Some hiking trips seemed doomed from the beginning, while others start with a bang and never let up. Naturally, we prefer the latter description. Our experience on a trip to Steamboat Rock State Park near Grand Coulee Dam reflected this.

Starting early on a Saturday morning in April, we decided to head up the Yakima Canyon. Soon after entering the canyon, a coyote crossed the road ahead of us and wandered up the hillside. Within a few miles, we spotted three deer wading across the river to a large island. Just past this point a heron stood in the river's shallows. Later we watched three deer amble along the bank of the river opposite the highway.

This was all way before we arrived at Steamboat Rock State Park, but somehow it set the stage for a terrific hiking experience. Driving north from George through Ephrata and Soap Lake, we began to approach the park, centered on a peninsula jutting into Banks Reservoir, a huge lake more than 20 miles long.

Steamboat Rock juts prominently into the sky off the west side of Highway 155. We took our first pictures of the landmark off the edge of the highway with two fishermen on a boat in the foreground. Most visitors here come for water-related activities, particularly fishing.

Established in 1972, Steamboat Rock State Park offers camping, picnicking and boat launch facilities. It also features one main trail which leads to the top of Steamboat Rock, offering a nearly unlimited choice of vista points and scenic panorama.

As we wandered across this mostly flat, mesa-like land feature, twice we viewed groups of whitetail deer on the top or sides of Steamboat Rock. Yet the highlight of this highland wander occurred near the north end of the rock. Another visitor beckoned me to a vista point and asked if I had seen the eagles.

Sure enough, two bald eagles were perched in the tops of trees several hundred feet below us. One of these was sitting in a nest with three eaglets. The gentleman who pointed them out had a spotting scope set up and offered me a look. Wow, the scope brought that eagle up close, along with the view of a gray chick poking out at the front of the nest! Now, I've viewed bald eagles before many times. But this sighting was special and unusual because I was above the eagles and because an eaglet was spotted.

This pair of eagles has apparently been nesting at the same site for several years. However, the area around and near Banks Lake apparently receives numerous eagles in the winter months. Northrup Canyon, located a few miles away from the park, provides the nesting sites for many of the eagles and features an eagle viewing platform.

Even if it had no wildlife, Steamboat Rock presents an intriguing hiking destination. The geology holds your attention, especially the many steep rock walls along the sides of the coulees.

The hike up and across Steamboat Rock is relatively short, stretching perhaps to three miles round trip. And the elevation gain is only about 500 feet. Yet hikers should be aware that the route to the top of Steamboat Rock is quite steep and slippery in places. Care should be taken on this portion of trail, which only extends about a third of a mile.

Once you ascend the notch and surmount most of the rock layers forming Steamboat Rock, you can turn left and head generally south or turn right and proceed to the north tip. There is no officially marked trail on top. In some places the route is quite obvious, and in others rather obscure.

If you take the trail heading south, it soon splits, one path leading rather steeply up on the south end of Steamboat Rock. The other trail leads ahead and with virtually no elevation change, puts you on the west edge with views out across as well as up and down Banks Lake.

On our visit we took a deer path up the north slope to the highest level on Steamboat Rock. Staying near the rim, we then circled the northern section. The trail along the western edge is fainter than that on the east side.

One of the many interesting sights along the rim is the view of fishing boats and other watercraft skimming across Banks Lake. At one point we were looking down almost right on top of one fishing boat. On the east side the scene includes the camping and picnicking areas of the state park. Off the northern end lie several large, rocky islands. These features contrast with the usually steep-sided rock walls typical of the area. Instead, huge lumps and humps of rock form these large islands in the lake.

Remember there is a $5 parking fee for day visitors to the park. The camping is by reservation. The really busy season at the park runs from Memorial Day though Labor Day.

Traffic on the trail at the time of our visit was sporadic. We encountered about five different couples or small groups on the route.

For fantastic views of the Grand Coulee and the opportunity to enjoy wildlife, Steamboat Rock State Park is the place to go. Although the park makes a great destination in spring and fall, we doubt hikers will enjoy summer's heat. By the way, did I happen to mention the wildflowers? This trip was the type of experience you just can't quite pin down in print. Go and see it for yourself.

If you go

What: Steamboat Rock State Park

Where: A 150-mile drive from Yakima. Follow I-82 north, then I-90 east to Exit 151 and turn north on Highway 283. Follow signs and turns for Ephrata and Soap Lake, then Grand Coulee Dam. Once you turn off Highway 2 onto Highway 155, it's 16 miles to the park entrance. The trail begins across the road from the south end of the picnic parking lot.

Come prepared: Bring a hat, sunscreen and water. Boots are best for this route.

Ron Graham, an elementary school teacher and native of the Yakima Valley, is an avid outdoorsman who has hiked throughout the Pacific Northwest.