This is one of my favorite places. The sculpture of wild horses atop the hill off of I-90 at Vantage is majestic and makes you feel like you are in a storybook. Going east on I-90 at Vantage, follow the signs to the parking lot and hike the steep hill about 1/4 mile to the top. There you will experience the beauty of these wild horses.
These views of the Columbia River and Canyons are amazing! Whenever I drive to Eastern Washington this is always my favorite spot.
This sculpture is over 20 years old and according to the sculptor, is only half finished. The horses are supposed to be set free from a large basket to symbolize free will.
The hill is a bit steep so I would not recommend going to the top unless you are sure of foot. Also step loudly to ward off rattlesnakes.
You can read the story of the sculpture built by David Govedare here .
Although this is not a long hike, this is a must see if you are in the area.
In my need to get a little more exercise in, we stopped at Deception Falls on the way home from Lake Janus. About 15 miles west on Hwy 2 you can take a right into the parking lot for Deception Falls. The boys were not very excited about this since they had already taken their wet shoes and socks off but they begrudgingly got out of the car.
The boys enjoyed crossing the stream along the trail.
We found a tree that looked like it had a face on it.
This is more of a walk than a hike since it is only 1/2 mile (also a .2 mile option), but it is amazing! I don't know that I would make the long drive to just see this, but it is definitely a must see if you are in the area.
A wilderness pass is not needed to park in the parking lot and there are potties (really stinky when we were there). The boys were extremely happy that we ended up stopping and said they wanted to bring their friends next time.
This is very child friendly, even for very young ones. The trail is well maintained but is not stroller or wheelchair accessible due to stairs leading to the viewpoints.
From Everett, drive east on US-2, 10 miles east of Skykomish to the Deception Falls Picnic Area (located 8 miles west of Stevens Pass.)
