Hawk Creek Dayhike

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Distance: 3-3/4 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking time: 1-1/2 - 2-1/2 hours

Season: Virtually year-round

Maps: USGS Olsen Canyon

Info: Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, (509) 725-2715

DAYHIKING TRIP NOTES:

Access: On U.S. Highway 2 from Davenport, Wash., drive 18-1/4 miles west and turn right on Miles-Creston Road toward Seven Bays (milepost 232.3). Go 11-1/2 miles northeast and turn left on gravel road toward Hawk Creek Campground. Drive another mile, passing campground, to primitive boat-launch parking area.

Alternate: From Davenport, head north on State Highway 25 about 22 miles. Turn left on Miles-Creston Road (at store), and drive 7 miles, passing Seven Bays, to Hawk Creek Campground turnoff.

Attractions: Lightly used trails lead from popular summer boat playground in Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area to deserted scenic heights. Trails lead past sandy beaches, through sage, under basalt caves, near sand dunes.

April-May splendid with wildflowers, including balsamroot, lupine, phlox. Great views of Lake Roosevelt. Route pleasant on summer mornings and evenings, and often hikable in winter.

Choice spot to see soaring hawks and golden eagles. Fishing for trout, burbot and other species at mouth of Hawk Creek. Spring best time to see Hawk Creek falls near campground.

Comments: Dramatic fluctuations of Lake Roosevelt water levels can leave huge sandy or mud beaches. Boat ramp at trailhead usually high and dry in spring.

Choose morning or evening to hike this dry south-facing hillside during summer. In spring, wear long pants. Tuck ends in socks. Check body for ticks after hike.

From parking area, hike through gate and follow old road along Hawk Creek, or follow footpath that contours directly above creek as it winds into canyon below precipitous rock cliff. Trail and road merge about 1/4 mile at gate.

Continue through gate on old dirt road. In low water, vast sandy beach stretches out below. Walk through grassy spot in small grove of ponderosa pines.

Continue, paralleling lake shore. Where old road peters out, stock trail continues contouring around the north side of Hawk Creek inlet. Skirt large bay, then cut right (north) into cove. One stock trail continues up this draw, but featured route contours south again, passing junction with return-route and heading up side-slope to continue skirting Hawk Creek inlet.

After passing excellent beaches, continue on stock trail to overlook of Columbia River channel. Walk down onto sagebrush flat. No defined trail for about 100 yards. Trail picks up again below sandy slide topped with pines. Continue contouring inlet, heading up above beach to another good overlook on sandy, sage-covered point.

Follow old road bed heading north and up toward large dark cave in rock outcropping. (Road shows on USGS map.) Hike below thick patch of scorched Oregon grape in draw dotted with curiosities ranging from coyote dens to aspens. Where draw begins to broaden, take sharp right turn to continue route to base of cave.

Good trail leads below cave and heads east on sage bench, past sand dunes, for 1/2 mile before heading down into draw. Just before trail leads into clump of trees, turn sharply right on undefined trails and head down into draw. Soon you’ll hit well-defined trail that drops steeply into narrow draw to join original route along Hawk Creek. Retrace route back to trailhead.

Curious structure perched on cliff above caves is “hack box” used by state biologists for releasing peregrine falcon fledglings in early 1990s. Project abandoned after territorial golden eagles discouraged falcons from hanging around. Look for swallows. Listen for “chuk, chuk” of chukar partridge.

Land north of hike described here is private and off-limits to people who have not secured permission to trespass.