Eight miles south of Sun Lakes State Park on Hwy. 17 and 8 miles north of Soap Lake on Hwy. 17.

Acreage

213.7 acres with .75 mile of road.

Acquired

213.7 acres purchased from BLM in 1972.

Historical Background

Caves formed by the plucking of basalt from the walls of the coulees by the rush of melt waters were later used as shelters by prehistoric man. A band on the move carried only the bare essentials in the way of material culture, and a family spending a few days in a cave would know what they brought with them and would be sure to leave with the same. Therefore, the absence of any large or valuable artifacts such as pestles in the caves today suggests they were used by a temporary and migratory population. The type of artifact most likely to be lost was the small scraper used in the preparation of skins. This tool is the artifact most commonly found in the caves.

The population of this area was undoubtedly small, but because the people were hunters and gatherers of plant food, they must have been almost constantly on the move in search of food.

A trail leading to some of these caves has been developed near the north end of Lake Lenore. These caves are about 10 miles south of the Interpretive Center, just off Highway 17.

Facilities

Parking for 12 vehicles, .75 miles gravel road, 3-mile trail.

Activities

Viewing the caves.

Courtesy of Washington State Park and Recreation Commission