Vast land of nothing but shrubs and coulees; trails with a great view!
How long is the trail?
Approximately 3.3 miles roundtrip.
How difficult is it?
Highlights: magnificent views; fairly easy trail; very peaceful; less human traffic; pack some water with you as shade is sparse and the sun is strong; watch out for rattlesnakes in the summer months; gun-shots during hunting season.
About the trail: Columbia National Wildlife Refuge has a few trail options but the Frog Lake trail is the longest (3.3 miles) and, we think, the most scenic. It is a out-and-back trail which is mostly gravel and some dirt. Parts of the trail are pretty steep and the total elevation change is 200 feet.
For more details on the trail, check out the U.S. FWS website:
Getting there: As you enter the NWR, you will be driving on a dirt road for a couple of miles. You will come across the trailhead parking on the left (if coming via WA-24) and the trail starts across the road from the parking lot. The trail is confusingly labeled "Rimrock Trail" at a few sign posts along the way. Here is the google map of the trail:
Our experience: Despite the name, there is no lake along the trail! It is a fairly easy hike with a mild ascent and great long-distance views. Since we hiked this trail in November, we appreciated the warmth of the sun on our skin, but know that the sun could easily become unbearable in the summer, since the trail lacks shade. Be sure to dress appropriately and bring plenty of water for yourself and your pups if visiting in hot weather.
Our dogs seemed to love the Frog Lake trail, as they spent much of the hike running and chasing birds. We let them be off-leash because no one else was using the trail when we were there, but make sure to follow the "dogs on-leash" rule if there is other foot traffic or if your dogs won't stay with you on the trail. For us, the major downside of this trail is the number of hunters using the NWR, and the resulting abundance of gun shots in the area. Bogo hates gunshot noise, and becomes tense and erratic when it occurs; it was hard for him to relax and enjoy the trail after hearing just a few shots.
Overall, we would rate this hike 4.5 stars. We would do it again just for the views and the peacefulness of the hike, but we would avoid it during hunting season and very hot weather!
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