SEARCHING the OLD VANTAGE HIGHWAY for the High Places

[@kirklaird8345]

We hiked that old highway today. Left from the Frenchman Coulee boat ramp, hiked south past the private party area then turned up a drainage - which happens to have a very large erratic (a granite boulder) from the Ice Age floods. Climbed 370 ft in elevation up a barely there trail to reach the old road bed which still has pavement in places, along with supporting rock walls in place. 2 to 2 1/2 miles later, after passing through some sand dunes that now cover the road bed, it reaches the river level in sight of the I90 bridge. Pretty entertaining hike. Seven miles roundtrip from the boat launch.

[@kirklaird8345]

That bright yellow flower at 3:40 is Dalmatian toadflax - a nonnative noxious weed. Pull them if you see them,.

[@JC.Journey]

Very cool hike, never knew this existed. Will have to check it out sometime. The active Osprey platform was great to see. Great wildflowers too.Beautiful views along the way, hope you find the old highway someday.

[@MikeCarpenter-Adventures]

Thanks for watching!

[@samk6611]

Can u drive there?

[@MikeCarpenter-Adventures]

No. You could access it by parking on the shoulder of I-90 east of Vantage, and jumping the guardrail, but the Washington State Patrol would probably give you a ticket lol. Your best bet is to park at the boat launch in Frenchman Coulee, and bushwack your way uphill and east until you hit the old highway. Just keep a watch for rattlesnakes -- depending on the time of year.

[@phil4341]

If you were at the boat launch at the bottom of Frenchman Coulee you found the old highway.