Steamboat Rock State Park

 I've been by Steamboat Rock State Park several times, and in mid-May 2021, there was an opportunity to check it out. The Ice Age Floods certainly made this an interesting area of the state to explore.

Steamboat Rock from the distance. Some of the cliffs are nearly 500 feet high.

 

 

The view from the parking lot.

 

Close-up of the basalt columns.

 

The upside down keystone look is quite an interesting feature in some areas.

At the northwest side of the base, there's some exposed granite that was cracked apart from the volcanic pressure.

 

Now, I've hiked up to the top and begun exploring there. This is looking down on the entrance road to the state park and Thompson Lake.

 

Looking down on the camping area on the east side of the state park.

 

Another view of the camping area.

 

Looking northwest towards Grand Coulee.

 

Looking west at a couple of natural caves that are quite common, with the snow-capped Cascades in the distance.

One of the more interesting erratic rocks that was left behind by a glacier. This type of rock can also be found in Spokane Valley, Washington in Mirabeau Park. One can see the older, grayer granite with white lines in it. The white lines are newer rock filling the cracks that were created by volcanic pressure.

 

The top of Steamboat Rock is certainly not completely flat. This canyon is hidden around on the west side.

 

 

Edges of lava flows.

 

More edges of lava flows.
 

 

Most of the area outside of Steamboat Rock is now farmland. This is a time capsule as to what this area must have looked like previously. There's an erratic on the left, grasses, and the occasional outcropping of an old volcanic flow. Most of the top looks like this.

 

One of the many marmots checking me out.

 

One of the interesting flowers that were blooming up there. This is thyme wild buckwheat. 

Looking east across the coulee, one can see Whitney Canyon.

 

 

Looking south down Banks Lake. This is from the southern most point of Steamboat Rock. 

 

This view of Banks Lake is from one of the many highway pull-offs as one travels between Grand Coulee and the Dry Falls State Park area. It's almost incomprehensible to imagine the amount of water and force that created this.