n WATERVILLE ................................................................pages 45

World photo/Don Seabrook A barn on Badger Mountain is surrounded by wheat.

Trail, a short drive north will earn you a glimpse of numerous erratics (housesized boulders dropped by an Ice Age sheet). Look for an amazing collection of erratics on the eye-popping drive through McNeil Canyon Road towards Chelan.

Another feature leftover from the Ice Age is Dry Falls. The largest waterfall known on the earth once cascaded over the sheer basalt cliffs of Dry Falls. These days, the falls themselves are, well, dry. But they still offer plenty of beauty and history to soak in. The 400-foot-high, 3.5-milelong precipice dried up about 15,000 years ago, but in its prime it was 10 times the size of Niagara Falls.

The Dry Falls were formed during the massive Ice Age floods that coursed through the Columbia Basin. When the Missoula lake's glacial dams crumbled, deep rivers of water crashed over the scalloped edges of the falls at 65 mph. It was this colossal flood that eventually carved out the Channeled Scablands. Today, visitor’s can stand at the edge of the falls or check out the nearby interpretive center to learn about cataclysmic flooding and oozing magma.

Other nearby adventures

Waterville is a great jumping-off point for exploring the region. Head east on Highway 2 for a view of an historic hillside sentinel — the lovely, gleaming St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Journey further east and you will arrive at the dramatic Dry Falls State Park. Then turn right and continue south on Highway 17 to take in the beautiful drive along the edge of the Chain Lakes, south to Soap Lake. From there, turn left and head north about 30 miles to Grand Coulee Dam.

World photo/Mike Bonnicksen The Tour de Bloom Stage Race goes along the rolling hills east of Waterville.

World file photo/Reilly Kneedler L-Bow the Clown performs a fire show at the 2021 Cashmere Founders’ Days Parade. The event honoring Cashmere’s history, held on the last Saturday of June each year, is one of Cashmere’s largest annual celebrations.

Cashmere: A sweet stop along the river

World photo/Don Seabrook A Steller’s Jay flies up to an evergreen tree with a peanut at a resident’s bird feeder in Cashmere. Partway between Wenatchee and Leavenworth, tucked between orchards and towering pines, is the charming, riverside town of Cashmere. With a quaint downtown that's as sweet as its signature candy shop, Cashmere is a must-see.

Spend some time in the trees and sunlight, riding the white waters of the Wenatchee River, zooming down Devil’s Gulch — known as one of the best mountain biking trails in the state — or hiking one of the many trails just outside of town.

Afterward, you can check out one of Cashmere’s many antique stores or take a tour (and snag some samples) at the Aplets & Cotlets candy factory. You can also catch the Chelan County Fair and the Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival when they come through town.

At the Cashmere Museum & Pioneer Village, you can find one of the finest collections of Native American and archaeological artifacts in the Northwest. The Pioneer Village — a small section of land with 20 original pioneer buildings filled with authentic furniture and tools — is worth the trip on its own.

Looking for more? Don’t forget to take time to walk downtown or check out the 9/11 Spirit of America Memorial at Riverside Park.