America. Just over 50 dantPark, opportunities forwilderness recreation, two national miles long, the lake is fed by the Stehekin VISITOR areas and Lake Chelan National especially during the summer, River at its head, and over 27 glaciers of Recreation Area. the Cascade range. At its deepest point when the lake is at “full pool” and the lake is 1486 feet deep,Lakeside which puts the conditions are ideal for playing in Park In the resort community of bottom 386 feet below sea level; this depth the sun and visitors water. will find lodging Chelan, occurs in the narrowest area of the lake, options and dining choices where it is less than a mile wide. Hikers, andChelan has been to fit everybackpackers budget and palate. choicebut for family vacations for and Lakethe Chelan, Dry, Roses, Antilon, generations, to the which same hotels year after year. Water sports abound The warm summer days and crisp, cool as campers flock tomany the returning idyllic valley, Wapato Lakes (great fishing locations) from jet-skiing and pleasure boating to fishing and splashing around at one of the evenings create perfect growing conditions is surrounded by parts of North Cascades well. parksPark, or resorts along thewilderness water’s edge. great way to apples enjoy ahave refreshing for fruit. Chelan’s been splash known National two national ar-Another is at Slidewaters Waterpark, with a varietythroughout of slides, many designed for adults to ride the country since the Chicago eas with and small Lake children, Chelan National Recreation At the head LakeInChelan the remote a Lazy River, Thunder Rapids tube slide where you canis group with World’s Fair in of 1893. recent years, Area. ofstand Stehekin, accessible friends, and even side-by-side racing, with acommunity concession and more! vineyards have replaced some appleonly by helicopter, hiking, or passenger ferry. orchards, and the Lake Chelan AVA wasThe Seven miles from Chelan is the village of Manson, around which the majority of In the resort community of Chelan, visi- Lady established reflect qualities of of the to Lake II and unique the Lady Express tastingoptions rooms inand the valley be wine found. Downtown Manson sits on the the grapes grown in the valley. tors wineries will findand lodging diningcanoffer daily service to Stehekin in the sumedge to of the lake, and a scenic drive through the vineyards and orchards surrounding choices fit every budget and palate. mer, and regular scheduled service all the town offers views of not only Lake Chelan,For butinformation Dry, Roses,about Antilon, Wapato theand Lake Chelan Chelan has been the choice for family year. Choose a one-hour or a three-hour Boat Company and their fleet of passenger Lakes (great fishing locations) as well. vacations for generations, many return- layoverferries in Stehekin, and enjoy and the scenic tour, the call serening At to the thehead same hotels year after year. of Lake Chelan is the remote community Stehekin, accessible only abyvisit ity of this of quiet mountain valley (509) 682-4584 or visitwith float plane abound or passenger The Lady Lake IIwww.ladyofthelake.com. andshops the Lady Express offerordaily Water sports fromferry. jet-skiing andof the to the small at the landing, take service to Stehekin pleasure boating to fishing and splashing in the summer, and around at one of the parks or resorts along regular scheduled the water’s edge. Another great way to enservice all year. joy a refreshing splash is at Slidewaters Choose a one-hour or Waterpark, with a variety of slides, many a three-hour layover designed for adults to ride with small chilin Stehekin, and enjoy the serenity of dren, a Lazy River, Thunder Rapids tube this quiet mountain slide where you can group with friends, valley with a visit to and even side-by-side racing, with a conthe small shops at the cession stand and more! landing, or take the shuttle to view 312’ Seven miles from Chelan is the village Rainbow Falls and Slidewaters Waterpark of Manson, around which the majority of Stehekin’s One-Room Schoolhouse. The wineries and tasting rooms in the valley can be found. Downtown Manson sits on the edge of the lake, and a scenic drive through the vineyards and orchards surrounding the town offers views of not only Stehekin Landing 34
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
the shuttle to view 312’ Rainbow Falls and Stehekin’s One-Room Schoolhouse. During your layover, enjoy lunch at the Bakery or North Cascades Lodge. The longer layover allows time to rent a bicycle or Polaris Ranger and take your own tour, with a stop at the bakery, and a visit to Historic Buckner Orchard, or hike one of the trails for a grand view overlooking Lake Chelan and the Stehekin River. Located near the center of Washington state, about 150 miles from Seattle or Spokane, Lake Chelan is the deepest gorge in North America. Just over 50 miles long, the lake is fed by the Stehekin River at its head, and over 27 glaciers of the Cascade range. At its deepest point the lake is 1486 feet deep, which puts the bottom 386 feet below sea level; this depth occurs in the narrowest area of the lake, where it is less than a mile wide. The warm summer days and crisp, cool evenings create perfect growing conditions for fruit. Chelan’s apples have been known throughout the country since the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. In recent years, vineyards have replaced some apple orchards, and the Lake Chelan AVA was established to reflect the unique qualities of the wine grapes grown in the valley. For information about the Lake Chelan Boat Company and their fleet of passenger ferries and the scenic tour, call (509) 682-4584 or visit www.ladyofthelake.com
VENTURE WHERE NO ROADS C AN TAK E YOU. . .
Year-round passenger ferry service to upper Lake Chelan, Stehekin, Lucerne, Holden Village, and North Cascades National Park
ladyofthelake.com stehekin.com
Private Charters For Any Occasion
Rehearsal Corporate Anniversa Reception Birthdays Reunions Parties
Dinners Events ries s
ladyofthelake.com 509.682.4584
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Welcome to Okanogan County You have just discovered Washington State’s bestkept secret — Okanogan. Okanogan is the heart of the scenic, historic, and fruitful Okanogan Valley. Located in north central Washington, 50 miles from the Canadian border, Okanogan residents enjoy a quality of life characterized by extraordinary scenic beauty, low taxes, recreation, low cost of living and four distinct seasons each year. The Okanogan Valley is one of the few remaining locations where individual boldness and enterprise are rewarded, and where past, present and future are viewed with enthusiasm and promise. Okanogan is a Salish Indian word meaning “Rendezvous.” Sometimes called “The Late Frontier,” the Okanogan Valley saw habitation by Native Americans for thousands of years, and — belatedly, compared to other regions of the country — saw a succession of explorers, prospectors, miners, trappers, cattlemen, settlers, loggers, farmers, missionaries, and orchardists, providing in every respect a colorful history that carries forward to the present day. The history of the region is ably depicted in the acclaimed Okanogan County Historical Museum in Okanogan. Part of that history now includes a replica of the old Okanogan fire department building in Legion Park. It’s an exact replica of the original fire station building.It is used as a fire department museum, as well as a research center for the Okanogan County Historical Society and the Okanogan County Genealogical Society. A refurbished, early model fire truck is displayed, along with other interesting items. The scenic Okanogan River winds its way through the center of the city. Each year, thousands of Canada geese and other waterfowl migrate throughout the Okanogan Valley, following the river. Visitors can hike, camp, fish, hunt, swim, boat, ski, snowmobile, golf, climb, sightsee, as well as enjoy clean air, clean water and all the amenities of an urban locale with a hometown feeling.
VISITOR
Okanogan County. The center of the county is Omak, which means “good medicine,” because of its dry, healthful climate. Warm summers and mild winters lead to an average of over 300 days of sunshine a year. Located in the fertile Okanogan River Valley near the pristine Pasayten National Wilderness, this lumber town is the largest in the north central part of the state and is known for its production of apples and its many orchards. Visitors are encouraged to make the Tourist Information Center their first stop. A friendly staff will provide updated information for all areas of Okanogan County, the state of Washington and neighboring British Columbia, including available tourist attractions, facilities and services. As the hub of the “all season” Okanogan vacationland, Omak offers vacationers a wide range of recreational opportunities. The city-operated Eastside Park offers full camping, R.V. facilities and showers, a new swimming pool, a golf course and bowling.
Conconully State Park
Conconully State Park, located in a side valley above
* WE HAVE WI-FI *
RV Park, Convenience Store and Deli
Located on the bluff . . . one mile above Keller Ferry with a breathtaking view of Lake Roosevelt
LEASED SITES RV & Tent Sites
Omak
The busy hub of the Okanogan features year-round entertainment for tourists from all walks of life. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing vacation full of camping and recreation activities or you want to attend a play, go to a rodeo or play some softball, you can do it all in Omak. Visiting Omak is like taking some good medicine. At least that’s what some of the Indians thought when they traveled across the vastness of what is now called 36
Come enjoy Friday & Saturday dinner specials in our new air conditioned dining area.
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Open Monday thru Saturday 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays from 12:00-8:00 p.m. Come on in . . . . . cruise the aisles and meet the Rue Crew at our unique Convenience Store that has something for everyone!
The River Rue RV Park & Convenience Store 44892 State Route 21 N. * Wilbur, WA 99185
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
The modern stadium and arena in Omak is a great spot for a rodeo and famous “stampede” race.
Center of the Okanogan Valley Omak
The busy hub of the Okanogan features year-round entertainment for tourists from all walks of life. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing vacation full of camping and recreation activities or you want to attend a play, go to a rodeo or play some softball, you can do it all in Omak. Visiting Omak is like taking some good medicine. At least that’s what some of the Indians thought when they traveled across the vastness of what is now called Okanogan County. The center of the county is Omak, which means “good medicine,” because of its dry, healthful climate. Warm summers and mild winters lead to an average of over 300 days of sunshine a year. Located in the fertile Okanogan River Valley near the pristine Pasayten National Wilderness, this lumber town is the largest in the north central part of the state and is known for its production of apples and its many orchards. Visitors are encouraged to make the Tourist Information Center their first stop. A friendly staff will provide updated information for all areas of Okanogan County, the state of Washington and neighboring British Columbia, including available tourist attractions, facilities and services. As the hub of the “all season” Okanogan vacationland, Omak offers vacationers a wide range of recreational opportunities. The city-operated Eastside Park offers full camping, R.V.facilities and showers, a new swimming pool, a golf course and bowling.
Conconully State Park
Conconully State Park, located in a side valley above Omak, is a cool, restful oasis on the banks of the Conconully reservoir, developed in the 1900s for irrigation. The park features standard and primitive campsites, and an expansive picnic area, complete with enormous shade trees,a picnic shelter,and a wading pool and play structure for youthful visitors. Near the park entrance, a replica of the first county courthouse stands. It features a sod roof and is typical of many of the ranch cabins that dotted this landscape in the early years of white settlement in Okanogan County. To reach the park, take the Riverside cut-off road from Highway 97, 5.2 miles north of Omak. The cut-off road will intersect Highway 215; follow this highway 10 miles to Conconully and follow signs to the park.
Bridgeport State Park
Bridgeport State Park is located near the enormous hydroelectric facility at Chief Joseph Dam. The green, fertile lawns of the park form a welcome relief from the brown, barren desert surroundings. The park features standard RV hookups and handicapaccessible campsites, picnic sites and shelters, a children’s play facility,swimming beach,trailer camp and a nine-hole golf course. To escape from the summer heat, cottonwood and aspen trees are scattered throughout the campground. Wildlife that can be seen in the park.
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
Fall colors and brilliant skies on the Candy Point Trail in Coulee Dam.
Hiking the Coulee
The Grand Coulee area offers a wide variety of hiking opportunities for those who love trekking the great outdoors. From peaceful forest, to sage deserts, to sandy beaches, and rocky terrain, the area has a little bit of everything.
Steamboat Rock is a bit steep and difficult to ascend at first, but once on top the panoramic view is breathtaking. You’ll have views of the coulees, Banks Lake, Okanogan National Forest, and the Cascades far in the distance.There are approximately 640 acres on top of the 800-foot-tall mesa to explore. In Northrup Canyon, hikers will find thousands of acres of enchanting forest, bald eagles, and an early pioneer homestead.
Be aware that this is rattlesnake country, and while they are generally not lethal, they should be avoided. You will find them (or hear them) most often during the summer months.While not particularly aggressive, they have been known to bite. If bitten, seek medical help. Finally, if you plan to hike an hour or more, carry plenty of water to quench your thirst and prevent leg cramps. Read more about these hikes and more on our website at www.gcdvisitor.com under the “Hikes” section.
Enjoy your trip!
We have outdoor carpet and small electronics
Crescent Bay,Crescent Lake,and Eden Harbor have beaches to swim, fish, or explore. Banks Lake also has Jones Bay and Osborne Bay, which are pleasant to camp at or explore. The Candy Point Trail in Coulee Dam ascends stone steps to both Candy Point and Crown Point, offering some of the best views of the dam, the Columbia River, and the town of Coulee Dam. The Downriver Trail is a nice,gravel trail that stretches along the Columbia River for 6 miles from near the dam to Spirit Ridge, with many access points and parking areas along the trail. A great place to watch the river flow. The Coulee Dam historical walk stretches from Freedom Point to across the bridge, where there are many informative signs detailing the construction of the dam. From there, head to the right toward the small bridge where a long sidewalk leads up the hill towards city hall, and footbridges and trails to the side lead to Cole Park. A few cautions: Do not wander too near the edge of the coulee walls. Basalt is not as stable as you may think, so stand a respectable distance from the edge. 38
Main St., Grand Coulee / 509.633.0430
VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
Northrup Canyon, as seen from above, offers hikers spectacular views and a variety of scenery, flora and fauna.
Northrup Canyon
In Northrup Canyon hikers will find 3,120 acres of forested ravines tucked away between coulee walls.Home to Grant County’s only official forest, Northrup Canyon is located in Steamboat Rock State Park across the highway from Banks Lake, and offers hikers an immersive nature experience that includes majestic cliffs and many types of trees and birds, including bald eagles who nest in the area.
From the trailhead/parking area, where a Discover Pass is required to park, the trail splits in two directions. Here we will focus on the most popular hike, which is to the left, and will lead through forest and meadows to a homestead, and on from there to Northrup Lake.
eventually come to Northrup Lake. The lake is small, and peaceful with no big beaches,but has a couple of openings where someone could fish or relax. From the parking area to the lake and back is about 6.5 miles round trip.
Directions: From Grand Coulee, head south on State SR155 about 7 miles. Turn left onto Northrup Canyon Road. Difficulty: Easy to moderate Approximate time: 2-4 hours Length: 3.5-6.5 miles round trip Elevation gain: 450 feet, from 1,800 to 2,250 feet above sea level
The trail is rather easy to navigate all the way to the homestead, largely flat and never steep, and winds through trees and fields, past old structures and ancient cliffs carved by glaciers. The homestead was home to the Northrup family with whom there is a rich pioneer history which you can read a bit about at the trailhead kiosk. Once you arrive at the homestead, you can choose to continue to the left past the old chicken coop on the trail to the lake, or turn around and go back. The homestead is roughly halfway between the parking lot and the lake,and most people choose to turn around at the homestead. From the parking area to the homestead and back is a 3.5-mile trek. If you go onward to the lake you will wind through more forest, up a couple of quite steep, difficult parts, and
The Northrup Canyon homestead, approximately 1.75 miles from the trailhead.
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VISITORS’ GUIDE • GRAND COULEE DAM AREA • 2021-2022
VISITOR
Part of Banks Lake Golf Course, seen here from the air looking north, is owned and operated by Grant County Port District 7. It’s an 18-hole, par 73 course nestled into Banks Lake just south of Electric City off highway 155.
Is there local golfing? Yes, the public may golf at Banks Lake Golf and Country Club, located approximately 1.5 miles west of Electric City and about five miles from Grand Coulee Dam on SR-155. The 18-hole course is carved out of the natural slope of the coulee landscape and provides golfers a chance to hike through the quiet countryside while playing an unusually wide-open course. Golfing equipment can be rented at the clubhouse from 7 a.m. to dark, early spring to late fall. Food and drinks are also sold at the clubhouse. Superb golfing is also available nearby at the Sun Lakes Golf Course, south of Coulee City.
A golfer chips up on Banks Lake Golf Course.
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(800) 633-6421
www.columbiariverinn.com ~ info@columbiariverinn.com
Your room is ready! Clean, Comfortable, Convenient. Grand Coulee Dam View (some rooms) Second Floor Private Decks• Outdoor Pool • Hot Tub • Sauna• Fitness Room • Guest Laundry • Meeting Room Accessible Unit • All Suites are Non-Smoking • In Room: Refrigerator, Microwave, Coffee Maker, High Speed Internet, A/C
Pantone 7666C
10 Lincoln St., Coulee Dam, WA 99116 / Fax: (509) 633-2100
• Golf Club Rental • Cart Rental • 18 Holes GOLF COURSE • Putting Green GOLF COURSE • Driving Range • Outside Deck Area • Bar & Banquet Room • Yearly Membership Available Pantone 7490C
Pantone 3125 C
Rich Black
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