CHS 1 Hike - Dusty Lake

We parked at the Lower TH along the Columbia River.  There are multiple routes in the Potholes area.  Our planned route was changed during the actual hike.  It's easy to see that the trails are looped in both coulees, unless one climbs either of the ridges or waterfall.   The lakes are ancient dry potholes which are filled with modern day agricultural water runoff.  The lakes likely contain agricultural chemicals, as evidenced by white rings along the lakes shoreline and thousands of acres of fields above the rim.  Not certain why people are fishing in the lakes.  Its has been published and advise to not drink the water.

Some hikers seem comfortable allowing their dogs run off-leash.  Many hikers have been bitten by dogs, in larger numbers than by wildlife, be careful.  There has also been an increase in bicyclists' sharing the trail.  Due to the terrain, it's easy to see approaching bicyclists and there is lots of room to step aside. 

This was an early season hike.  While it was raining in Puget Sound, the trail was dry, temps were in the high 60s, and we had a light breeze.  Did not see any coyotes or ticks, lol.  Lots of birds.  We had a great time exploring the coulees.  For extra knowledge on how the coulees were formed, see CWU Geology Professor Nick Zentner's "Nick on the Rocks" edition of  "Ancient Lakes at Potholes Coulee," (as well as "Glacial Lake Missoula)."

https://www.pbs.org/video/ancient-lakes-at-potholes-coulee-lnobqa/

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