Columbia Hills State Park - Horsethief Butte — Wednesday, May. 10, 2017

Approximately four hour drive from Seattle. I recommend the I90 to I97 route as its pretty scenic and smooth. Plus you can't miss the "Yakima: The Palm Springs of Washington" sign for a good laugh. The trail into the park is about ten miles of dirt and rock but not nearly as bad as say the road into the Colchuck trailhead. My sport suspension 330i does both without a problem. My plan was to visit for sunset and then get a room in the Dalles and be back for sunrise. I had dinner at Rivertap in the Dalles. Great nitro stout, rubbery fish and chips and fun watching the locals get plastered. Coming back up for sunrise, there was no one else around. Just pure bliss looking at flowers, watching the cows shuffle around and hearing the song birds sing with a gentle breeze. The balsamroot flowers (yellow daisy-like flowers) are fading but the lupine is going strong. Well worth the drive. I'm off to wash the thousands of bugs remains off my car...