Dry Falls proves to be a fun day trip

If you hop in your car and drive about 45 minutes north, by way of Soap Lake, you’ll reach the Dry Falls Visitor Center.

The facility, although dated, along with the surrounding lakes and high basalt cliffs, are landmarks I still enjoy.

I worked at the center for two seasons as a college student and for a third season about seven years ago.

After repeated requests from my husband, Kyle, for a guided tour, I returned to the visitor’s center on Mother’s Day.

My mom agreed to watch our kids at her home in Coulee City.

The visitor center hadn’t changed much throughout the years, except for a few new people working inside.

There was also a new display and cold drinks for sale, as well as the expected educational books and videos.

I breezed through the inside of the center, walking to the back theater to hear snippets of the video about geologist J. Harlen Bretz.

The video features his theory about the great floods that carved the Channeled Scablands of Eastern Washington.

I didn’t stay for the entire video because I watched and heard it repeatedly as a center employee.

We soon left to admire the view outside, where the 400-foot tall cliffs spanned 3.5 miles.

Down below the cliffs are lakes and an access road from nearby Sun Lakes Dry Falls State Park.

As the sunshine bathed the whole area, I answered Kyle’s questions about the access road and trails.

Visiting the center wasn’t as repetitive as I thought it would be.

It’s because I had Kyle to share the experience with.

We drove to Ephrata for a movie, driving down the winding highway along the chain of Sun Lakes.

I still appreciate the unique beauty of our area, even after living here most of my life.

The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week.

For more information, call 509-632-5214.

Lynne Lynch is the Columbia Basin Herald business and agriculture reporter. As one of the native reporters, she is great help with knowing the people, places and history of the Columbia Basin.