Douglas Creek Hike

Last year, I learned from a friend that there was an interesting place to hike just outside of Waterville. He described a long, remote drive down a wheat field road to the south and a trail in the floor of a canyon. Looking out over the wheat fields, I couldn't imagine where they had been. There are no canyons in sight, but I put it on my "need to explore someday" list and then forgot about it.

Recently, though, I got the bug to go on a hike and since Adam and I have hiked most of the trails in Wenatchee and Leavenworth, I began searching the Washington Trails Association website for something different, maybe something a little closer to home. To my surprise, there were several reports for a trail in an area called Douglas Creek. Reviewers described a drive down road H, through the wheat fields into a canyon (sounds familiar) and a trail which followed an old railroad bed through pretty wildflowers, abundant wildlife and cool waterfalls. This time my curiosity was definitely piqued.

Adam and I decided to try the Douglas Creek hike in August, against our better judgement, which was a huge mistake! Not only was it scorching hot with minimal opportunities for shade, but the creek was almost completely dried up and there was no sign of life except for the masses of grasshoppers that flung themselves wildly all around us.

We endured the heat for about three miles before we decided to turn back, and while the columnar basalt and rocky basalt bubbles in the walls of the canyon were fascinating, there really wasn't much else to see.

I do look forward to exploring Douglas Creek next Spring. I think we'll shoot for May next time. I'm sure it will be beautiful then.