Classic Columbia Basin sagebrush and basalt doubletrack and single track. The best time to visit is early spring and late fall as summers tend to be super hot with abundant rattlesnakes, and late summ
Classic Columbia Basin sagebrush and basalt doubletrack and single track. The best time to visit is early spring and late fall as summers tend to be super hot with abundant rattlesnakes, and late summer/early fall is when the treacherous goat heads start showing up. The landscape is incredible, and definitely worth a visit at least once in your lifetime.
Fish & Wildlife Pass or Discover Pass required @ trail head parking area.
How to Find It
Mapquest/Google maps address that works: 5000 Ancient Lake Rd NW Quincy, WA 98848 (or just click on the trailhead marker on the map)
Fastest route:
- I-90 E to Exit 149 (George exit)
- North on SR 281 towards Quincy/Wenatchee at end of off ramp (left if coming from Seattle)
- After 5.5 miles, turn left onto White Trail Road.
- Continue 7.8 miles on White Trail Road. About half way it will take an abrupt right turn towards the north. Keeping following it.
- Just past a golf course on the left, turn left onto Road 9-NW. Continue 6 miles on this road until it ends. This will go down a big bluff to the Babcock Bench and ends at the trail head. Last four miles are on a smooth dirt road.
Typical Conditions
Firm from late Fall to late Spring. Not good in the wet but OK soon after a rain. Becomes loose sand and very hot in the Summer.
Turn by Turn
This describes a route using the downloadable GPS track. This is a 20 mile loop.
Look at the map, download the GPS and use it as a general direction guide, you don't have to stay on it every pedal of the ride. Side trails all seem to end up back on the right track.
Essentially you start on an old dirt double track that goes all the way out to the end of Babcock Bench - you have 2 coulees to explore along the way-Ancient Lakes and Dusty Lake then at the end of the old dirt road there is a steep climb up to the upper plateau. You ride along this upper plateau with lots of minor ups and downs weaving in and around water filled potholes and along fences until you come to a well graded dirt road. Follow this road around Evergreen Reservoir and Burke Lake. Almost directly across from the last arm of Burke Lake(see google map) you will see a well defined, unsigned trail to your left. Leave the road here. This is the one trail you need to make sure you find because this is the way back down into Ancient Lakes Coulee and your way back to the parking lot. About a half mile on this trail it steeply drops(probably you will walk this) to a small bench where the trail forks. GPS track goes right at the fork. Either way will get you down – you will be walking parts of both of these tracks. Go out of the coulee to the double track and back to the parking lot.
As far as the coulees, there are 2 or 3 main trails into each one. You can ride the same trail in and out or vary it any way you choose - you won't get lost in these draws - they all come back out to that old double track.
A variety of other trail options are described here:
Wenatchee Outdoors
