How to Get Glacial Rocks into Your Hands in Washington State

Summer Time Rocking and Chilling

I love rocks. I find faces and shapes in them that feed me stories. I love their colors. So when the weather gets warm, I head to a number of hikes that lead me close and face to face with rocks, many inscribed by glacial action years before. If you camp, you might want to follow AC_outlaw's advice about camping essentials. One way to find rockhounding sites is to buy the Washington Atlas & Gazetteer from DeLorme. They have a list of popular rock hounding sites, including places to go to pan for gold. To learn more about glaciers, you might want to read Lu Baker's article about glaciers.

Dry Coulee Dam, camping near by at Sun Lakes State Park

The interpretive center overlooks what would have been the United States largest and most powerful waterfall, except for the fact that at one time glaciers dammed the Columbia River and the route shifted to the east. Inside the interpretative center, a museum with Indian artifacts and displays of the damming of "Lake Missoula" helps explain the past. An edge of the cliff trail winds down for the more hardy. The entire Sun Lakes area is the remnant when those powerful rivers and glaciers cut through the area. At Blue Lake, you can climb up to a number of almost cave rock shelters where they found evidence the Indians of the area took refuge. Camping at Sun Lakes is plentiful, many water ski, swim and picnic.

Cedar River Watershed

The Cedar River Watershed Center recently opened and sponsors a number of classes, many that involve a hike up Rattlesnake Mountain. We've taken three of the classes, cost was $5 per person last year, one on geology, one on mushrooms, and one on raptors. All classes were exceptional. What we learned to see on the climb, was that a flat spot running along the edges of the mountain tops show where glaciers affected the topography. This is a wonderful outing for singles, married couples and families. The visitor's center features gardens, a trail, lake access, a rain drum garden, and green roofed buildings.