Here are some links to
interesting areas around Rimrock. Enjoy!
Ephrata which is approximately 15 miles SE of Rimrock
Meadows is the gateway to the Columbia Basin
area. There is a tremendous amount of fun and exciting activities going on
at all times in the Basin area. Ephrata offers many of those activities
right here, such as
Splashzone,
Basin Summer Sounds, our
Sage-n-Sun Festival and the
Beezley Burn,
just to mention a few. You can find more information on all the fun we are
having here in Ephrata by looking at the "Events" page, found in the link
below. Grand Coulee Dam and local wineries also offer many activities.
City link: http://www.ephrata.org/
Chamber of Commerce Link:
http://www.ephratawachamber.com/index.htm
Grand Coulee Dam Link:
http://www.grandcouleedam.org/
Local Wineries Link:
http://www.columbiacascadewines.com/
Ephrata Farmer's Market:
www.ephratafarmersmarket.org
There are so many lakes within driving distance of
Rimrock Meadows that it’s nearly impossible to list them all. Whether it’s
swimming, boating, skiing or fishing there will be a lake nearby for you.
We’ll start with a few of them here. Jameson Lake is renowned for large
rainbow trout and is accessible from a private resort on the south or a
public launch on the north end. Lake Lenore is a world class lake managed
as a one fish only with restrictions for the giant Lahonton cutthroat. Banks
Lake, Sun Lakes, Moses Lake, Potholes Reservoirs, and Rufus Woods are only a
few of the other nearby lakes. Vantage has a boat launch on the Columbia
River where there are a variety of activities including skiing, boating and
of course fishing. Try your luck at the giant sturgeon found there. Please
check the WDFW link below:
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/index.html
Sun Lakes State Parks:
http://www.stateparks.com/sun_lakes.html 0r
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Lakes_State_Park
***
Owners of Rimrock Meadows property will also have
private access to land that borders along the west side of the Moses Coulee
and McCartney Creek. Earlier this decade the Rimroc Corporate board of
directors made the decision to not sell or develop the 2800 acres that was
owned on the west side of the creek. Instead the Corporation made the
decision to sell the development rights to The Nature Conservancy. What this
means is that the property will never be developed and you as an owner in
Rimrock will have private access including hunting rights.
The Nature Conservancy of Washington
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/washington/
***
One of the natural wonders of this area and the world
is Dry Falls. Located by Coulee City it is an amazing site to see.
Nearly twenty thousand years ago, as glaciers moved south, one ice sheet
plugged the
Clark Fork of the Columbia River, which kept water from being drained
from
Montana. Consequently, a significant portion of western Montana flooded,
forming the gigantic
Lake Missoula. Eventually, enough pressure accumulated on the
ice dam that it gave way. It is generally accepted that this process of
ice-damming of the Clark Fork, refilling of Lake Missoula and subsequent
cataclysmic flooding happened dozens of times over the years of the last Ice
Age.
This sudden release put parts of
Idaho,
Washington, and
Oregon under hundreds of feet of water in just a few days. These
extraordinary floods created the Grand Coulee and Dry Falls in a short
period. Similar glacial flooding on a smaller scale kept the falls flowing
for several thousand years.
Once the ice sheets that obstructed the Columbia melted, the river
returned to its normal course leaving the Grand Coulee and the falls
desiccated. Today, this massive cliff can be viewed from the Dry Falls
Interpretive Center, part of
Sun Lakes State Park, and located on
Route 17 near the town of
Coulee City. Admission is free.
The Moses Coulee that Rimrock Meadows borders was formed by this massive
flood.
Dry Falls:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Falls
***
Soap Lake, located 5 miles north of Ephrata.
Soap Lake's mineral-rich waters have long been thought to have medicinal
value. In fact, it is said that rival Indian tribes would call a truce when
they came to Soap Lake to relax and heal themselves and their animals. This
is verified by recorded history and the number of Indian artifacts found in
the area over the years. Washington State tourist guides in the 1920s
referred to Soap Lake as the "world's greatest mineral sea"[1]
and people afflicted with
Buerger's disease found that bathing in the lake would cure their
illnesses.[2]
The city of Soap Lake bills itself as "Washington's Health Resort".[3]
There are 23 different minerals in Soap Lake water. Water quality assays
conducted since 1910 to test the mineral content of Soap Lake water have
shown that the mineral content of the lake has declined. Although it is not
known what causes the foam, its quantity has declined since the construction
of canals linking Soap Lake to upstream lakes and the
Grand Coulee Dam. It is now rare to see any except on windy days.
However, compared to the ocean and other known naturally occurring
mineral resources in the world, Soap Lake still has the highest diverse
mineral content of any body of water on the planet. Soap Lake water also
contains
ichthyols, an oil-like substance sold over the counter in Europe to
treat infections and abrasions. The ichthyol in Soap Lake water most likely
come from decomposition of tiny brine-like red shrimp that flourish in the
water from late spring to mid-summer. Like the
Dead Sea, the high mineral content of the lake makes the water very
buoyant.
The
alkalinity of the lake is similar to that found on the moons of
Jupiter. Because of this, in 2002 the
National Science Foundation awarded a grant to researchers from
Central Washington University to study the lake to learn about the
possibility of
life on Mars.[
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_Lake
http://www.soaplakecity.org/
***
Moses Lake, located in Moses Lake WA in the heart of
Central Eastern WA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Lake,_Washington
The Dunes by Moses Lake
One of the most popular ATV and Dune Buggy off road
vehicle parks in Washington State is located near Moses Lake off I-90. As a
warning though, the park is heavily patrolled and no alcohol is allowed. All
safety gear including flags is required and no driving on paved roads. You
will be ticketed.
http://www.moses-lake-sand-dunes.com/
***
Quincy Lakes:
http://ncwportal.com/grant/interest/quincy_lakes_wildlife_area
A wildlife area comprising approximately 19 separate
lakes with boat launches and lakeshore camping. One of the most beautiful
and diverse areas in the Columbia Basin known for its wildlife and bird
populations. Some of the larger lakes contain Tiger Muskie if you think
you’re ready to tackle one of these fierce fish.
***
Wenatchee Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.wenatchee.org/
City of:
http://www.wenatcheewa.gov/
***
Gingko Petrified Forest
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=7396
Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park contains the remains
of one of the most unusual fossil forests in the world. It was set aside as
a historic preserve in the 1930s, after highway construction crews working
on the Vantage Road unearthed what proved to be some of the rarest forms of
petrified wood ever found. Located one mile north of Vantage, near the
geographic center of Washington State, the park is now a registered national
natural landmark.
***
Gorge Amphitheater
One of the premiere concert venues in Washington State,
its beauty is unmatched at any other concert venues in the area. Perched on
the edge of and high above the Columbia River in a natural setting the views
are spectacular. When the sun sets here you will be mesmerized.
http://www.gorgeconcerts.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gorge_Amphitheatre
***
Rimrock Map
http://www.douglascountywa.net/departments/tls/gis/pdf/Rimrock30x42.pdf
