Moses Coulee Preserve by Beezley Hills Preserve lies west of Banks Lake. It’s also one of the largest, somewhat untouched shrub-steppe areas in North Central Washington.
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Moses Coulee Preserve at a Glance
Access: Jameson Lake Road
Round Trip: 5.5 miles
Elevation Range: 1760′-2340′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
The Preface
We first visited a year and a half ago as a surprise find on our way home from out east. But it’s since become my favorite part of the cooler to dodge the rain. Coming here during winter also lets us avoid seeing snakes.
Despite the reptiles, the mild terrain is perfect for a quick hike. East of the mountains offers plenty of open space to roam around and explore. The vast area where we rarely see people lets us enjoy the quietness.
See more trip photos here.
Roaming Through Moses Coulee Preserve
We used the same route as before by parking off Jameson Lake Road south of Dutch Henry Falls. A trail there took us to the bottom of the waterfall. Then a faint path on the left let us walk up to the pool above the cliffs.
However, reaching the plateau from the pool wasn’t as feasible for the pup as we discovered. So it was best to go up to the rim from the south edge of Jameson Lake. Several notches there gave adequate access.
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En Route to Jameson Lake Plus Exit
Soon, we walked east along the coulee rim, with the grand curvature behind us to the south. I couldn’t help but turn around constantly to photograph the landscape. Views were plentiful along the plateau but flat on the north.
Clouds faded as we neared the lake, which I didn’t expect to see people in the off-season. Then we walked north above the cliffs until a fence stopped us from going farther. It looked like private land beyond that point.
We enjoyed a peaceful time before dropping to Jameson Lake Road from the south end of the plateau. The notches among the basalt rocks provided access. Soon, we walked back to the car on a warm, sunny afternoon.
See more trip photos here.
