Potholes Wildlife Recreation Area hiking

The western part of the Potholes area still has many active sand dunes. The vegetation is shrub steppe except for the wetland areas along the Winchester and Frenchman Hills Wasteways. The eastern part of the area is mostly sand, gravel, and round-rock soil, with shrub steppe vegetation bordered by irrigated farmland. The vegetation of this area is primarily rabbitbrush and needle and thread grass. The southern area, adjacent to O'Sullivan Dam, is mostly basalt outcroppings with big sage and bluebunch wheatgrass occurring where soil exists.

The Potholes is just one of several Wildlife Areas in the Columbia Basin which is one of the most important waterfowl breeding grounds in Washington. Millions of other birds also use the waters and marshes for resting and feeding on their annual migrations along the Pacific Flyway. The thousands of small lakes, potholes, and seeps are home to Canada geese, mallards, redheads, canvasbacks, ringnecks, ruddy ducks, gadwalls, blue and greenwing teal, shovelers, pintails, goldeneyes, and wood ducks. Shorebirds abound and Caspian terns, pelicans, sandhill cranes, swans, and many other rare birds are seen. Ring-billed gulls, Brewer's, red-winged, and yellow-headed blackbirds, kildeer, meadowlarks, and horned larks are found. Game birds including pheasant, chukar and Hungarian partridge, and quail are common, though sage and sharp-tailed grouse have severely declined in numbers.

Coyotes are the most abundant predatory mammal. Jackrabbits, marmots, ground squirrels, muskrats, and a wide variety of mice and shrews occur. Mule deer occur in fringe areas where suitable habitat exists. Resident prairie falcons, red-tailed and Swainson's hawks, golden eagles, wintering bald eagles, colonies of burrowing owls, and the occasional snowy owl or gyrfalcon are also present. The vast expanse of water, cattail marshes, potholes, and wetlands offer a wide variety of water-related experiences. The fishing is outstanding, especially for bass, perch, sunfish, and crappie. Rainbow trout are stocked.

Driving Directions-Right off of Interstate 90 just west of Moses Lake

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