Hike of the Week: Flowers and wildlife springing into action

Spring might be the best time to visit the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, since April is ideal for bird-watching on the eastern side of the mountains, and the weather is often just right for hiking: not too hot, not too cool.


	With Frog Lake in the distance, hikers Kathe Stanness, left, and Sunny Walter soak up the Central Washington ambience from atop a basalt cliff. KAREN SYKES

The refuge is a good destination for easy hikes, photography and naturalist activities, such as the recent Sandhill Crane Festival that is generally held in late March. The refuge consists of 23,000 acres of

mixed habitat, including sagebrush, grassy uplands, buttes and canyons.

Most of the refuge lies within the Drumheller Channels National Natural Landmark. The channeled scablands that make up the refuge were formed by a series of lava flows and floods over the ages. Flowers are just beginning to make their appearance in the Columbia River Basin and April is prime viewing time. Flowers and shrubs that are just starting to emerge in and near the refuge are big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentada), locoweed, yellow bells, desert parsley, lomatium, balsamroot and phlox.

Before dams were constructed on the Columbia River, the land looked much different than it does today. When coastal Salish Indians used the area, there was only an intermittent creek running through it. Because seasonal game was scarce, they didn't establish permanent camps. Instead they followed Crab Creek to the Columbia River.

By the 1860s, cattle were in the area and sheep soon followed. The land became overgrazed and plans to irrigate the Columbia Basin on a large scale began in 1918. The plans hinged on building a dam on the Columbia River at Grand Coulee. Construction of the Grand Coulee Dam began in 1934, and in 1951 the first irrigation waters flowed into the farmlands of the Columbia Basin.

As the water table rose, the dry lands went through a dramatic change. The irrigation waters created a mosaic of lakes and wetlands that today provide ideal habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl.

If birds are your goal, go now. The refuge is on the migratory path of numerous birds, including the revered sandhill cranes. If you don't see sandhill cranes, there are many other birds to look for, so bring your spotting scope, camera and binoculars. In spring and summer, look for blue-winged and cinnamon teals, mallards and gadwalls. Since waterfowl populations are greatest in late fall, some areas in the refuge are closed to the public, including the Frog Lake trails.

The basalt cliffs are home to several dwellers and provide nesting habitat for red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, cliff swallows and American kestrels. On our visit we saw (or heard) red-winged blackbirds, meadowlarks, doves, seagulls, magpies, red-tailed hawks, pheasants, sandhill cranes and geese. Other birds you may encounter in the refuge are great blue herons, northern harriers and long-billed curlews (less commonly seen). Though coyotes are present they are seldom seen. Muskrats are common; less common are badgers and bobcats.

If you've never been to the refuge, the Frog Lake Trail is a good introduction. The trail makes an enjoyable hike for all ages and is a fine example of the rich and diverse habitats. Here you are likely to encounter bunchgrass, flowering sage, basalt formations and lakes ringed with cattails. You can carry a light pack since the hike is only three miles round trip. Two other trails begin from the Frog Lake trailhead if you want more hiking time (all these trails are well marked).

From the parking area cross the access road, descend to Crab Creek and cross the creek on an earthen dam. Then turn left as the gravel road becomes true trail. The first section of trail traverses wetland seeps and sagebrush-grass uplands. Frog Lake is reached in about a mile, elevation 960 feet.

For a better view of Frog Lake and the contrasting habitats, continue on the Frog Lake Trail as it climbs to a broad butte. Near the top of the butte, you can turn left and hike .6 mile to a viewpoint and/or turn right and follow a loop trail that borders the butte. From here there are splendid views of the potholes, sagebrush steppes, columnar basalt outcroppings and big chunks of sky. Listen to the wind sing in the sage and contemplate the vastness of time.

If your primary goal is bird-watching, you can include the Marsh Loop Trail and/or the Crab Creek Trail. The Marsh Loop Trail begins after the crossing of Crab Creek (turn right). This trail is also well marked and a good place to look for birds as the trail loops around a marsh.

The one-mile Crab Creek Trail also is accessed from this trailhead. The trail loops through a riparian zone where hikers may see raptors, deer and quail or find animals tracks in the soft soil. Informative signs and interpretive panels along these trails provide more detail about the habitat. Hikers will find them educational and enjoyable.

If you go...

GETTING THERE: From Seattle, drive Interstate 90 to Vantage and cross the Columbia River. Take Exit 137 (state Routes 26 and 243) and turn right. At about .9 mile, turn left onto state Route 26. Drive about 20 miles (past Royal City) and continue to Othello. From Othello, drive five miles northwest on McManamon Road, then take a right on Morgan Lake Road (this is the public road through the refuge). It becomes a gravel road in about 1.5 miles. In about a half-mile, you'll see the trailhead and parking area (parking on the left, trails on the right). There are other approaches to the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge -- if you have the Washington Atlas & Gazetteer with its detailed topographic maps, you can design another route.

TRAIL DATA: Marsh Loop round trip is about 1 3/4 miles, no elevation gain. The Crab Creek Trail is about a mile, no elevation gain. The Frog Lake Trail (including the butte) is about three miles round trip, 200 feet elevation gain. Frog Lake without the butte loop is about two miles round trip, 60 feet gain. The map is USGS Soda Lake. Boats are allowed where fishing is permitted (within the refuge) with some exceptions (gas motors are not permitted on some lakes). Parking is allowed only in designated areas from an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset. Vehicles, horseback riding and bikes are permitted on gravel roads only. ATVs are not allowed within the refuge. Pets must be on leashes except dogs when used for hunting. Swimming is prohibited.

INFORMATION: Refer to "55 Hikes in Central Washington" by Ira Spring and Harvey Manning (The Mountaineers, 172 pages, $12.95). Call the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge at 509-488-2668 for more information on rules, regulations and seasonal closures. Watch out for ticks in the spring; be sure to wear protective clothing.

Karen Sykes is a Queen Anne resident and avid hiker who has been traveling Northwest trails for 20 years.

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