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Northrup Canyon, Eastern Washington


If you are even slightly interested and or have a fascination with rocks, or the big flood this is a trail to hike. When you leave the highway and start up the dirt road to the trail head the rock formations and walls are incredible. Of course the rock walls are pretty magnificent that hug the highway likewise. I didn't know what to expect on this trail. I have traveled through this area since I was a young, and haven't really been overly interested in dessert hiking. This area appeared barren, dry, had a slightly ugly feeling as we traveled through. This year for early spring hiking we decided to stretch ourselves and explore some trails in the Eastern Washington area. This is a beautiful trail, fairly flat all the way to the old homestead. The trail is a old road that leads to the homestead then heads left up and around what I think was a chicken or turkey barn and farther up the canyon. Leave plenty of time to stop gauke, gaze, take pictures and stand in awe and amazement at the huge rocks, walls and the beautiful canyon. We wandered around the buildings at the homestead before heading farther up the canyon. The lake was our destination, but we didn't get that far. I can't say enough about the different rocks, size of them and the fascinating textures, and colors. I would definitely try to hike this area on a nice blue sky day, our weather was hit and miss, but the rocks stand out more with blue skies. Not a lot of flowers blooming besides butter cups, fairly dry area and would be nice and hot on a summer day. We saw several eagles and hawks circling over the canyon during our hike. With the huge aspen clumps and red twig dogwood there would be some nice color heading up this trail to the homestead in the fall. Spectacular hike, a sweet spot to get started for spring hiking, and knowing a little bit about the history of the huge flood, just keeps the mind occupied with all the views of the walls and rocks left behind.
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