Experience Soap Lake! This newly-developed page is under construction. Please e-mail your suggestions to soaplakeforlocals@gmail.com
Get into the lake. The East Beach Park is on Highway 17/Daisy, at the north end of the town of Soap Lake.
The West Beach is located at the south end of the lake and offers a spectacular view of the coulee. To get there: From Highway 17, go west on Main Ave. and turn north (right) on Ash Street. Here are some pictures: http://www.soaplakeforlocals.com/mineralwatermud.html
Walk, bike, or hike. With little traffic, Soap Lake is a great place for quiet walks and bike rides. The Maynard Hagen Trail is perfect for rollerblading too: http://www.soaplakeforlocals.com/photos/maynardhagentrail.html The west side of the lake offers peace and quiet and open spaces for dog-walking and gentle hiking.
The second Saturday of each month, the Lower Grand Coulee Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute offers a hike to areas of geologic significance: http://www.soaplakeforlocals.com/photos/hikes.html Check the Calendar page of this website or call John Glassco at 509-246-0566 for more information.
Treat yourself to a massage. Licensed massage therapists are available at three downtown locations. See the details on the Spas and Wellness page of this website: http://www.soaplakeforlocals.com/spaswellness.html
Experience desert golf at Lava Links. Located right across from City Hall, this 9-hole, rough-terrain golf course is perfect for beginners, kids and anybody who wants to have fun. You need just a 9 iron and a putter. See the details here: http://www.soaplakeforlocals.com/lavalinksgolf.html
Explore our history at the Soap Lake Heritage Gallery. Located in the Information Center at the East Beach Park, Soap Lake's small but mighty Heritage Gallery is full of photographs, displays, scrapbooks, and an assortment of items of significance to Soap Lake's colorful history. You can see a very modest bathing suit from back in the day, boxes of Thorsen's Soap Lake Salts, and a vintage postcard collection that includes one advertising the old nude beach.
Hours: From noon-4:00 PM during the tourist season. For special tours or other information, please call 509-750-4303.
Watch the Dirt Roads video. Enrich your Soap Lake experience by watching Dirt Roads, Beachscapes & Bygone Days: A Window to Soap Lake's Past by local filmmaker Kathy Kiefer. You can view it, along with other DVDs of local significance, at the Soap Lake Information Center at the East Beach.
Dirt Roads DVDs are available for purchase at the following Soap Lake businesses: Healing Water Gallery, Healing Water Spa, Notaras Lodge, and Soap Lake Liquor. You can also buy Dirt Roads online: http://www.filmbaby.com/films/198
Play basketball or tennis. The East Beach Park has a half-court. Shoot some hoops against the spectacular backdrop of the lake and the coulee.
There are two tennis courts at Soap Lake Middle/High School at 2nd Ave. SW and Dogwood Street.
Watch the birds. Soap Lake for Locals staff enjoy watching the American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts at the WestBeach and East Beach Park.
The following is an excerpt from the brochure The Great Washington Birding Trail, Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway, Audobon Washington, 2003:
West Beach Park (Spring, Summer, Fall) Habitat: Municipal park with rock and sand shoreline along Soap Lake. Birding: During spring and fall, highly saline water's large possession of brine shrimp attracts Eared Grebes, Ruddy Ducks, and numerous shore birds, including some marine species. Red-necked and Wilson's Phalaropes and Pectoral Sandpipers arrive in mid-August and stay through September. Also watch for Sanderlings and Semipalmated and Pacific Plovers. Found here during fall and winter are Northern Shovelers, and Lesser Scaups, Common Golden Eyes and less frequently Long-Tailed Ducks and Surf and White-winged Scoters.
Viewing: Set up a scope in the picnic area.
Access: From Hwy 17/Daisy St. S in town of Soap Lake, turn west onto Main Ave E. Drive 0.3 mile. Turn left (south) onto Division St. N. Immediately turn right (west) onto Main Ave. W. Drive 1 block. Turn right (north) onto Ash St. S. Drive 2 blocks to West Beach Park.