Goose Lake Plateau by Taunton Benchmark lies within Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. It sits northwest of Othello by Potholes Reservoir near Moses Lake. Moreover, Royal City via the Columbia River is one of the many ways to the area.
See more trip photos here.
Goose Lake Plateau at a Glance
Access: Marsh Loop Trailhead (wildlife area info)
Round Trip: 8 miles
Elevation Range: 360′-980′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
The Preface
The area had more snow when we last visited two Decembers ago. The temperature reading was 17°F at the start of the hike. But it felt much colder than being at higher elevations in the mountains.
This time we parked a short way north of Morgan Lake by Morgan Lake Road. So that put us at half a mile south of last time. To make the long drive worthwhile, we made an extensive loop counterclockwise.
See more trip photos here.
Through Goose Lake Plateau
We meandered through basalt cliffs while heading north to Upper Goose Lake. Soon, we went out by the water above the end of the access road. Tracing the top of the cliffs, we walked south to Lower Goose Lake.
The wind had picked up en route to the lake. So we only stayed long enough for a photo and a quick bite before moving again. Then from the top of the basalt cliffs, we slowly dropped to the lake shore.
See more trip photos here.
Exiting via Black Lake
The rocky terrain soon flattened at the south end of the water. Afterward, we continued south through more basalt cliffs. Before long, we had reached the east edge of Black Lake overlooking the lake.
After a quick photo break atop the cliffs, we scrambled northeast toward Morgan Lake Road. The lower plateau wasn’t as exciting, as the views weren’t as dramatic. Back at the old road, we soon walked half a mile out to the car.
See more trip photos here.