Time to hit the area hiking trails for warm weather adventures

Down what becomes a long, dusty, gravel road there is a trail you can hike to see Quincy on one side of the hill and sage, sand, and mountains on the other.

A few weeks ago, I took that trail for my first hike of the spring. As I’ve gotten older, grown, changed, I’ve come to appreciate what there is to see and do here in eastern Washington. I’ve lived a few places that weren’t here. I spent some time in Ireland, more in Olympia, a while on the north coast of Oregon, and, yet, when I’m here I feel as though it’s the second most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. Ireland is the first, and if you’ve been there you know why.

My hike two weeks ago, reminded me why eastern Washington takes a close second.

I could see the still slightly snow-covered mountains with their blue haze in the distance. More immediately, I could see the dusky green of the sage and the small, yellow wildflowers clinging to the sides of rocks to survive on the top of a hill that looks more like Mars than Washington state.

I made this first trip at Beezley Hills, thinking it would be a good place to start my hiking adventures for the year. And I was right.

The aforementioned wildflowers, the hedgehog cacti, and the occasional scattering of bright red, spent shotgun shells made it a great few hours in the desert.

Solo hiking is not something I would recommend, especially to beginners. Anything can happen. You can fall off a rock and break your ankle or get lost with no idea how to get un-lost. So, if you do head out alone, tell at least one person where you’re headed before you leave and make sure you give them an idea of when you’ll be back.

Also, keep a few things in your vehicle, just in case you get stuck: some fresh water, something to eat, a first aid kit, an all weather blanket or sleeping bag, and a change of clothes. In addition to those items, I pack a road atlas, phone charger, a few tools, a spare tire, and a change of shoes and socks when I go for a hike anywhere.

As the weather continues to improve and the temperatures continue to rise, I plan to keep exploring the hills and back trails that make eastern Washington my second favorite place on earth.

For eastern Washington hike suggestions, try the Washington Trails Association Web site at www.wta.org. Under the “Find a Hike” seasonal hikes section are six suggested hikes within three hours of Moses Lake, including the Beezley Hills hike that I took.

Happy hiking!

Pam Robel is the paginator for the Columbia Basin Herald. She is also happily planning her next hiking adventure.