State Parks and National Parks

Sun Lakes State Park

Sun Lakes State Park includes 4,023 acres of spectacular public lands, from a chain of nine lakes to rocky canyons and sagebrush-dotted hiking trails.

The lakes are used for boating, swimming, fishing and paddling. Park Lake, the largest, has a paved boat launch and is popular with the water-scooter crowd. For a peaceful paddle or float, visit Dry Falls Lake, where motorized traffic is prohibited.

The lakes are stocked with rainbow and German brown trout and are recognized fly-fishing destinations.

A campground offers 152 standard sites, 39 with full hookups and one group campsite. A private concessionaire runs extensive facilities in the park, including boat and cabin rentals, a golf course and marina.

Roughly 15 miles of hiking trails traverse the rocky desert and canyons, offering glimpses of deer, yellow-bellied marmots, pheasants and quail. The canyons, known to geologists as channeled scab lands, were carved by the Columbia River during the Ice Age.

More than five miles of trails are open to mountain bikes.

Sun Lakes State Park also includes the Lake Lenore Caves, where visitors may view petroglyphs, ancient Native American cave drawings.

Photo credits in order: Courtesy of Washington