Lenore Caves
The Sun Lakes Unit abuts Sun Lakes State Park and parts of Park, Blue, Alkali, and Lenore Lakes. Historic glacial floods in this area scoured and carved away millions of cubic feet of lava leaving behind a deep and long coulee rimmed by basalt cliffs; numerous cliffs, talus slopes, and bare rock characterize this unit.
The Sun Lakes Unit is located within the lower Grand Coulee, adjacent to Sun Lakes State Park and parts of Park, Blue, Alkali, and Lenore lakes, in Douglas and Grant counties. The unit can be accessed from State Route 17 north of Soap Lake.
The Sun Lakes Unit is in the Grand Coulee watershed within the Columbia Plateau.
This unit is part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 272
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Public facility information:
- One parking area with boat ramp and outhouse on south end of Alkali Lake(https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/water-access-sites/30192)
- Parking area with boat ramp and outhouse on Blue Lake
- Two parking areas with outhouses on Lenore Lake
Fishing
Park Lake and Blue Lake are popular locations for rainbow trout fishing, and Lenore Lake is a quality Lahontan cutthroat trout fishery.
Wildlife viewing
This unit includes basalt cliffs, some stiff sagebrush/Sandberg bluegrass communities and some big sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass, offering offers opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including peregrine falcon.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Conservation
Conservation goals
- Maintain enhanced wildlife habitats and preserve native plant communities and important habitats
- Restore and preserve shallow water habitat and pools
- Manage migrant waterfowl, upland game birds and priority species
Land stewardship
Most of the acres within this unit came under WDFW control in the mid-1950s when the U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) licensed the Lenore Lake National Wildlife Refuge to WDFW for management as the Lenore Game Range. Ownership of the Lenore lake bottom to the high water line is claimed by the Department of Natural Resources.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1955 and 2022.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| State of Washington | Transfer of land |
Management planning
2022 Columbia Basin Wildlife Area Management Plan
Every eight to 10 years, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments. In 2014, WDFW began the process of updating existing plans, many of which were written in 2006. The new plans are being developed with significant public participation and input.
Planning Advisory Committee
Columbia Basin Wildlife Area Advisory Committee