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The
sweet smell of sagebrush fills the air as
you brush against it on the high desert
trails in the Quincy Wildlife Area in
Eastern Washington. Despite being managed as
a fisheries area the rolling terrain with
its gouged coulees bounded by basalt cliffs
is an early spring mecca for horsemen and
hikers escaping the wet weather in western
Washington for the sunny dry climate east of
the Cascade Mountains.
For most hikers and horsemen the trails in the Burke
Lake area are generally considered an early
spring ride due to the excessive heat later
in the year, and of course the omnipresent
rattlesnakes that call the rocks and sage
brush home.
With
over 40 miles of trails available trail
hikers and riders can explore nearly every
facet of the wildlife area.
Click here for a map of the trails. From the broad
rolling sage in the flatter portions to the
coulees under the impressive basaltic rock cliffs.
Wildlife abounds here as well. Waterfowl
make the area home as do game birds such as
pheasant, and partridge. Many of the lakes
themselves are stocked with Rainbow Trout
being the most common take. Spring brings
wildflowers of every color and description
to the high desert. Careful observance will
reward you with glimpses of flowering cacti,
Balsamroot, Desert Shooting Stars, and many
more desert jewels.
For
the geologically minded the Ancient / Burke
Lake area holds many marvels as well.
Benches, mesas, cliffs, waterfalls, lakes
and more tell a tale of epic floods scouring
the land eons ago when an immense dam burst.
Note to hikers and horsemen: This area is suffering
from a variety of litter strewn about. For
those who practice good backcountry ethics
and presence of mind, please make a bit of
extra room to pack out beer cans, bottles
and other garbage left by some.
The WDFW requests that horse campers observe accepted
LNT
practices when at Burke Lake. These
include:
·
Take manure and
excess hay home with you.
·
Don’t alter the
desert environment to suit your horses.
Before you arrive make sure that you have a WDFW
parking pass as the regulation is enforced
here.
To Get Here: Interstate 90 to the George, WA
exit (#149) - North on SR 281 for 5.6 miles
– West at Rd 5NW/White Trail Rd for 3 miles
– Turn south, onto gravel road at state sign
for hunting and fishing.
CLICK FOR
DRIVING DIRECTIONS MAP
Use of these trails is
a privilege, practice all
LNT courtesies to keep our access.
  
Information and
trail maps on horse
trails, horse camps, hiking paths, and mountain bike single track for horseback riders,
hikers, and mountain bikers in the Burke Lake / Quincy Wildlife Area near
Quincy Washington 2.5 hours from
Seattle
Trail Sponsors
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