Potholes Coulee by the Columbia River nestles in the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area. Frenchman Coulee is a famous climbing spot seven miles south. Like Monument Coulee, a narrow “rock blade” divides the area into two alcoves.
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Potholes Coulee by Columbia River at a Glance
Access: Ancient & Dusty Lake Trailhead
Round Trip: 9.4 miles
Elevation Range: 860′-1340′
Essential Gear: overnight
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Playlist: Kylie Dailey
Return to Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area
We came to the desert only a year ago to dodge the rain for the sunny weather. So, as the iffy mountain weather slowly approached, we made an overnight trip to the coulee. The last time we stayed the night here was during the height of summer 2015.
Like our last trip in 2022, we started from the locked gate before Ancient Lakes Trailhead. It was so we could get a fresh perspective of the vast area. Also, visiting during the off-season in the cold meant we likely wouldn’t see as many people, if any.
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Camping Above Dusty Lake
Since our first trip, I’ve wanted to check out the coulee divide above Dusty Lake. I also thought camping up high would yield better views of the area. We walked south past the three larger lakes on the road. Soon, we headed west to the plateau’s edge overlooking Dusty Lake.
We couldn’t reach the access gap but bypassed it from the north. Before attaining the divide, a faint boot path took us west below the basalt columns. We found a sandy camp spot east, overlooking Potholes Coulee. Then, after a quick birthday celebration, we turned in.
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Ancient Lake Falls in Potholes Coulee by Columbia River
After waking from a windy night, we explored the west of the divide through a dip. We checked out the dusting of snow and a sliver of the river before returning past our tent. Shortly afterward, we stopped short of the drop-offs with the stunning view of Dusty Lake below.
A quick pack up later, we walked down to Ancient Lakes, the plunge pool feature of the coulee. The short talus field on the east shore soon brought us to the small waterfall viewing west. After the last photos, we greeted three guys before moving west to complete the loop.
See more trip photos here.