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Resolution 26-047-CC
GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA MEETING REQUEST FORM (Must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by 12:00pm on Thursday) REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: BOCC REQUEST SUBMITTED BY:CEMANELL CONTACT PERSON ATTENDING ROUNDTABLE:CEMANELL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: EIYES i DATE. 7/09/2026 PHONE:2931 0 -I- N -- W W, MINVIN®R W ElAgreement / Contract DAP Vouchers 7,Appointmen't Reappointment DARPA Related 0Bids / RFPs / Quotes Award FIBid Opening Scheduled 0 Boards / Committees ElBudget ElComputer Related DCounty Code El Emergency Purchase DEmployee Rel. FiFacilities Related nFinancial 0 Funds ElHearing F71 Invoices / Purchase Orders ElGrants — Fed/State/County 01-eases 0 MOA / MOU FlMinutes ElOrdinances 0 Out of State Travel 0Petty Cash r-1 Policies F71 Proclamations 0 Request for Purchase * Resolution F-1 Recommendation OProfessional Sere/Consultant FISupport Letter FISurplus Req. F1 Tax Levies FIThank You's ElTax Title Property OWSLCB Resolution in the matter of adopting the Grant County Tourism Master Plan, as prepared and presented by Beckwith Consulting. If necessary, was this document reviewed by accounting? � YES 0 NO JR N/A If necessary7was this document reviewed by legal? El YES NO W N/A DATE OF ACTION: -1 ZC� APPROVE: DENIED ABSTAIN D1: D2: D3: DEFERRED OR CONTINUED TO: WITHDRAWN: 4/23/24 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Grant County, Washington RESOLUTION IN THE MATTER OF RESOLUTION No. 26- 047 -CC ADOPTING THE GRANT COUNTY TOURISM MASTER PLAN WHEREAS, the Grant County Board of Commissioners, after a thorough review process, awarded Beckwith Consulting the Destination Marketing Organization Request for Proposals in the amount of $100,000 for the development of a county -wide, 10-Plus-Year Sustainable Tourism Master Plan; and, WHEREAS, the Grant County Board of Commissioners, with the assistance of the Grant County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and the Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee, have reviewed the Final Grant County Tourism Master Plan; and, WHEREAS, the Grant County Tourism Master Plan is designed to guide the county's tourism development and promotion efforts, ensuring alignment with community goals and economic priorities; and, WHEREAS, adoption of the Grant County Tourism Master Plan will inform and support grant award decisions for tourism -related projects and events in accordance with RCW 67.28.1816; and, WHEREAS, the implementation of the Grant County Tourism Master Plan will support coordinated efforts to enhance tourism, promote economic growth, and benefit the residents and visitors of Grant County. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Board of County Commissioners of Grant County, State of Washington, hereby adopt the final Grant County Tourism Master Plan as presented by Beckwith Consulting to guide tourism -related grant awards and initiatives in accordance with RCW 67.28.1816. DATED this t I ```,,�� U N 4 ••.'•� •~'•© .�i. + i* �low SEA L ; .. �, '•� .' • �X`�� ����jf!lllt�tttlltillN����` ATTEST: day of , 2026. BOARD OF COUNTY Yea COMMISSIONERS Nay Abstain Grant County, Washington X Caitlin E. Manell ❑ Clerk of the Board El r: Kevin R. Burg s; air �M @1'00 Vi air Cindy Ca r, Member Page 1 of 1 • raw. +' `+ _-�`' / _� - —. , W rF ew ; V� M I � r tit! r sm f i {`it• '� �.N� ire • - At.' •• Y LOO - • '''�t ': /� " ! ' , . ,a` +ram! "`. �' i r ,.. JL • 4 • y r4 I f • , + ° R t � f � r� 1 n"t' r - k r 1Ak • ' Y s UL x �w Decem-be Grant County Commissioners Position I Kevin R Burgess Position 2 Rob Jones Position 3 Cindy Carter Clerk of the Board Barbara J Vasquez Deputy Clerk of the Board 11 Caitlin E Manell Lod-zinR Tax Advisory Commission (LTAC Chair, County Commissioner Rob Jones Vice Chair, Mar Don Resort Marilyn Mesebert Sun Lakes Resort Goldye Moyer Holiday Inn Express & Suites jedidiah Jonathan Ephrata Chamber .of Commerce Kevin Danby Moses Lake Spring Festival Lori Valdez Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum Harriet Weber Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC, Chair, District 1 Shawn Cardwell Vice Chair, District 3 Pam Thorsen District 1 David McWalter District I Karon Fox District 2 Amanda Laramore District 2 Lynne Lynch District 2 Arin Swinger District 3 Sandra Marcusen District 3 Vince Coluccio Marketing Manager Rachelle Baughman Stakeholders Grant County Fairgrounds Jim McKiernan The Gorge Amphitheater josh Stephens Grant County PUD Colville Indian Tribe Gorge Sunland Vacation Rentals Cyndy Matthews Ridge Riders Cindy Loepp, Wayne Fowler Sand Scorpions ORV Brandon Douglass, Scott Fisher Columbia Basin Allied Arts Shawn Cardwell US Fish & Wildlife (USFW) Eileen Hails Washington Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) Richard Finger Washington State Parks David McWalter Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce Susan Carson Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Debbie Doran -Martinez Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber Nancy Zimmerman-Boord Ephrata Chamber of Commerce Kevin Danby Coulee City Chamber of Commerce Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce Catalina Blancas South Grant County Chamber of Commerce Pam Thorsen Consultants Team Leader Tom Beckwith FACIP Architect Julie Blazek AIA LEER Art & Culture Missi K Smith GIS Jennifer Hackett Grant County Tourism Master Plan Executive Summary Ice Age Floods Dry Falls Frenchman Coulee Wanapum men during a Waashat Feast Tourism is a vital economic driver in Grant County attracting visitors from across Washington and beyond. The Tourism Master Plan outlines the environment, culture, history, agriculture, recreation, and cultural attractions that are unique to Grant County. This Tourism Master Plan also identifies assets, visitation trends, tourism potential, visitor and resident opinions, resources, and necessary implementing action tasks, agents, participants, and performance measures necessary to be successful. Assets Environment a The Ice Age Floods defined the unique geologic and scenic attributes of Grant County with basalt cliffs, coulees, canyons, and sand dunes at Dry Falls, Lake Lenore Caves, Ephrata Fan, Quincy Basin Drumheller Channels, Moses Lake Sand Dunes and Potholes, Beverly Dunes, Frenchman Coulee, and Columnar Basalt. ■ The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail highlights Grant County's glacial flood history. a As a result of the floods, Grant County has 45 lakes and reservoirs including Banks Lake, Sun Lakes, Blue Lake, Lenore Lake, Soap Lake, Billy Clapp Lake, and Moses Lake. a The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge and Hanford .each protect diverse habitats and over 200 species including waterfowl, raptors, and shorebirds. Culture a Indigenous tribes occupied Grant County including the Interior Salish, Wenatchi, Sinkiuse-Columbia, Sinkaietk, and Okanoga with rich cultural traditions, historical presence, and archaeological sites dating back over 11,000 years. ■ Lenore Caves served as a Native American shelter and resource site for thousands of years. Warden's Lind Coulee Archaeological Site dates back 2,000-4,000 years. ■ The Wanapum and Colville Tribes historically inhabited Grant providing significant cultural sites including over Wanapum 200 petroglyphs carved in surrounding rock cliffs. ■ The Wanapaum Heritage Center, Colville Tribal Museum, and Fort Okanogan Interpretive Center interpret the tribes' history, fur trade, and archaeological findings. a The Hispanic/Latino community significantly influenced Grant County's culture, economy, and heritage with migration, labor programs, and settlements following World War II. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I i Lenore Caves Cinco de Mayo Ephrata Grand Coulee Dam Potholes Reservoir E The Hispanic/Latino community celebrates its heritage through music, food, and arts including Cinco de Mayo, Dia de los Muertos, and El Grito festivals. History 0 Settlers used the semi -arid shrub -steppe region in Grant County in the 1850s mainly for livestock grazing. 0 The Cariboo Cattle Trail passed through Grant County from 1859-1868 linking Oregon to British Columbia for indigenous tribes, fur brigades, cattlemen, and miners. 0 Major railroads (Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Milwaukee Road) expanded in late 1800s-early 1900s establishing the towns of Beverly, Coulee City, Douglas, Ephrata, Hartline, Moses Lake, Quincy, Soap Lake, Warden, and Wilson Creek. a The BNSF, CMSP&P, and US government lines were eventually abandoned with remaining visible remnants. a Many Grant County historic sites and buildings are listed on state and national registers including Dry Falls Vista House, Grant County Museum, Bell Hotel, and Lea Theater. N Landmarks include the Beverly Railroad Bridge, Moses Lake Museum, and historic barns, Masquers Theater, William Kelley Barn, and William and Rebecka Schorzman Homestead. Agriculture 0 The 1933 Columbia Basin Project transformed arid Grant County into a fertile agricultural region creating 7 dams including Grant Coulee Dam completed in 1941 to control the Columbia River. 0 The project provided irrigation for over 1,000,000 acres or 60% of all irrigated land in Washington State. The project led to rapid county growth, attracting food processing industries and manufacturing. ® Grant County is recognized for its emerging wine industry, with several federally recognized American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within the county including Wahluke Slope AVA (2006), Royal Slope AVA (2020), and Beverly AVA (2024). 0 The wine industry has grown significantly, with tasting rooms, events, and a focus on premium wines. E Agriculture in Grant County is supported by several farmers' markets, farm stands, and farm stays, promoting local, fresh, and organic -produce. 0 Moses Lake Farmers' Market, established in 1978, is the largest in Grant County with 75 vendors. a Farm stays connect visitors with rural life, with organizations like Farmstay promoting local farm -based tourism. ii I Grant County Tourism Master Plan Crescent Recreation Area GCWT kayaking Beezley Hills Mountain Biking Steamboat Rock Horse Trails Recreation a Water recreation - includes over 80 boat launch sites managed by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and private operators on the Columbia River, Moses Lake, and other lakes in Grant County. 0 The Greater Columbia Water Trail (GCWT) is a bi-state, 146-mile trail for non -motorized boats, with plans to extend over 500 miles, connecting multiple counties and dams. a Grant County has 8 water trail access sites on the Columbia River and 8 water trail access sites on Moses Lake. a 'Hiking, running, and mountain biking - are plentiful in Grant County from day hikes to multi -day backpacking and mountain biking for various skill levels and activities including Dry Falls Lake, Beezley Hills, Ancient Lakes, Moses Lake, Palouse to Cascade, and the Great American Rail -Trail. a The Palouse to Cascade State Park Trail is a 287-mile rail trail on former railroad track bed connecting Seattle to Idaho with a bridge over the Columbia River into Grant County at Beverly and the Burkett Lake Recreation Area. a Equine recreation - includes wildland, rural, and urban horse trails suitable for short and long rides on state and federal lands at Beezley Hills, Frenchman Coulee, Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, and Warden Horse Trail. 0 Steamboat Rock State Park provides 17.3 miles of horse trails, including Banks Lake North Point and Steamboat Cliff Viewpoint. Warden Horse Trail extends 126 miles from Warden to Idaho on the Palouse to Cascade State Park. ■ Off -highway vehicle (OH ) and off -road vehicle (ORV) includes areas for dirt bikes, ATVs, SxS, and 4x4 vehicles on Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dune's 3,000 acres of dunes and mud flats, Beverly Dunes Recreation Area with sandy terrain, and the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) West Saddle Mountain area with 20 miles of trails, hill climbs, and motocross tracks. 0 Campgrounds and RV parks - include 6 campgrounds on the Grant County side of the Columbia River, 14 in the Grant Coulee Corridor, 3 in Moses Lake, and 6 in other areas of the County. a Camping facilities include primitive sites, basic campgrounds, RV parks, and resort -style parks with amenities like pools, cabins, and recreational facilities. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I iii T- Moses Lake's Paul Lauzer Field Moses Lake Roundup The Gorge Amphitheatre Wallenstein Theater N Sports tournaments and athletic facilities - include 12 major recreational parks for baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, pickleball, basketball, and football fields. a Major athletic complexes include Paul Lauzier Athletic Complex and Larson Playfield in Moses Lake, and Quincy's pending "Q-Plex" multiuse fieldhouse that will include a large indoor arena, multiple soccer fields, and courts for various sports. Culture a Grant County Fairgrounds - established in 1948, hosts livestock shows, rodeos, gun shows, pet shows, and community events, for 76,400 visitors in 2025. a The last wild horse roundup in Grant County was conducted in 1953. The first Columbia Basin Rodeo, now called the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo, was conducted in 19-43. 's Moses Lake Roundup is a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) competing in the Columbia River Circuit. a The Gorge Amphitheatre - near George is a renowned outdoor concert venue with a capacity of 27,500, hosting major festivals and concerts since 1986. a The Gorge campground offers limited KV and tent sites, with additional nearby options like Wildhorse Campground. 0 Performing theaters - include Masquers Theater open since 1979, produces musicals, plays, and dramas in Soap Lake's recently designated Creative District. 0 Big Bend College I s Wallenstein Theater, located on the former Larson Air Force Base, supports educational and cultural events. 0 Quincy High School Drama Program, a longstanding, diverse youth theater program since 1916 performs in Lloyd Hill Auditorium. 0 Quincy Community Theatre, dating to 1923, is now a prominent regional venue that seats 498, with a thrust stage, orchestra pit, and advanced lighting/sound systems. 0 Quincy Valley Allied Arts Community Initiatives produce local arts, theater, music, and visual arts including summer park melodramas, youth productions, and annual community choir concerts. 0 Columbia Basin Allied Arts produces nationally and internationally acclaimed performances at Big Bend Community College. 0 Central Basin Community Concerts and Music Education, a nonprofit provides live concerts and music education in Wallenstien Theater. iv I Grant County Tourism Master Plan Columbia Basin Allied Arts Soap Lake Quilt Retreats Moses Lake Air Show UMANI & Harvest Festival Moravida Festival 0 Fine arts - includeMosesLake Museum & Art Center exhibits local history, a fine art gallery, a museum store, and a giant Columbian Mammoth metal sculpture. 0 James Cultural Center UCC) in Soap Lake serves as a community hub for arts and science, with exhibit spaces, auditorium, classroom, kitchen, and cafe. 0 Soap Lake Quilt Retreats offers classes, tours, and accommodations, including historic bungalows and condos. 0 Artists of Central Washington exhibit over 65 recognized national and regional artworks from the Washington State Art Collection in numerous schools and public buildings throughout Grant County. 0 Regional festivals and events - include Moses Lake Spring Festival includes 3-on-3 basketball, volleyball, a cross-country run, carnival, car show, parade, talent competition, free live music entertainment, food trucks, and craft, jewelry, and specialty good vendors on Memorial Day in May. 0 Moses Lake Air Show, located at the Grant County International Airport, one of the largest airfields in the United States, highlights aviation history, legends, and military displays at the end of May. 0 Soap Lake Food & Folk Festival features food, folk music, beer garden, craft vendors in June. 0 Moses Lake UMANI & Harvest Festival celebrates Hispanic cultural with Lucha wrestling, lowrider car shows and hop off, music, artists, creative workshops, crafts and games, vendors, food trucks, and a beer garden at the end of September. 0 Moravida Festival honors Dia de los Muertos with face painting, arts, costumes, and live entertainment at the Grant County Fairground the end of October. Tourism and visitor data 0 Datafy, a visitor statistics model, determined Washington State generated 91,706,808 visitor trips in 2024 with an average length of stay of 2.2 days. 0 Grant County is in the North Central Region that includes Grant, Kittitas, Chelan, and Okanogan Counties. Datafy determined the total number of trips in the North Central Region was 5,115,035 in 2024, or 5% of all state visitors, with an average length of stay of 2.0 days. 0 Grant County captured 32.5% of all visitor days in the North Central Region in 2024 which was -3.9% less than in 2023 meaning Grant County's capture rate declined within the North Central Region. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I V SECS 19cl =4 aDayuse W"kng*oa5A*W ralo visitation --------- .. .... ------------ ------------------ - -_ --- ---------_- — -------------- -- Grant County State Park Visits Dry Falls Visitor Center ------------------- - ------ - --------- _ ---- ----- ------- ------ 11-11-1 -- -- ------ Gr-lt C-My M C-WVQMd fthts SUvod 1:040 *.NV AAW -424 26:2 79:1 ■PIiieztVAs1®s Sand Hollow njatiksonCreek a RNJW cautup -r-mcm S" ------------ 7. - � ---- -- ----- --- - - ----------- --------- - - ... ..... — - - ---------- ------ ---- Grant County PUD Overnights 0 About 31.9% of all visitors to the North Central Region come from the 4 counties within the region, or Kittitas, Grant, Chelan, and Okanogan Counties. The remaining regions that provide visitors to the North Central Region come from Metro Puget Sound for 29.0%, Eastern for 15.5%, Wine Country for 14.7%, Southwest for 4.7%, Northwest for 2.3%, and the Peninsulas for 1.9%. 0 Therefore, the primary source of visitors to the North Central Region and thereby Grant County are local or residents primarily of Metro Puget Sound to the west of Grant County and the Eastern Region to the east of Grant County - or the 1-90 corridor. 0 Approximately 5 1.6% of all visitors were one- or first- time visitors while 48.4% were repeat visitors who were familiar with North Central Region assets. 9 Washington State Parks - operates 5 parks and facilities in Grant County including the Dry Falls Visitor Center, Potholes, Steamboat Rock, Sun Lake Resorts, and Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Parks. 0 Grant County's State Park visitation trends remained relatively flat from 2020-2024 averaging 1,125,804 to 1,224,484 day use visitors and 232,140 to 268,395 overnight visitors with the lowest volumes in 2020 during Covid and the highest in 2021 immediately afterwards. 0 Peak day use and overnight volumes were highest during July with a summer season extending from May - September. • , Grant County Public Utility District (PUD) - operates 19 recreational sites, 9 boat launches, and 5 campgrounds with 99 RV/tent and 30 primitive sites on both sides of the Columbia River. 0 Crescent Bar Recreation Area is the most used of all PUD campgrounds with overnight stays increasing from 4,180 in 2019 to 7,269 in 2023. 0 In 2023, approximately 48% of all Grant County PUD's boat launch and campgrounds were frequented by residents from King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Thurston Counties which is a significant percent of the PUD's attraction. .. ... ...... -- ---- - Grant County Fair Attendance Grant County Fairgrounds & Moses Lake Roundup - attendance increased in the years following Covid to 84,200 attendees in 2021 but declined to 76,400 in 2025. 0 The 2021 Grant County Fair attracted visitors from 16 of Washington's 39 counties according to the survey of fair attendees or a total of 9% from outside of Grant County. 0 Approximately 20% reported visiting the fair for just one day, while 32% of Fair survey respondents reported attending the fair all 5 days. vi I Grant County Tourism Master Plan ........... .. -------- --- - ----- -1-1-- -------------------------------------- ---- ---- ----------------------- Grant County Lodging Revenues 2004-2024 LTAC Revenues Conclusions a Visitation trended downward - at major Grant County destinations, including State Parks, over a 25-year period and particularly since Covid with gradual but underwhelming response since. a Visitation primarily day - use - with little overnight stays at State Parks, Moses Lake Mud Flats, and other over -night facilities limiting local exposure and expenditures. a Expenditures increased - even as volumes stabilized or declined probably from inflation rather than increases in per capita spending. a Grant County assets are not visible (included) - in State of Washington Tourism (SWT) campaign's 34 videos (15-seconds to 3.4-minutes each). Grant County needs to define and assert itself to generate tourism. 0 Quality marketing materials a - to generating incremental increases in visitation, length of stays, expenditures, and satisfaction as well as long- term awareness. 0 Placer.ai - aggregates anonymized location data from mobile devices for specified destinations on a range of activities. Placer.ai data has been collected for several Grant County destinations for the period 1 August 2024-31 July 2025. Destination 2023-24 Grand Coulee Dam 24ol00 Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dunes 1209300 The Gorge Amphitheatre 5712900 Grant County Fair & Roundup Rodeo 759400 Crescent Bar Recreation Area 171,300 Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park 23,500 Steamboat Rock State Park 10300 0 While Placer.ai data is useful, it can't be considered foolproof. The data is dependent on how the locational attributes are defined for a collection site and when and how the cell phone information was collected. 0 Nonetheless, Placer.ai data can be useful if collection sites in Grant County are identified in a manner that allows comparisons and accuracy over time periods. Accommodations and IodgiLag trends * Grant County has 29 motels/hotels, 15 campgrounds, and 13 resorts located in 10 cities and places throughout the county. The largest concentration of franchise motels (15) is in Moses Lake due to the city's tourism assets as well as a location on the 1-90 interstate corridor. 0 Accommodations in Grant County generated $15,109,618 in lodging taxes in 2004 progressively increasing to $57,416,265 by 2024. Tourism potential 2025-2050 market population 0 The market area for Grant County tourism includes counties within a 30-60-minute or primary market, 90- minute or secondary market, and 120-minute or tertiary market drive based on the results of the visitation analysis. * The total projected population for all markets is expected to increase from 3,959,759 persons in 2025 to 4,789,931 persons by 2050 or by 830,172 persons or 21.0%. * The greatest numerical increase in population will occur in the tertiary market or King County indicating this market area will have a significant impact on Grant County tourism. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I Vii :Westside visitors - are a significant component of all Grant County visits and significate population growth will increase this potential market opportunity. 6 Grant County lodging tax revenues increased above inflation levels - from 2004 to 2024 reflecting an increase in overnight stays though some of the increase may be due to 1-90 interstate travel in Moses Lake as much as tourists. 30-60-90-120 Drive Distance I 69 RCO SCORP Survey Regions 2050 activity volumes 9 Grant County's total market areas annual volume of recreation activity is determined by multiplying Washington State 7 s age -specific participation rates by the annual occasion or frequency rates by the percent that will occur on local, state, and federal lands. 0 Grant County's total market areas will generate significant participant volumes for 9 of the top IS statewide activities in 2050 including: Market area activity 2050 2 Walking/mobility device on trails 919248,508 3 Wildlife/nature viewing 75,797,392 4 Scenic driving 61,4551805 6 Swimming - natural water 37$195o254 9 Community garden, famers' market 30,7579617 10 Gathering/collecting in nature 29,8389088 12 Motorboats including water skiing 2890479570 13 RV/trailer camping in campground 27s329o529 14 Fishing from a bank, dock, pier 2699909429 2050 expenditures by activity Expenditures in Grant County's total market area is determined by multiplying the number of participant days by the average spending rate per person. Total market area expenditures will be significant by 2050 in 9 of the top IS statewide activities. Market area activity 2050 1 Wildlife viewing $5,666,230,070 2 Scenic driving $4,609,1859375 3 Motorboats $296479768,058 5 Paddle sports $2ol96,3179471 9 Hunting $1,779,0371,999 11 Tracked ORVs $1,349,490,928 12 Camping $1,314,404,896 13 Fishing shoreline $1,2299634,143 15 Fishing from a boat $ly062979S,632 2050 expenditures for local goods and services 0 Grant County's market area tourists will spend $42,687,179,051 in local businesses and for federal, state, and local taxes by 2050. Market area goods/services 2050 Apparel, accessories $7,5099781,500 Festivals, events $29239,759,395 Guided tours and outfitted travel $2,371,509,947 Local trips and travel $5,467,647,934 Food and beverages $3,886,6419303 Lodging $69060,5259421 Viii I Grant County Tourism Master Plan Conclusions - tourist survey Shopping, souvenirs $2,569,1359776 a Visit Grant County primarily for Transportation $99947y1669723 recreation activities (77% major) Federal government $263,501,105 and visit family and friends (50% State, local government $2937195099947 major). Total $42,687,179,;05 1 a Primarily attend the fair and rodeo (33% maybe and 32% yes) Economic multipliers and job creation and not conferences (88% no). 0 Direct, indirect, and induced expenditures circulate ® Most likely to visit Sun Lakes (multiply) throughout the economy numerous times before Wildlife Area (62% maybe and yes), dollars finally leave an area. Banks Lake Wildlife Area (61% 0 An Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation by the maybe and yes), Quincy Lakes Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office Wildlife Area 54% maybe and yes), (RCO) estimated Grant County's year 2020 multiplier to be Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area 1.6 in indirect and inducted effects for every $ 1.00 in (50% maybe and yes), Desert direct expenditure or a combined contribution of $2.60 to Wildlife Area (45% maybe and yes), the economy. Hanford Reach National Monument 0 Based on RCO's analysis, Grant County's 1.6 multiplier (45% maybe and yes), and Billy generated 3,223 jobs and $34,800,000 in local taxes in Clapp Lake Wildlife Area (44% 2020. Grant County's potential tourist expenditures and maybe and yes). multiplying impacts in 2050 will depend on how successful 0 Moat likely to visit farmers' Grant County is in marketing and attracting tourists to markets (68% maybe and yes), county attractions. family or pick -your -own farms (62% maybe and yes), wineries and Opinions distilleries (50% maybe and yes), and organic farms (45% maybe and Tourist survey yes). R Predominantly hide on a park 0 An online survey of Grant County visitors was or area trail (80% maybe and yes) promoted by email, website, and handouts at campsites, and bike on a park or area trail motels, hotels, and other public gathering areas and (48% maybe and yes). completed by 115 visitors. Survey respondents were: a Predominantly canoe or kayak 0 Primarily residents of Western Washington including (64% maybe and yes) and float or Puget Sound (3 3%), Central Washington (31), and Eastern raft (62% maybe and yes). Washington (25%). a Predominantly fish from a bank 0 Spent the most money on food (98%), gas and rental (47maybe and yes) and fish from % cars (9 M, and the least on B&B and Airbnb ((3 3%), and a boat (43% maybe and yes). hotels/motels ((44%).* a Primarily receive information Are regular Grant County visitors (69% averaging more about Grant County attractions than 8 visits a year). from previous knowledge (88% 0 Tend to stay 7-8+ days (86%). some and a lot), internet websites 0 Stay primarily at an RV/tent campground (34%) or with (83% some and a lot), family and friends. friends (81% some and a lot), 0 Will visit again for at least 1-3 days in the next year visitor or welcome centers (62% (47%). some and a lot), and Grant County 0 Are primarily upper middle income over $100,000 Visitor Guide (53% some and a lot). (46%). 0 Will recommend Grant County to other tourists (63%). Resident outreach survey 0 An online survey was promoted by email and on the website and completed by 331 residents. Survey respondents: Grant County Tourism Master Plan I ix 0 Generally, reflect the distribution of residents within Conclusions - resident survey the County with the greatest concentration in Moses Lake a Agree tourism is somewhat (5 0%), Ephrata (15%), and Quincy (11%). important (93% some or a lot) to 0 Overwhelmingly agree tourism is somewhat important significant (96% some or a lot). (93% some or a lot) to significant (96% some or a lot). a Agree tourism should be 0 Overwhelmingly agree tourism should be increased to increased to grow local jobs and increase local jobs and revenues (65% agree a lot) and revenues (65% agree a lot) and maintain current volume to protect local jobs and revenues maintain current volume to protect (42% agree a lot). local jobs and revenues (42% a lot). 260 residents volunteer in events (105) and recreation activities (48) Resources and 134 employed in services (33) or other activities (23). 0 State of Washington Tourism (SWT) - is the official a 206 residents volunteer in Destination Marketing and Management Organization athletic competitions (66), fair and (DMMO) for the State of Washington. rodeo (56), and other events (52) and a SWT markets Washington to visitors and serves as a conferences (32) and 38 employed in leader in statewide destination management and but not in significant numbers in any stewardship. A key SWT component is supporting rural and event. underserved communities. 9 69 residents volunteer and 39 a SWT's 2020 "True to Nature" campaign was designed to employed but are not significant in promote the state as a travel destination by showcasing any historical or cultural facility. diverse natural landscapes and encouraging visitors to a 41 residents volunteer and 13 engage in authentic, transformative experiences. employed in but are not significant M SWT advertising influenced Washington State travel in any historical or cultural facility. effectively showcasing the state" s tourism product, leading a 104 residents volunteer in the to longer, more active trips with higher average visitor Fair & Rodeo (46) and Farmers' spending. markets (3 1) and 2 5 employed but E Campaign analysis indicated quality marketing are not significant in any agritourism materials are key to generating incremental increases in attraction. visitation, length of stays, expenditures, and satisfaction a 78 residents volunteer in hiking as well as long-term tourism awareness. (19), biking (15), OHV (13), and riding trail bikes or motorcycles (11) and 12 The Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) employed but not in significant is a 150-mile route that follows the path of the Ice Age numbers in any trail activity. floods showcasing unique landscapes carved by floods and a 61 residents volunteer in lava, significant opportunities for birdwatching, and stops canoeing or kayaking (19), floating or at attractions. rafting (15), and power boating (14) The NSB is overseen by the Coulee Corridor Consortium and 16 employed but not in (CCC), a coalition of the towns and cities along the corridor significant numbers in any water- in Grant County that hosts a website, provides brochures, oriented activity. travel guides, a trip planner, and an interactive map a 119 residents volunteer in fishing linking attractions. from the bank (30), fishing from a bot (26), hunting big game (16), The Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee. hunting waterfowl (12), skeet, trap, TAC - serves in an advisory capacity and represents or range shooting (11), hunting small various interests who are directly involved in or affected animals (11), and hunting upland by tourism activities in the county. birds (10) and 10 employed in H TAC works with Eastern Washington University's (EWU) numbers of 10 but not in significant Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis to numbers in any fishing or hunting assemble and publish Grant County Trends data on TACI s activity. website and app. ■ TAC's website and app shares information on outdoor x I Grant County Tourism Master Plan ---- ---------- * -------- --------------- SWT website videos SWT marketing materials kwemental Travel to Washington State Travel Increment =- 3 2 1;, P1,s Aw" UnVA" ............... -------- - I --------- 1- --- - ----- ................. ... SWT incremental travel impact recreation, attractions, and accommodations as well benchmarks comparing Grant County trends with Washington State. * Lodging Tax Fund - is the primary source of funding for tourism activities, operations, and expenditures designed in Grant County. • Grant County Commissioners created the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) to advise the Commissioners on the expenditure of lodging tax revenues. • All LTAC grant applications must include estimates of how funding an activity will result in increases in the number of people staying overnight, traveling 50 miles or more, or coming from another state or country. * The total amount funded for the 2025 LTAC grants was $9749574. EActions * While the Tourism Master Plan (TMP) will be overseen by the TAC, 26 actions must be initiated by the parties who are directly affected and have the interest and resources necessary for effective accomplishment using LTAC grants as well as the parties' own funds. 0 There are no consolidated hierarchical priorities between actions as each action is critically important to each tourism sector with a corresponding impact on tourism overall. Rather, priorities are dependent on the parties involved and benefitted by each proposed action. • Voter priorities survey - an online survey was promoted by a postcard mailer, email, and on the website asking Grant County residents their priorities for each of the action tasks that was completed by 604 voter households. 9 Survey results were collated and ranked on a scale of I- 5 where 1 was the lowest and 5 the highest priority. A weighted score of 2.5 or less is a low to lowest priority, KO is moderate, and 3.5 or more a high to highest priority. Voting households rated all the action tasks 3.0+ or moderate and most 3.5+ high to highest including promoting farmers' markets at 4.06. 0 Action task Rating a Agree with geotourism approach. 3.67 Environment (eco-tourism) ■ Market Ice Age Flood tours 3.26 ■ Wildlife and bird watching tours. 3.35 Heritage * Promote historic districts, barns, 3.55 * Native American culture, 3.48 Grant County Tourism Master Plan I Xi irnhrop�:- '�;� 1 Twmp.., mak 'R E L-V I L-L E.W. R Ve.'T stear Grand eou Steamboat Chelan' � Rock State Par A14 re; C 11Y Ir Op IF Pres . -P Tri-CGP'-q Os r Coulee Corridor NSB Coulee Corridor NSB Viewpoint W Hispanic -Latino cultural events. 3.08 Agriculture • Promote farmers' markets, 4.06 • Winery and tasting tours, 3.64 • Develop farm stays. 3.57 Recreation • Expand water trails, 3.89 • Develop bike, hike, and horse trails on 3.76 abandoned BNSF railroad, Promote regional sports tournaments, 3.36 Develop hike, bike, and horse trails on the 3.47 clifftops from 1-90 to Trinidad, • Promote Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand 3.46 Dunes, • Promote Beezley Hills Trails and Beezley 3.34 Burn, • Develop on -road bike route and events on 3.31 the Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) from Grand Coulee to Moses Lake. Culture N Promote festivals, 3.87 W Promote Grant County Fairgrounds, 3.75 a Promote performing arts events, 3.57 z Supporting the Gorge Amphitheater 3.53 z Promoting fine arts. 3.36 Branding • Consolidate content and message, 3.66 • Place content and message on regional 3.60 promotional outlets, • Develop new tourism promotional content 3.58 and message. Implementation ■ Monitor results, 3.55 Update lodging tax grant criteria. 3.29 0 Coordinate tourism programs-- to provide consistent, stable, reliable, and innovative messaging and the most efficient use of limited and shared resources. The Grant County Tourism Marketing Manager position has been updated to identify the Manager's authority and responsibility for implementing the actions defined in this Tourism Master Plan along with measurable performance measures with which to assess progress and fine-tune, when necessary, objectives, schedules, budgets, and other particulars. The Marketing Manager will be a central coordinator for all tourism programs in Grant County. Xii I Grant County Tourism Master Plan Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction Objectives I Approach I Documentation 1 2 Context Ice Age Floods 3 Native Americans 10 Trails, wagon roads, railroads 13 Early settlements 14 Columbia Basin Project 16 Lakes and reservoirs 20 Irrigation 22 Deserts and sand dunes 22 3 Assets Geotourism. 25 Environment - wildlife 28 Environment - birders, 30 Heritage - Native American 32 Heritage - Hispanic -Latino 33 Heritage - historic places 64 Agriculture - wineries 35 Agriculture - farmers" markets/stands 36 Agriculture - farm stays 37 Recreation - boating 39 Recreation - water trails 40 Recreation - hike, run, bike 41 Recreation - horse trails 43 Recreation - ORV/OHV 45 Recreation - campgrounds 46 Recreation - sports tournaments 48 Culture - Grant County Fair 52 Culture - Moses Lake Roundup 53 Culture - The Gorge Amphitheater 54 Culture - performing arts 55 Culture - fine arts 58 Culture - festivals 61 4 Visitations North Central Region 63 Washington State Parks 64 Grant County PUD 68 Grant County Fair 68 Placer.ai 69 Accommodations 73 Conclusions 74 5 Potentials Grant County market area 75 RCO SCORP Survey 75 Participation 76 Frequency 76 Location 77 Annual volume,2050 77 Economic contribution 77 Expenditures '78 Multipliers 78 6 Opinions Tourist survey 81 Resident outreach survey 86 Workshops 90 Voter priorities survey 94 7 Resources State Washington Tourism (SWT) 101 SWT Grant Programs 101 SWT True to Nature 103 Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway 105 'Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) 106 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee 107 .8 Actions Environment Heritage 112 Agriculture 113 Recreation 113 Culture 116 Branding 117 Implementation 118 Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) 1: Introduction Tourism is a significant economic development opportunity for Grant County due to its geologic origins, Native American culture, outdoor recreation opportunities, art and culture activities, and agriculture heritage. In past years, Grant County attracted visitors and seasonal residents from Eastern and Western Washington and beyond for daytrips and overnight stays to county attractions generating local expenditures and associated employment and investment. However, as tourism continues to evolve, particularly geotourism oriented to the environment (eco-tourism), recreation, culture, heritage, and agriculture (agri-tourism) segments, Grant County needs to orient its outreach and investments accordingly. Objectives The specific objectives of this tourism master planning effort were: Define the setting - within Grant County including the geological origins because of the Ice Age Floods, early settlement activities by Native American tribes, subsequent settler development of trails, railroads, and roads across the county, infrastructure projects by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and subsequent agricultural transformations of the land. Inventory assets - including public and private programs and facilities that currently attract visitors and seasonal visitors. Determine visitation trends - by visitors and residents to Grant County destinations including volumes, type of visit (day -use or overnight), place of residence, and local expenditures. Project demand - for future possible geotourism activities including market area populations, visitor activity volumes, potential expenditures, and local economic multipliers. Identify appropriate roles and responsibilities - that should be undertaken by Grant County and other public and private participants to capture Grant County potentials. Develop an action plan - outlining the tasks necessary to realize the tourism master plan including participants, schedules, budgets, and performance measures. Approach The Grant County Commissioners, Lodging Task Advisory Committee (LTAC), Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), and numerous stakeholders oversaw this planning process including: Workshops - with Grant County Commissioners, LTAC, TAC, and stakeholders at the beginning of the process to elicit existing conditions, concerns, and suggestions. Online surveys - of visitors to determine which destinations were visited, for day -use or overnight, for how long, sources of information, and expenditures. Of residents to determine the extent to which residents' frequent destinations, how frequently, whether volunteers, employees, or investors in tourism programs and facilities, and the extent of support for tourism plans and programs. Open houses - conducted in person and virtual of the initial findings concerning potential demand for tourism activities, of the results of the visitation trends analysis, and of the action plan proposals. a Resident voter imorities - determined by an online survey towards the end of the planning process to elicit plan and project priorities and sources of action plan financing. The proposals contained within the Tourism Master Plan represent the opinions developed from the public outreach events. Documentation This report is organized into 6 chapters outlining the setting, tourism assets and destinations, visitation trends, potential tourism demands, and an action plan. Separate appendices document tourism asset maps, visitation statistics, and action plan particulars. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 1 Dry Falls Visitor Center IGrant County Tourism Master Plan 2: Context Ice Age Floods The great Ice Age floods sounds would have been terrifying: some 530 cubic miles of water bursting through a wall of ice more than 2,000 feet high; roaring over Eastern Washington at speeds of up to 80 miles an hour; drilling deep crevices into ancient basalt, stripping away topsoil in some areas, piling it up in others, and flinging boulders around like ping pong balls. The pressure on the earth's crust probably triggered earthquakes and landslides. The floodwaters pounded down the Columbia Gorge and into the Pacific with enough force to dig channels into the ocean floor. Then a new ice dam formed, impounded more water, and eventually collapsed, unleashing new floods, in a process that was repeated until finally, about 13,000 years ago, the most monumental cycle of hydraulic engineering on earth came to an end. Megafloods The size of the floods made it difficult to recognize the impact. Iconoclastic geologist J Harlen Bretz (a former Seattle high school science teacher) first proposed in 1923 that the arid 11 scablands it of Eastern Washington had been carved out by a rapid, massive flood -- not, as most of his contemporaries believed, by the ordinary processes of erosion by wind and water over millions of years. Bretz's ideas were ridiculed for decades. Aerial photographs in the 1950s, however, vindicated Bretz to some degree by revealing the outlines of flood features that were too large to be easily identified from the ground. But it was not until the 1970s that satellite photos, taken from a vantage point 570 miles overhead, provided enough of a perspective to convince skeptics. Even Bretz underestimated the scale and frequency of the floods. Geologists now believe that the Northwest was pummeled by a hundred or more "megafloods" during the last Ice Age alone, beginning about 20,000 years ago. There were at least a dozen earlier periods of major glaciation, stretching back for 2,000,000 years, and flooding may have occurred during each of them. The primary source of the more recent floods was Glacial Lake Missoula, a huge inland sea created when a lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet crept south from Canada and blocked the drainage of the Clark Fork River in Idaho. Water backed up behind the dam into western Montana, eventually covering some 3,000 square miles of land to a depth of up to 2,000 feet. Studies of ice -jammed lakes have shown that when the level of water behind an ice dam reaches a certain point, the ice floats, allowing water to escape from underneath, first in a trickle, then in a torrent. Another explanation is that highly pressurized water at the base of the dam permeated cracks in the ice. The cracks widened into tunnels at an exponential rate, and the dam caved in on itself. Once the dam was breached, Lake Missoula unleased an estimated 2,000,000,000 tons of muddy, ice -laden water -- a volume equal to 10 times the combined flow of all the rivers in the world today - that tore through the remnants of the dam and thundered over parts of 4 states on a 630-mile journey to the Pacific Ocean. The lake drained in 2 or 3 days. Almost as soon as it was emptied, ice blocked its outlet again and the lake began refilling, in a cycle believed to have been repeated every few dozen years or so. Rearrangement The Ice Age floods rearranged dirt, rocks, streambeds, and contours of 16,000 square miles of the Pacific Northwest. The floods pared land down to bedrock in places, built it up in others; rerouted 'rivers; scoured out coulees and potholes; and steepened and widened the Columbia Gorge. Enormous boulders, encased in ice, bobbed along on the floodwaters, ending up on hills and in flatlands hundreds of miles from origins, a puzzle for farmers who would someday plow around them. Flood -borne sediments settled out of lakes, becoming part of the rich topsoil that supports the farms and orchards of Grant County today. The sediment is also the basis for the quality of wines since grapes require soil that is both fast - draining and water -retentive, characteristics provided by the fine-grained sand and silt in the flood deposits. Wheat grows tall in the areas of Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 3 -:-- •1W I. —elmw% vs� On- 4L tic % loe W AM v Dry Falls with seep lakes in the distance 4 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan the Palouse that the floods skipped over, leaving intact the deep layers of windblown silt and soil that once covered most of the Plateau. Thousands of years after the last drop drained away, the geologic legacy of the floods continues to define the Northwest, from the way the land looks to the uses humans have found for it. The following explores the impact of the Ice Age floods on Grant County. Spokane area The sudden drainage of Glacial Lake Missoula sent avalanches of water, ice, and debris into the Rathdrum Prairie, a broad mountain valley between Sandpoint, Idaho and Spokane, Washington. Beyond Spokane the flood poured Into and overtopped Glacial Lake Columbia, another ice -jammed lake created when a glacier diverted part of the upper Columbia River. Blocked from its normal riverbed, the Columbia River pushed south to begin carving the canyon known today as the Grand Coulee. Meanwhile, Lake Columbia spread out over 1,500 square miles of the Spokane River Valley. The lake was not large enough to develop the hydraulic pressure needed to float its own ice dam, so the lake remained in place during most, if not all, of the Missoula floods. The contents of Lake Missoula smashed into the upper end of Lake Columbia with an impact that sent massive amounts of water over the southern ridge that had contained the smaller lake and out over the Plateau. Moving at high speeds and dividing into 3 major spillways, the floodwaters gouged out the network of interlocking channels, cliffs, and potholes that Harlen Bretz called the Channeled Scablands. Bretz initially thought there had been only one flood that he called it the "Spokane flood," because the water had seemed to come from the general direction of present-day Spokane. By the mid-1950s, he and other geologists understood that there had been more than one flood and that the source had been farther east, in Montana. But it was not until the 1970s that clues left behind in the sediments of Lake Columbia showed that the floods had occurred regularly. Varves (annual layers of sediment deposited by glacial meltwater) accumulated in Lake Columbia in the years between floods. Studies of these layers suggest that Lake Missoula broke through successive ice dams on an average of every 35 to 55 years, with the floods becoming smaller and more frequent as time went on. Dry Falls The stark cataracts of Dry Falls are among the most dramatic landscapes carved by the Ice Age floods, but at the peak of the floods, the cataracts would have looked like little more than a wrinkle on a roiling sea. As the floods began to ebb Dry Falls would have appeared to be a magnificent waterfall, twice as high and five times the width of Niagara Falls. Dry Falls marks the boundary between the upper and the lower portions of the Grand Coulee, a 50- mile-long trench initially cut when glacial ice forced the upper Columbia River from its normal course. Floodwaters from Lake Missoula turned the Upper Grand Coulee into a massive sluiceway, churning over Dry Falls and plunging 350 feet into the lower coulee. The fast and furious flow ripped the basalt cliffs deepening and widening the coulee and eating away at the lip of Dry Falls. The edge of the falls ended up 20 miles upstream from its original location. When the glaciers retreated and the Columbia returned to its present-day course, Grand Coulee dried up as an abandoned riverbed. The upper coulee now contains Banks Lake, a storage reservoir developed in the 1940s as part of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. Dry Falls remains as it was, an emblem of the erosive power of water. The floods also left the Columbia Basin littered with gigantic circular potholes. The deep, fast- moving water formed underwater tornadoes that drilled down into rock while sucking, up the debris, like a combination auger and vacuum cleaner. With no natural outlet, all are alkaline, and most are fed by water seeping in from nearby irrigation projects. Lake Lenore Caves (Lower Grand Coulee) The floodwaters plucked huge chunks of rock from the basalt cliffs in the Lower Grand Coulee, leaving shallow caves that Plateau Indians later used for shelter and storage. Among these are the Lake Lenore Caves, located within the 214-acre Lake Lenore Caves State Park. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 5 Ice Age Flood features 1 Upper Grand Coulee 2 Dry Falls 3 Lower Grand Coulee 4 Dry Coulee 5 Pinto Hill 6 East Lenore Coulee 7 Giant Current Ripples 8 Moses Coulee 9 Crater Coulee 10 Potholes Coulee 11 Quincy Basin 12 Frenchman Coulee 13 Potholes 14 Frenchman Hills 15 Drumheller Channels 16 Crab Creek 17 Saddle Mountains 6 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan a .4 4L olk AW IWO Basalt outcropping near Dry Falls Monocline (folded basalt) behind Lake Lenore Potholes Coulee near Quincy Shallow caves above Lake Lenore Flood -borne granite boulders on Frenchman Hills Frenchman Coulee Grant County Tourism Master Plan. 1 7 If there were any human witnesses to the Ice Age floods, Lake Lenore Caves would not have offered a safe vantage point. The caves would have been beneath a 300-foot crest of water that was moving with as much kinetic energy as an erupting volcano. The only dry land near Grand Coulee during peak flooding was above 1,800 feet elevation; farther south, around what is now the Tri-Cities. Only areas above 1,200 feet elevation would have escaped the floods. Native Americans normally lived in the lowlands, along the river and its tributaries, close to sources of food and water. People could have waited out a flood in the uplands but only if they were already in the immediate area. The scant half-hour between the first rumbles of the approaching flood and the subsequent inundation would not have been enough time to run for higher ground. Direct evidence linking man with the floods has not been found, but that may be simply because it was swept away or destroyed by the floods. In the late 1960s, excavators at the Marines Rockshelter in the Palouse River Canyon found evidence of human activity that has been radiocarbon dated. to about 11,300 years. A cache of Clovis spear points, discovered on the top of an Ice Age flood bar at East Wenatchee in 1987, dates from the same period. Some scientists speculate humans were in the region at least during the last of the floods, 13,000 to 15,000 years ago. Indirect evidence of a human presence is reflected in Indian legends that tell of colossal floods and of forced evacuations to higher ground. The Sahaptin name given to the 3,500- foot Rattlesnake Ridge near Hanford is "Laliik," which translates as "stands above the water." During the Ice Age floods, the long peninsula would have stood about 1,000 feet above the water, a possible refuge. Ephrata Fan After breaking out of the relatively narrow confines of the Lower Grand Coulee, Ice Age floodwaters spread into the Quincy Basin. As the floods expanded, the floods temporarily slowed, allowing an immense volume of sand, gravel, and boulders to settle out. These deposits formed the Ephrata Fan covering about 620 square miles, stretching south from Ephrata and the mouth of the Lower Grand Coulee to Moses Lake. 8 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan The floods dumped about 130 feet of sediment and left boulders the size of storage units in this area. One particularly notable (and often photographed) basalt boulder, just east of Ephrata, measures 60 feet in diameter. It was torn out of the Grand Coulee and jounced about 6 miles to its current resting place. "Scour holes" can be found around many of the extremely large boulders. These are depressions created after the rocks stopped moving but the violent, swirling water continued to chew into the sediment around them. The northern end of the Ephrata Fan is pimpled with boulders, large and small. Downstream, however, the floods deposited mostly fine- grained sands and silts, much valued today as agricultural land. The difference can be vividly seen in aerial photographs showing empty, rocky land to the north, and thick clusters of green crop circles to the south. Quincy Basin A topographic map of the Quincy Basin piqued Harlen Bretz's interest in the geology of the scablands of Eastern Washington in 1910. The erosional features on the margins of the basin with the maze of interconnecting channels, huge round potholes, and skeletal remnants of waterfalls in an area where there wasn't any water puzzled the young high school science teacher. Bretz was intrigued enough to leave his job at Queen Anne High School in Seattle, earn a doctorate in geology, and begin the studies that would lead, in 1923, to his hypothesis that a cataclysmic flood produced the ragged landscape revealed in the map. Some of the most compelling evidence supporting Bretzs theory can be found in the Quincy Basin including a group of granite boulders clustered at an elevation of 1,200 feet on the north slope of the Frenchman Hills (the ridge that defines the southern edge of the basin). The light-colored boulders are in sharp contrast to the dark basalt that is the only indigenous rock in this area. These are "ice -rafted erratics" -- rafted in on an iceberg that was cut loose when Glacial Lake Missoula tore through its ice dam in Idaho. Distinctive crystals in the granite match those found at the site of the dam. The fact that the boulders are grouped together indicates that the boulders traveled on a single chunk of ice. The location on Frenchman Hills is an indication of how high the floods were when they passed through here. As the Cordilleran Ice Sheet moved south from Canada the sheet picked up boulders that became embedded in the ice dams that created Lake Missoula and other glacial lakes. When the dams collapsed, the escaping waters carried off huge chunks of the ice including the rocks. As the ice melted, the rocks dropped out of the flow. The larger icebergs sometimes left behind piles of rocks, gravel, sand, and silt, which geologists call "bergmounds." Misfit rocks are found all along the route of the Ice Age floods. Some were simply grabbed up and carried along by the sheer force of the water. When the velocity of water doubles, its load carrying capacity can increase by a factor of 64 or more than enough to bounce boulders smoothing and rounding the edges along the way. Drumheller Channels Gathering momentum after spilling over from the Quincy Basin, the floodwaters peeled off about 100 feet of 11loess" (a fertile mixture of windblown soil and volcanic ash) and cut as deeply as 300 feet into the underlying basalt. Left behind were hundreds of isolated buttes, surrounded by a chaotic network of canyons and coulees. The National Park Service recognized the geologic significance by declaring Drumheller Channel, named after the Drumheller Ranch, a National Natural Landmark in 1986. Local ranchers use the word of scablands" for this kind of terrain since the raw basalt looks like scabs on the backs of animals. Bretz called it "Channeled Scabland" because of its labyrinth of steep -sided ravines and flat-bottomed coulees and mapped more than 150 distinct channelways within Drumheller Channels, a 50-square-mile piece of the 2, 000 -square -mile scablands puzzle. The channels repeatedly divide and rejoin, in a braided pattern called anastomosing. The pattern is produced by water moving so quickly and deeply that it cannot be contained within a normal drainage system. Some of the Drumheller Channels have since been inundated by Potholes Reservoir to the north but what remains is a testament to the power of the Ice Age floods. West Bar West Bar, named because it lies on the western side of the Columbia River, is one of the best places in the Columbia Basin to see "giant current ripples" or washboard -like formations disguised as long, smooth hills. The ripples at West Bar are an average of 24 feet high and spaced 360 feet apart. Bretz suggested such areas had been contoured by huge currents of water moving over the land. Ordinary hydraulic processes created such features. Silt, sand, and pebbles settle out of moving water in backwaters and eddies and wave action molds the material into giant waves, visible when the water recedes. The water that shaped these ripples was probably more than 600 feet deep and moving at 65 miles per hour. The direction of the ripples indicates the water came not from Glacial Lake Missoula but from Glacial Lake Columbia, directly north. Lake Columbia, formed when the Okanogan lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet blocked the original course of the upper Columbia River, was too small to build up enough pressure to break through its ice dam. But the final retreat of the lobe, in the waning stages of the Ice Age, would have unleashed more than 200 cubic miles of water from Lake Columbia or less than half the size of the biggest of the floods from Lake Missoula, but still large enough to leave indelible marks on the land. Potholes Coulee The successive collapses of the ice dams that impounded Glacial Lake Missoula unleashed walls of water that rushed down the Grand Coulee and into Quincy Basin. Part of the water drained westward from the basin over low points ("spillover dips") in the Babcock and Evergreen ridges, the boundary between the basin and the Columbia River Valley. The drop in elevation, from about 1,425 feet at the spillovers down to about 400 feet at the Columbia River, less than 3 miles below, greatly increased the erosive energy of the flood pulse. The water gouged 3 main channels through the basalt bedrock to join the river and find a conduit to the Pacific Ocean. The spectacular Potholes Coulee occupies the middle channel, flanked by Crater Coulee to the north and Frenchman Coulee to the south. 0 Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 9 Known collectively as the Quincy Cataracts, each of these coulees is a horseshoe -shaped, tiered canyon that steps down to the river. At the head of Potholes Coulee are 2 parallel alcoves, lined with now -dry cataracts. The alcoves are separated by what Bretz described as "a great blade of rock," 1.5 miles half 1,000 feet wide, and long, 375 feet high. Deep plunge pools developed at the bottom of some of the cataracts. Bretz realized these circular basins were left behind by waterfalls that had receded upstream as the water picked away at the rock. Potholes Coulee is a geological smorgasbord that includes recessional cataracts, giant current ripples, rock basins, potholes, pinnacles, pillars, and flood bars, rising from the coulee floor. Flood bars at the upper ends of the alcoves have created natural dams. Lakes, fed by excess water from the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, have formed behind these dams. The lower coulee remains largely undisturbed, with only an occasional power line in the distance to signal the imprint of man. Frenchman Coulee Like Potholes Coulee, to the north, Frenchman Coulee consists of twin cataracts or the skeletal remains of dry waterfalls at the head of a Iona wide canyon that slopes down toward the Columbia River. Floodwaters moved down the channel chewing through thick layers of ancient topsoil and deep into the bedrock below. A rib of basalt that survived the onslaught separates the main coulee, to the north, from a smaller basin (called Echo Basin) on the south. The surrounding cliffs are fluted with columns of basalt above the canyon below. Columnar basalt can be seen in cliff faces and road cuts throughout the Columbia Basin but there are several distinctive examples in Frenchman Coulee that make it a popular destination for rock climbers. The columns were created in the rivers of lava that flooded the region in an earlier geological era. The lava shrank as it crystallized into solid rock and then shrank some more as the rock cooled. The shrinkage pattern creates palisades of multi - sided rock. The shape and structure of columnar basalt makes it particularly vulnerable to erosion by floods. Water cuts through the surrounding earth, plucks out pieces of the basalt, and sweeps the basalt away. The floor of Frenchman Coulee is littered with such rocks. Some were ripped from the cataracts and carried short distances by the floodwaters. Others simply tumbled off the steep, unstable coulee walls sometime after the last of the floods. The most dramatic rock formation in the coulee is a single -file grouping of towering polygonal columns, known locally as "The Feathers" because the columns resemble a row of crow feathers stuck in the ground. Floodwaters sluiced off the entire hillside that once encased these columns, leaving the columns exposed and standing alone, a beacon for climbers. Native Americans "Interior Salish" is used to distinguish the tribes in Grant County from the Coast Salish peoples, who lived along the Pacific coast and Puget Sound. Though both speak related languages, the tribes had distinct cultures and territories. The specific history of tribal presence in Grant County includes the semiarid Plateau region between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascades, characterized by sagebrush, grasslands, rivers, and streams, along with abundant fish for sustenance. The Interior Salish tribes of this region, sometimes called "Plateau Indians," adapted to the semi -arid grasslands and rivers between the Rocky and Cascade mountains. Traditional territories included areas where the tribes relied on abundant fish, especially salmon, and other resources. Interior Salish peoples used the Columbia River and its tributaries as a core part of the annual migration and trade routes. Seasonal movements played a significant role in traditional lifeways that included using routes like the Colockum Pass Trail, which connected to fishing stations on the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers. Native American cultures with Interior Salish heritage, including the Wenatchi, Sinkiuse, Okanagan, and Wanapum tribes, thrived in Grant County and were the original inhabitants of the area for thousands of years before white settlers arrived in the mid -to -late 19th century. 10 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Early settlers, who established Grant County in 1909, eventually shifted from livestock to dryland farming, which significantly altered the landscape and impacted the traditional ways of life for the Indigenous communities. Wenatchi (P'squosa) Wenatchi is derived from a Shahaptian word loosely meaning `water coming out17 possibly referring to Turnwater Canyon on the Wenatchee River near Leavenworth. The Wenatchi consisted of 5 bands that lived primarily in the Wenatchee River watershed and the area nears its mouth, and for a short distance up and down the Columbia River. Tribal language is Interior Salish (a variant of Salish). Traditionally, the Wenatchi ate salmon, starchy roots like camas and biscuitroot, berries, deer, sheep, and whatever else that could be hunted or caught. The Wenatchee River had one of the greatest runs of salmon in the world prior to numerous hydroelectric dams being put in on the downstream Columbia, pollution and other issues, and was the main food source. The Wenatchi are closely related by language with the Entiat and Chelan peoples and through marriage and culture with Upper Yakama bands. Wenatchi settlements were in what is now the city of Wenatchee and surrounding areas moving between seasonal settlements and spending winters along the Columbia River and moving up the Wenatchee River and its tributaries during warmer months to hunt and fish for salmon, gather roots, and pick berries. One important settlement was Wenatshaparn, located near present-day Leavenworth, where the tribe held large gatherings for the salmon harvest. Sinkiuse-Columbia (Kawachens or Moses Columbias) Sinkiuse is said to mean "between people" or Kawaches, as the tribe called themselves, "living on the banks". The Sinkiuse -Columbia is named because of the prominent association with the Columbia River. The tribe belongs to the inland division of the Salishan group, with the nearest relatives being the Wenatchis and Methows. The homeland of the Sinkiuse-Columbia was on the Columbia River from Crab Creek upstream to the Wenatchee River and centered on Moses Coulee. In 1870, the tribe's location was placed on the east and south sides of the Columbia River from the Grand Coulee down to Priest's Rapids. The tribe occupied the area of present-day Moses Lake and Moses Coulee, both of which are named after the last great chief, Chief Moses. Sinkaietk (Southern Okanogan) The Sinkaietk lived around the confluence of the Columbia and Okanogan Rivers to the confluence of the Similkameen River, a short distance below the Canadian border. The Sinkaietk "people of the water that does not freeze" were closed related to the Methows, Sanpoils, Nespetem, Colvilles, and Senijextees. Okanogan (Syilix or Colvilles) The Syilx (Salishan pronunciation: [sjilxl) people, also known as the Okanagan, Suknaqinx, or Okinagan people. The Okanogan are part of the Interior Salish ethnological and linguistic grouping. The Okanagan are closely related to the Spokan, Sinixt, Nez Pierce, Pend Oreille, Secwepemc, and Nlakpamux peoples of the same region. The Syilx employed an adaptive strategy, moving within traditional areas throughout the year to fish, hunt, or collect food, while in the winter months, living in semi -permanent villages of kekulis, a type of Nsyilxcn pithouse or cis d?. The Okanagan Nation Alliance, a border -spanning organization includes American -side Syilx residents in the Colville Indian Reservation, where the Syilx are sometimes known as Colvilles. Tribal communities are not designated settlements in the historical sense. While members of these tribes may live in Grant County, there are no specific settlements designated as "Okanagan tribal settlements" in the county. Okanagan tribal settlements in Grant County are more accurately described as ancestral lands where these tribes lived before European settlement and the formation of the county. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 11 Ali owl Photo by BC Collier of Wenatchi man holding spear on fish traps. 2. Sin-kah-you Chief Moses (seated on the left) and 3 other delegates sent to Washington DC to petition President Hayes in 1879. 3. Okanogan (Syilx) members Marriette Gregiore Joe Abel, and Tommy Gregiore in the back row, and Celestine Lewis, Millie Williams, and Mary Abel in the front row. I 1& -11 11k. I I --% I I , Wanapum petroglyphs at Ginko Petrified Forest State Park in Vantage 12 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Wanapum men during a Waashat Feast including Puck-hyah-toot or Johnny Buck Today, the Okanogan are one of the 12 bands that make up the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, which is in north -central Washington and primarily situated in Okanogan and Ferry counties. Wanapum The Wanapums were composed of several groups, one of which was called Sokulks by Lewis & Clark. The Wanapums lived along the Columbia River in Priest Rapids, which has since been inundated by the Priest Rapids Dam. The Wanapum followed the prophet Smohalla whose Dreamer religion gained momentum around 1800. Smohalla attracted traditionalists to his rush -mat lodge in Pna ("fish weir") village who avoided the reservations and were called "'renegades" by authorities. The Wanapum's most significant and permanent settlement was located at Priest Rapids, a prime salmon fishing area. The village was made up of mat lodges and a traditional longhouse. Following the construction of the Priest Rapids Dam in the 1950s, the traditional village, P'na, was submerged. The Grant County Public Utility District (PUD) provided land for a new village to help preserve Wanapum culture. Wanapum Heritage Center, located near the Priest Rapids Dam, was built to preserve, and share the history and culture of the Wanapum people. The center features exhibits, artifacts, and historical narratives about the Wanapum's traditional lifestyle, including their religion, called Washani (Dreamers) and the relationship with the Columbia River. The Wanapums carved over 200 petroglyphs in the surrounding rock cliffs of the tribe's territory. Trails, wagon roads, and railroads In the mid -to -late 19th century, white settlers began to arrive, initially using the region as a vast area for livestock. During the territorial days of the 1850s, stock raising was the principal industry. Thousands of cattle and horses roamed the county's grassy hills during the summer. In winter, the herds moved to the lowlands of the Columbia River and the surrounding basin. By the 1880s, however, cattle and sheep gave way to agricultural production as the county's primary industry. Cariboo Cattle (Okanogan) Trail - the historic Cariboo Trail, also referred to as the Okanogan Trail, originates in Oregon and follows the Okanogan River into the Cariboo Mining district of British Columbia. The historic route was used by Okanogan Indians for thousands of years, and later by fur brigades, cattlemen, cowboys, miners, and surveyors. The Indian trail traveled down the steep hills and crossed the coulee near Blue Lake. The Cariboo Cattle Trail crossed the coulee passing through an ancient Indian campsite. The trail was over 500 miles long and used from 1859 to 1868 to supply miners with food. Dry coulee to the east was the main wagon road to Coulee City used by early homesteaders living near Blue Lake in the early 1900's. Railroads - several major railroads provided transportation vital to rapid growth and expansion in the county between the late .1880s and the early 1900s. The Great Northern (GN), the Northern Pacific (NP), and the Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul (CM&SP) railroads transported agricultural products, machinery, supplies, transcontinental passengers, and mail into the county. When the Great Northern (GN) railroad was built in 1892, sidings were placed every 7 miles to allow towns to be built around every other siding. Ephrata was platted in 1001, as was Quincy. Other towns, such as Hartline, Winchester, and Trinidad, sprang up along the railroad. Warden also sprang up along Milwaukee Railroad train tracks. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 13 Significant rail lines which have since been abandoned though portions are still visible include the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) extending north from Moses Lake to Coulee City), the Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul & Pacific (CMSP&P) east from Moses Lake to Spokane, and a US Government rail line extending east from Beverly on the Columbia River to Corfu, and west from Connell to Mattawa in south Grant County, Palouse to Cascades Trail (PTCT) - the historic and abandoned 251-mile Chicago -Milwaukee -St. Paul -Pacific (CMSP&P) Railroad corridor, nicknamed the "Milwaukee Road," runs in sections from Cedar Falls near North Bend east to the Idaho border. The rail line crosses the Columbia River on a trestle at Beverly then continues on the north side of the Columbia River to Royal City. Future improvements will convert the rail line to continue east to the Idaho border. The PTCT has been converted into arails-to-trails park for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians that explores a variety of environments, flora, and wildlife while being exposed to a wide variety of scenic diversity from the forested Cascade Mountains to the arid shrub -steppe of eastern Washington. Early settlements Grant County lies within an eco-region known as shrub -steppe, a dry grassland characterized by shrubs such as sagebrush, greasewood, and bitterbrush, and by grasses such as bluebunch wheatgrass. In the 1890s, horses outnumbered cattle from Frenchman Hills to Moses Lake. About 25,000 roamed free in Grant County alone. Stockmen reduced herds by shipping horses out by rail. In 1906 cowboys herded thousands of horses to Ephrata, the last great horse roundup of central Washington. Most of the horses were cayuses, small, agile descendants of horses brought to the Southwest by the Spaniards in the 1500s and traded north into Washington by the mid-1700s. Columbia Plateau bunchgrass, which stayed nutritious year- round, provided ideal grazing. During the 1880s, Grant County was opened to homesteading by President Grover Cleveland. Numerous towns were platted as people streamed 14 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan into the county. B - is located on the Columbia River under the Beverly or Sentinel Gaps breach through the Saddle Mountains called Wasatos or "Spirit -power Place" by the Wanapurn people. The CMSP Railroad built the Beverly Bridge across the Columbia River in 1909 to complete the electrified rail link from the Midwest to Tacoma. The original CMSP line from Beverly through Crab Creek was abandoned. Coulee City - McEntee®s Crossing, a waterhole stopover at the natural crossing of the Grand Coulee formation along the Cariboo Trail, dates to 1880 and the anticipation of the branch railroad built by the Northern Pacific (NP) to collect Columbia Plateau wheatlands. A stagecoach connected Coulee City to Bridgeport. Homestead claims and farming soon eliminated the open grazing lands around Coulee City. Douglas - through the 1880s Douglas rivaled nearby Waterville in size, declining as small acreages proved unprofitable and original settlers moved away. The Mansfield branch of the Great Northern (GN) completed tracks to Douglas in 1909 and in 1910 a second miniscule line was extended from Waterville. founded by German immigrants, who built Saint Paul's Kirche in 1915. Ephrata - springs supplied native people at a regular campsite west of the site as well as cowhands driving cattle north to the Okanogan, settlers moving to homestead claims, and military expeditions traveling between Fort Simcoe and Fort Spokane. Great Northern (GN) Railway engineers laid tracks through Ephrata on the way to Puget Sound in 1892 and named the town Ephrata because of the abundance of water as in biblical references. Hartline - was developed 10 miles east of Coulee City when the Northern Pacific's branch line was extended across the Columbia Plateau bypassing a hamlet named Parnell. Residents moved 4.5 miles south to be along the railroad and named the town for John Hartline, the pioneer who owned the land. Moses Lake - developed at a place known to native people as Houaph or "willow", a traditional fishing grounds, place to hunt sage, hens, and deer, and to dig biscuitroot. The McGrath brothers built concrete walls at the shallow inlet of the lake to create holding ponds for carp which had been introduced into the lake in 1890. Carp were held in the ponds and fed corn to ready the fish for eastern markets. Quingy - was laid out by developers after the Great Northern (GN) Railroad arrived in 1901. The first farms in the area were established by the state agricultural college in Pullman (Washington State University - WSU) to reflect the paucity of rainfall. soap Lake - is located on the 2 miles of shoreline on the southernmost chain of takes within Grand Coulee. Natives named the lake "Healing Waters", settlers "Sanitarium Lake" due to the supposedly medicinal power of the water. "Soap" is from the sudsy froth that formerly blew across the lake and piled on shore, which is rare now that irrigation seepage dilutes the water. Warden - the Lind Coulee archaeological site, the first early -man site known in Washington, is about a 0.5-mile northeast of Warden dating about 9,000 years ago. Permanent settlement began in the 1870s when stockmen drove cattle and horses onto the virgin grasslands. The Northern Pacific (NP) and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul (CMSP) Railroads converged in Warden n 1903 and 1907 making the town the only town in the Columbia Basin Project with two railroads. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 1s Wilson Creek - housed the Great Northern (GN) Railroad yard roundhouse and maintenance shops. Immigrant trains brought settlers to Wilson Creek as early as 1892. Wilson Creek was a stop along native trails and the military road from Fort Walla Walla to Camp Chelan Grant County - covering a total of 2,660 square miles, Grant County is the state's fourth largest county. It was initially carved out of neighboring Douglas County in 1909. The original (and much larger) Douglas County had been created in 1883 When the Washington Territorial Legislature formed Lincoln and Spokane counties from a larger Spokane County, then separated the new Lincoln County into Lincoln and Douglas Counties only a few days later. Grant County was established in February 1909 and named after Ulysses S Grant, Civil War general and the 18th President of the United States. Ephrata was named the county seat. Columbia Basin Project Most of the gains made during the late 1880s and early 1900s, however, were erased by the post - World War I depression as severe and prolonged droughts hit the region. In Grant County, crops failed, the bottom fell out of the agricultural market, and many farmers were forced to abandon their land. In 1933 Congress intervened by authorizing the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. The act, however, was not without condition. County landowners were provided no irrigation water until the owners organized irrigation districts and agreed to pledge a certain dollar sum per acre based on soil quality. In 1939, an election was held to create the first of 3 irrigation districts which formed the Columbia Basin Project. The Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation District included more than half the irrigable land in Grant County. The election was successful, as were those to form the East and South Districts a few months later. Seven dams, built between 1941 and 1967, control the flow of the Columbia River within or adjacent to Grant County. chw JAO%#Pr* O*M, isil 1 %A.,4 Owk 1 7 c A Ot-4 ft 4rAM Cool'" OW%� 1241 ftocrxy *Owwk 0OW 1"I 5� c4v*Klft VIA P"**A *apift Dom, "at QFIW044� OM aww"" 1110A�A Tfs* "46 10"Ury Doll, 190 John 0" O"L IOU Of $*MVWWAR 00", Iola V ., xwv cv" 0 fpp'O'" -------------- - --------- _ - ----------- W ---- --- ------ _ - ------ Grand Coulee Dam - is the largest all -concrete structure on earth at nearly a mile long. The dam's construction was authorized by President Franklin D Roosevelt in 1933 and finished in 1941 to put men to work on public projects as part of the National Recovery Act and to provide water for irrigation of the Columbia Basin. While the dam's hydroelectric turbines produced energy that was a minor consideration at the time. Grand Coulee Dam's completion wasn't all for the better. A total of 400 farms and 10 whole communities were obliterated by Grand Coulee's rising waters, members of the Colville and Spokane Indian tribes were relocated, and several Native American archeological sites disappeared, seemingly forever. 16 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Environmentally, Grand Coulee Dam was built without fish runs; salmon swimming upriver to spawn were unable to cross the immense concrete barrier and salmon populations north of the dam ceased to be. There were also some long-term environmental benefits, though perhaps unintended by the original planners. A by-product of irrigation has been runoff and spillage from the canal system, which created the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. With nearly 30,000 acres of newly created wetlands, ponds, and marshes, the Refuge supports a variety of waterfowl, fish, and other wildlife that normally could not thrive in the arid conditions of Eastern Washington. The Columbia Basin Reclamation Project also established several man-made lakes on top of existing waterways, providing a huge recreational resource. Grant County has 8 separate state parks, many of which are destinations for campers, boaters, fishermen and fisherwomen, and hunters from throughout the state. Chief .loseph Dam - built in 1955 by the US Army Corps of Engineers and named Chief Joseph Dam in honor of the Nez Perce chief who spent the last years in exile on the Colville Indian Reservation. Because of its lack of fish ladders, Chief Joseph Dam completely blocks salmon migration to the upper Columbia River system. Chief Joseph Dam is the second largest hydroelectric power producer in the United States. Chief Joseph Dam is a run -of -the -river dam which means the lake behind the dam is not able to store large amounts of water. Water flowing to Chief Joseph Dam from Grand Coulee Dam must be passed on to Wells Dam at approximately the same rate. The reservoir behind the dam is named Rufus Woods Lake and runs 51 miles up the river channel. Run -of -the -river, or ROR, hydroelectricity is considered ideal for streams or rivers that can sustain a minimum flow of those regulated by a lake or reservoir upstream. Run -of -the -river projects are dramatically different in design and appearance from conventional hydroelectric projects. Traditional hydroelectric dams store enormous quantities of water in reservoirs, sometimes flooding large tracts of land. In contrast, run -of - river projects do not have the disadvantages associated with reservoirs and cause fewer environmental impacts. Wells Dam - built in 1967 by Douglas County PUD is a hydroelectric embankment dam downstream from the confluence of the Okanogan River, Methow River, and Columbia River and a reservoir named Lake Pateros. Just below and adjacent is Carpenter Island boat launch and fish hatchery river access. Lake Pateros is not deep, but a high volume of water moves through it. Rocky Reach Dam - is a run,-of-the=river hydroelectric dam owned and operated by the Chelan County PUD built in the 1950s. The reservoir impounded by the dam is Lake Entiat. Rocky Reach is nationally recognized for efforts to protect the environment. A first -of -its -kind juvenile fish bypass system was completed in 2003 to help young salmon and steelhead on their way to the ocean. A major powerhouse upgrade started in 1995 provided new turbines that are more fish friendly and are also designed to improve efficiency and reliability. The dam includes an exceptionally long fish ladder with windows for viewing migrating chinook, blueback salmon, and steelhead. Rock Island Dam - was the first dam built on the Columbia River by Puget Sound Power & Light Company (PSP&L) in 1933. The dam is currently operated by Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD). The dam's reservoir is called Rock Island Pool. The development of the dam took place over a period of 50 years during 3 main construction periods, each taking place about 20 years apart as Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 17 the need for low-cost hydroelectric power became of paramount importance in the region. Rock Island Dam is constructed on Columbia River basalt like what is exposed on the cliffs near the dam. These columnar basalts were formed from lava flows during the mid- to late -Miocene Epoch, some 14,000,000 to 16,000,000 years ago. The rock is strong and durable and provides a very stable foundation for the structure. Wanapum Dam - is a run -of -the river hydroelectric project located from Vantage where Interstate 90 crosses the Columbia River from Grant County into Kittitas County. The dam is owned by Grant County PUD and the dam, and its lake, are named after the Wanapum Indians. Priest Rapids Dam - was built by the Chelan County PUD in 1961 to control flooding in the lower Columbia River. Priest Rapids Lake extends 18 miles upstream to the spillway of Wanapum Dam covering the area originally inhabited by the Wanapum tribe. After the disaster of the 1949 Vanport Flood on the lower Columbia River around Vancouver and Portland, the federal government established the Priest Rapids Project under the Flood Control Act of 1950. The US Army Corp of Engineers decided the project would not be a top priority, so Grant PUD took over the project. Priest Rapids Dam is a hydroelectric, concrete gravity dam. Priest Rapids, for which the dam was named, are now submerged beneath the dam's reservoir. Priest Rapids Dam is part of the Columbia River Basin system of dams. Several other dams were built in Grant County to control floods and manage water reservoirs including: Dry Falls Dam - a rock -faced, earth -fill dam located near Coulee City was built as part of the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) Columbia Basin Project in 1949. Water impounded by Grand Coulee Dam from the Columbia River, is pumped into Grand Coulee, a formerly dry canyon, through the short Feeder Canal. Grand Coulee's north end is sealed by North Dam and Dry Falls Dam stretching across the midsection of the Coulee. This allows water pumped from the Columbia River to fill the upper 18 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Grand Coulee, creating a large equalizing known as Banks Lake. Water from Banks Lake reservoir is fed into the irrigation project's Main Canal, which runs south from Dry Falls Dam to another reservoir called Billy Clapp Lake, formed by Pinto Dam. North Dam - an earth -fill embankment dam 145 feet high and 1,400 feet long was built in 1946 near Coulee City along with Dry Falls Dam to create Banks Lake reservoir within the ancient Grand Coulee riverbed. The lake serves as the equalizer reservoir of the Columbia Basin Project. Near North Dam's left abutment is the entrance to the feeder canal. The canal serves to either deliver water to the pump -generating plant at Grand Coulee Dam or return water to Banks Lake from the same pumped -storage plant. O'Sullivan Dam - is one of the largest earth -fill dams in the US located south of Moses Lake at nearly 4 miles of 200-foot-high embankment impounding Potholes Reservoir. The dam was built in sections on Crab Creek in 1947 to incorporate natural rock outcrops as part of the Columbia Basin Project. The 27,800-acre Potholes Reservoir formed by the dam collects return flows from all irrigation in the upper portion of the project for reuse in the southern portion. A system of wasteways has been built on both the West and East Low Canals to provide operational safety for the canals and a means of delivering water into Potholes Reservoir to supplement natural and return flows. Pinto Dam - an earthen structure, 130 feet high and 1,900 feet long flood control dam was built in 1948 near Stratford as part of the Columbia Basin Project for irrigation water storage, flood control, and hydroelectric power generation, The 6-mile-long crescent -shaped reservoir it creates, Billy Clapp Lake, offers year-round fishing for yellow perch, crappie, rainbow trout, and walleye. The Stratford Wildlife Recreation Area borders Billy Clapp Lake on its eastern shore and hosts migrating waterfowl. Another sizable lake, Brook Lake, is located below the dam. Other dams - in addition to major structures, Grant County has numerous smaller dams and lagoons used for various purposes including: Lakes 1 Banks Lake 2 Sun Lakes 3 Blue Lake 4 Lenore Lake S Soap Lake 6 Billy Clap Lake 7 Evergreen Reservoir 8 Moses Lake 9 Potholes Reservoir Grant County Tourism Master Plan 19 • Wastewater lagoons in towns like Coulee City and Quincy. • Irrigation dams such as the Moses Lake North and South Dams • Fish and wildlife ponds, including several within the Columbia Marsh Unit. Lakes and reservoirs The dams and other natural features created over 45 lakes in Grant County including the following major water bodies: Banks Lake - a 27-mile long 26,879-acre reservoir was created by the Dry Falls and North Dams that occupies the north portion of the Grand Coulee formed by the Missoula Floods, Electric City is located on the north end, Coulee City on the south end, and Steamboat Rock State Park in the middle section. Sun Lakes - includes 9 lakes formed at the base of Dry Falls, a massive cliff face 4 times the size of Niagara Falls, by the Missoula Floods in the middle of a desert landscape. Park Lake is the largest at 338 acres and the center of Sun Lakes - Dry Falls State Park, as well as Deep Lake and 88- acre Dry Falls Lake. Blue Lake - a 534-acre 68-foot-deep lake was formed by the Missoula Floods in the Grand Coulee below Sun Lakes. he lake is one in a series of small lakes located in the Grand Coulee above Blue Lake including SS -acre Dry Falls Lake, Rainbow Lake, 338-acre Park Lake. Lenore Lake (also Lake Lenore) - the narrow but long lake was formed by the Missoula Floods includes 1,670 acres with more than 7 islands located between the 299-acre Alkali Lake on the north, 80-acre Little Soap Lake, and 844-acre Soap Lake on the south. Soap Lake -a 2 square mile, 70-foot-deep meromictic soda lake was formed by the Missoula Floods at the end of the Grand Coulee. The lake was named for the naturally occurring foam because the lake's mineral -rich waters have a slick, soapy feel. The lake's purported medicinal value was prized by native peoples who frequented the area depositing significant artifacts. Billy Clapp Lake - a 1,010-acre lake was formed by Pinto Dam as part of the Columbia Basin 24 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Project. The reservoir is located 2 miles northeast of the Town of Straford and is fed by waters diverted from the Columbia River. The large man- made body of water is a magnet to desert wildlife including mule deer and coyotes as well as migratory birds. Evergreen Reservoir - a 247-acre, 50-foot-deep lake is located near Quincy in Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW's) Quincy Wildlife Area and part of the Columbia Basin Project. Moses Lake - originally a shallow natural lake, is now a reservoir created by the O'Sullivan Dam on Crab Creek, a tributary of the Columbia River, as part of the Columbia Basin Project managed by the US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). Moses Lake is complex in shape with several arms or "horns including Lewis, Parker, and Pelican, and several islands including Crest, Marsch, Gaileys, and Goat. Potholes Reservoir - a 14,287-acre reservoir was created by the O'Sullivan Dam of Crab Creek, including several natural and man-made lakes typically 30-70 yards wide and 10-30 feet deep called potholes. The potholes were initially carved during the Missoula Floods. Damming the area raised the water table high enough to allow the depressions to become lakes along with thousands of micro -lakes that wrap around sand dunes forming islands. Potholes State Park is located on the south shore. Irrigation The Columbia Basin Project's overall plan calls for 1,095,000 acres of irrigated land 60% of which lies in Grant County, of which 673,000 acres have Grant County Irrigation Canals and Columbia Basin Project Irrigated Lands � � '� - Irrigation Canals Columbia Basin BLM USFWS USER WA State Parks WDFW A WDNR city County Non -Profit Port/Utility Private * Flrrigatiton canals as mapped by the National � IS National Resource Conservation Service. This includes canals that are part of the Columbia Basin Project and those that were built by other irrigate districts. F_ A 155) rJ r_J r-- ------ ----------- ■ 46 8 83 .0 t 04 Jf AC rp 8 62, 70 26 MON 24 07 24 All 4L-w Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 21 been brought under irrigation. The extensive irrigation project has fueled steady growth in 4b Grant County's agriculture industry. Today, 300 miles of main canals and 2,000 miles of secondary canals irrigate land over 100 miles north to south. Drains and wasteways capture and reuse runoff. Once irrigation canals began delivering water to local farming communities, the complexion of Grant County changed dramatically. By the end of the 1900s, almost 20% of all the irrigated land in Washington state was in Grant County, and a full 60% of Grant County land was used for farming operations. The positive effects of the Columbia Basin Reclamation Project were felt as early as 1951, when the sugar beet yield in and around Moses Lake of approximately 25 tons per acre was twice the national average and it was only based on a mere 1,600 acres of irrigated land. During the 1950s Grant County became Washington's fastest growing county, based largely on continuing irrigation and the new industries it attracted. Access to producing farms, plentiful water, inexpensive land, and cheap electricity lured several food processing firms to Grant County, which had an immediate impact on the local economy. :Grant County's agricultural success has subsequently fueled growth in complementary industries such as food processing, wholesale trade, and trucking. Furthermore, inexpensive electricity from Grant Coulee Dam, Wanapum, and Priest Rapids Dams attracted and retain a solid manufacturing base in the county. Deserts and sand dunes The environmental climate of Grant County is characterized by hot summers and cold winters. Rainshadow caused by the Cascade mountains separates eastern Washington, including Grant County, from western Washington's more temperate and oceanic climate. Grant County has a semi -arid, desert -like climate home to several sand dune areas, including locations near Moses Lake and Beverly. While much of the county has been irrigated for agriculture, the region's arid landscape was 2 2 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan sculpted by ancient geologic events, which created the conditions for these unique landf orms. Moses Lake Sand Dunes - a 3,000-acre area of rolling sand hills next to the Potholes Reservoir is popular for off -road vehicle (ORV) use. Although the area is characterized by sand dunes and has a desert -like feel, Washington's climate is not a true desert; the term "desert" typically refers to an area receiving very little rainfall, which isn't the case in eastern Washington. Sand dunes are recognized as sensitive indicators of climate change, and monitoring is important for understanding environmental changes. Beverly Dunes - along with others in the region, were formed from alluvial sediments deposited during the Missoula Floods. Columbia National Wildlife Refuge - is a protected area in the southern part of the county that includes desert -like, shrub -steppe habitat, and some inland dunes. The rugged landscape was dramatically shaped by cataclysmic Ice Age floods that left behind basalt cliffs, canyons, lakes, and dunes. Though protected, the area contains sensitive inland dune ecosystems, which are important habitat for wildlife such as the sagebrush lizard, striped whipsnake, and various birds. Off -road vehicle (ORV) parks are in the Moses Lake and Beverly Dunes along with day -use facilities and campsites, ORV use is not permitted in the wildlife refuge, which is focused on conservation. .rt Grant County International Airipon During World War II, Moses Lake was the home of Larson Air Force Base, a training facility for American bomber pilots and crews. On the conclusion of the war, the base became the primary defense outpost for the Hanford site and Grand Coulee Dam. It also served as a testing and outfitting center for the Boeing Company's B-52s and KC-135s until 1962. The base was decommissioned in 1965 and the property turned over to the Port of Moses Lake to become the Grant County International Airport which covers almost 4,700 acres with 5 separate runways (including one so large it serves as an alternate landing site for the NASA Space Shuttle). In addition to freight and cargo services, the airport continues as a training facility for commercial and military pilots, including The Boeing Company, Japan Airlines, and the US military. Sources HistoryLink senior historian Cassandra Tate. Geologist Bruce Bjornstad, author of On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods, served as guide and technical advisor. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 23 �� 3: Assets Geotourism Geotourism is a form of tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place including its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents. It is a holistic approach that focuses on the unique sense of place and aims for long-term sustainability by involving the local community and promoting authentic, educational experiences. Key aspects of geotourism include: a Focus on geology and landscape - highlighting the geodiversity and geological history of a place, explaining how geological forces created its unique landscapes. 0 Sustain - protecting natural habitats, managing land use, and minimizing waste and pollution that encourages responsible tourism that benefits local communities. E Community involvement - involving local citizens and businesses in a way that enhances the authentic visitor experience and provides economic benefits to the community providing residents a new appreciation for their local heritage. a Educational experience - providing visitors with a deeper understanding of how the landscape was formed, fostering a connection with the natural world, and a knowledge of the cultural significant of the destination. E Conservation - advocating for the preservation and protection of both natural and cultural heritage sites. ■ Authentic experiences - encouraging travelers to engage meaningfully with local landscapes, traditions, and people, steering clear of generic, homogenized tourism experiences. a Integrity of place - supporting businesses and initiatives that emphasize and preserve the unique, authentic character of the location. Geotourism helps ensure that the unique character of a destination is a product worth protecting, bringing economic benefits to local communities, and fostering a deeper appreciation for Earth's history and ongoing processes. This Grant County tourism master plan is based on a geotourism definition and approach organizing tourism opportunities as environmental (eco-tourism), heritage, agriculture (agri-tourism), recreational, and cultural. Recreational Tourists Boating, kayaking, biking, hiking, sightseeing... _0 Agri -Tourists Organic farming, wineries, livestock, seeds... (Farmers' Market) Heritage Tourists History, architecture... (Historical Museum - State & National Historical Districts) Cul Arts (Art tural Tourists , crafts, ethnicity... Market) I LIrr- Eco-Tourists Nature, wildlife, bird watching... Grant County geotourism potentials Heritage Tourists Brochures and maps, walking tours with audio, museum exhibitions, open houses... Recreational Tourists Cultural Tourists Brochures with trail and route Art auctions, shows, five/work maps, bike and boat rentals, a shops/galleries, quilt walks, bike and boat tours.... quilt eWtbitions and shows-, Agri -Tourists I Farm festival, family farm tours, organic farm exhibitions, county fair... Eco-Tourists Seasonal brochures and maps, boat and shore tours, birding and fisheries events... Grant County geotourism outreach 1---------------- ------------- ----- - -------------- --------- - -------------------------------- --------------- Environment - Ice Age tours The National Park Service (NPS) and interested partners developed an interpretive program to establish the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. The trail represents a large, systematic, and cooperative effort to present the dramatic Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 2 S 0 25 50 100 Wes story of the Ice Age Floods to the public with significant economic and cultural benefits to communities throughout the Northwest. The role of the NPS is to coordinate and manage the planning of the project and the telling of the story, not to manage any more land than it already is responsible for. The Trail is being developed on existing public lands with no changes in jurisdiction and no threats to private property rights. The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail is the result of nearly 30 years of a partnership between the Ice Age Flood Institute UAFI) and the NPS. Since 1AF1 was formed in 1995, the Institute has worked with NPS to create, build support for, and expand recognition of the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. In 2001, NPS completed a major Special Resource Study and submitted a report to Congress proposing that an Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail be established. The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail was finally officially established by Congress in 2010. The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail is a network of marked touring routes extending across parts of Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon with several special interpretive centers 26 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Area Impacted By Ice Age Floods Itp * Points of Interest located across the region including at Sun Lakes - Dry Falls Visitor Center. The IAFI seeks to bring the Ice Age Floods story home to local communities through 11 local chapters. The Ellensburg Chapter includes the area of the Quincy Basin at the southwest end of the Grand Coulee and the Telford -Crab Creek Scabland Tract. Ice Age Floods flowing south across the Quincy Basin carved out the broad Drumheller Channels area, and those spreading west to the Columbia River carved out the Frenchman and Potholes Coulees. As the flood waters backed up behind the downstream constriction at Wallula Gap the waters of temporary Lake Lewis filled part of the Quincy Basin, depositing fine grained Palouse materials that had been stripped off the more northerly portions of the Floods path. The Columbia Basin Project diverted water south from the Columbia River at the Grand Coulee Dam to provide irrigation that transformed this soil in a high desert environment into a rich and abundant garden. The Ellensburg Chapter area includes many other geologic wonders including the Gingko Petrified Forest, the Saddle Mountain and Frenchman Hills I Banks Lake Wildlife Area Unit iWldlife Area WDFW &USBR @!Il_y Clapp Lake Wildlife Area Unit Wildlife Area ;W" 3 Gloyd Seeps Wildlife Area Unit Wildlife Area WDFW ----------- 4 Columbia Basin Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area Unit Wildlife Area WDFW &WDNR 5 Wildlife Area Priest Rapids Wildlife Area Unit Wildlife Area WDFW 6 Seems Lakes Wildlife Area Unit Wildlife Area I- es Wildlife Area Unit 'Wildlife Area WDFW 7 ' I �U� _L__k Lakes - - , - __ - - -1 1 __ - ------- .... 8 Winchester Reservoir Wildlife Area Unit WidlifeArea WDFW 1-Road 645 Drain Desert Unit* .... . .... . WDFW W Potholes Reservoir North :WDFW ----------- ------- n 'Quincy Lakes* Ancient Lake WDFW Frenchman Coulee Trallhead WWDFW 13 Steamboat Northrup Canyon Trailhead Trallhead WA State Parks 14 Rock State Park Steamboat Rock -State Park Regional Camping Park WA State Parks 1-1 L_ - ---------- - - --- - --- _---------- - -- ---- -------- -- ------ - Beezley Hills Preserve Conservancy Land Nature Conservancy 16 Bishop Recreation Area Conservancy Land Quincy Port District 17 Cascade Park Moses Lake - ----------- ------------------- --- - --- - ------- - --------- ----- -- - - -- --- ----- is Columbia National Wildlife Refulge,__., National Wildlife Refuge-, USM 2 19 Hanford Reach National Monument National Monument USFWS 20 Lake Lenore Caves History Interpretive Site WA State Parks 21 IvIontlake Park Community Park Moses Lake - --------- ..... .. . 22 Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park Regional Camping Park WAState Parks Desert and Quincy Lakes Units are part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Both units have several disconnected blocks with multiple trailhe ads or water access points, Yj FA Ll ir M_ jS'"W_. 3 XWELU ir . .. .... .... . 'Ar Bt # all N W E Date: 3/11 /2025 1 8 Miles i (c) 2025 Northwest Portal www.northwestportaLcom ....................... ................................................ .......................... Fq WatchableWlldt I N �01 Recreation Access T Camping park paekor Day Use MEW In Recreation Lands FTC Trail Recread on Lands for-13LM USFWS USSR WA State Parks WDFW WDNR City County as Non -Profit WA State Parks Palouse to Cascades Trail. Port/utility Public landowners that do not have land in Grant County, Private *** USSR, BLM and Grant County PUD allow recreation on Other some but not all of their lands. In an effort to capture recreation opportunities, lands outside of named recreation areas owned Closed to public V V by these agencies have been divided Into those that may allow recreation and those that probably do not. Small properties, Status unknown*** those with structures and those currently used for agriculture city are assumed to be closed to recreation, but this division has riot .been confirmed. --------------- --------- ---- --LIGA I -------------- - - 7 . ......... . . . ............. - — - -------------------- ---------- - Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 27 anticlines, as well as the features of the Mt. Stewart Ranue. The Ellensburg chapter was 0 established by IAF1 in 2008 and hosts multiple field trips and speaker presentations throughout the year with optional membership dues to support chapter activities. Chapter lectures and field trips cover a greater diversity of geology and landscapes than just those associated with the Ice Age Floods coordinating with Central Washington University (CWU)Geology Department and Washington State Parks. Environment - wildlife Grant County has an extensive network of at least 219,579 acres of wildlife viewing areas preserved by the US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Washington State Fish & Wildlife Department (WDFW), Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Washington State Parks. Grant County wetlands and riparian zones support muskrat, mink, otter, beaver, raccoon, and weasel. Water bodies, wetlands, and adjacent agricultural fields also provide suitable nesting and feeding habitat for mallard ducks, American Widgeons, green -wing teal, common coot, common merganser, blue -wing teals, great blue heron, and lessor and greater Canadian goose. The plateaus and cliffs that overlook the Columbia River and Grand Coulee provide habitat for the bald eagle and osprey. The northern bald eagle and the northern spotted owl are listed as a potentially threatened or endangered species on Washington State's endangered and threatened lists. Wildlife Area Acres I Banks Lake WDFW/BOR 17y064 2 Billy Clapp Lake WDFW 4l573 3 Gloyd Seeps WDFW 11,341 Wildlife Area 4 Lower Crab Creek WDFW/DNR 24,809 5 Priest Rapids WDFW 21734 6 Seep Lakes WDFW 81807 7 Sun Lakes WDFW 69748 8 Winchester WDFW 19567 Reservoir 9 Potholes WDFW 149281 Reservoir North 10 Quincy Lakes WDFW 179724 (Ancient Lake) 2 8 Grant County Tourism Master Plan I Frenchman WDFW na Coulee 12 Northrup Canyon State Parks 39522 13 Steamboat Rock State Parks 51043 State Park 14 Beezley Hills WDFW 9,000 Preserve 15 Uplands WDFW 11437 Restoration Area 16 Columbia USFWS 30,000 National Wildlife 17 Hanford Reach USFWS 57,000 National Monument 18 Lake Lenore State Parks 155 Caves 19 Sun Lakes -Dry State Parks 39774 Falls SP Total 219,1579 Banks Lake Wildlife Area Unit - is a man-made impoundment for irrigation water in the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. It was formed by the North Dam near Grand Coulee and the Dry Falls Dam near Coulee City and is filled with water from Franklin D. Roosevelt Reservoir (Lake Roosevelt). Most of the shoreline is ringed with basalt cliffs and talus slopes, and the dry uplands have shallow soils and rocky outcrops with shrubsteppe habitat. The 17,064-acre Banks Lake Unit surrounds most of Banks Lake and is predominantly US Bureau of Reclamation land managed by WDFW. Billy Clapp Lake Wildlife Area Unit - is along what was originally called Long Lake Reservoir but renamed in honor of one of the originators of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. 'The natural coulee was dammed on the lower south end (Pinto Dam) to create the reservoir. The Stratford Game Reserve encompasses nearly all the public land in this unit. This 4,573-acre unit is part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Management Unit. Gloyd Seeps Wildlife Area Unit - is channeled scabland within the historic flood channels of Crab Creek. Numerous wetlands, ponds, and seeps are surrounded by the older shrubsteppe uplands and basalt scablands. The 11,341-acre Gloyd Seeps Unit occurs in the Lower Crab Creek Watershed within the Columbia Plateau and is of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area Unit - lies within the valley of Lower Crab Creek along the steep north side of the Saddle Mountains. The unit consists of shrubsteppe, wetlands, and riparian areas along the creek, and the seep ponds and uplands on the bench north of the creek provide a diverse habitat for many species of wildlife. This 24,809-acre unit is part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Priest Rapids Wildlife Area Unit - lies along the east bank of the Columbia River. The land is relatively flat and during ancient glacial floods 4 was intermittently under water, resulting in a thin layer of soil covering a mostly river cobble substrate. A boat ramp provides access to the Columbia River. This 2,734-acre unit is part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Seep Lakes Wildlife Area Unit - includes rolling countryside with basalt outcroppings forming cliffs, mesas, box canyons, and potholes. Many of the canyons and potholes are filled with water that has seeped from Potholes Reservoir to the north. This 8,807-acre unit is part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Sun Lakes Wildlife Area 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. The 6,748-acre Sun Lakes Unit is in the Grand Coulee watershed within the Columbia Plateau and part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Winchester Reservoir Wildlife Area Unit - includes a lake that is a wide spot in the Winchester Wasteway, with an average depth of about 6 feet while the surrounding landscape is relatively flat with the lake in a natural low area. Most of the lake is surrounded by cattail and bulrush marsh; habitat where waterfowl and shorebirds dominate. The uplands are a mix of tall wheatgrass or intermediate wheatgrass with big sage/bluebunch wheatgrass in some areas. The 1,567-acre Winchester Reservoir Unit occurs in the Lower Crab Creek Watershed within the Columbia Plateau and part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Potholes Reservoir North - a 14,281-acre Wildlife area was created by the O'Sullivan Dam as part of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, and is a large area with many small lakes, ponds, and marshes. It is a unique wildlife area known for its diverse habitats and abundant bird and fish populations, including the largest breeding colony of double -crested cormorants on the Columbia Plateau. Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area Unit (includes Ancient La - has been shaped over time by lava flows, glacial floodwaters, erosion, and seepage from irrigation water and includes 800- foot basalt cliffs, isolated mesas, stair stepped benches, box canyons, and potholes. Several of the potholes are filled with water that has seeped from the irrigation of the Quincy Basin farmlands upslope, adding important diversity to the unit's fish and wildlife habitat. This 17,724-acre unit is part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Frenchman Coulee - is a recreation area not a formal wildlife refuge, and a prime example of the Channeled Scablands, with unique basalt columns and formations carved by massive Ice Age floods. Frenchman Coulee is an erosional feature left behind by the Ice Age Floods, a spectacular dual coulee and recessional -cataract complex in the western Quincy Basin. Floodwaters exiting the basin through Frenchman Coulee dropped over 600 feet to the Columbia River Valley, creating significant waterfall. The ,coulee is home to various migratory and non - migratory bird species. Northrup Canyon State Park - is a mixture of habitat types in a steep -walled valley with a huge granite monolith relic that was too massive to be moved by the Ice Age Floods. The meadows include an old homestead and spring -fed Northrup Creek that is prime riparian habitat. Steamboat Rock State Park - is a 5,043-acre camping park with 50,000 feet of freshwater shoreline at the north end of Banks Lake with a columnar, basalt rock with a surface water area of 600 acres in the Grand Coulee. Beezlev Hills Preserve - a 9.000-acre preserve was acquired by the Nature Conservancy and transferred to WDFW to protect and restore Washington's shrubsteppe ecosystem and the state endangered Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit. Beezley Hills Preserve is part of the largest remaining intact shrubsteppe landscape in the State of Washington. The area provides critical 0 habitat for a wide range of native species, including sagebrush, bitterbrush, bunchgrasses Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 29 and wildflowers like balsamroot and lupine. It is also home to iconic wildlife such as the burrowing owl, sage thrasher, and Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit. The Beezley Hills Preserve has been a focal point for pygmy rabbit recovery efforts for more than a decade. The preserve already includes a WDFW- operated mobile enclosure and release area that has played a central role in captive breeding, genetic research, and reintroduction programs on the preserve. The preserve's proximity to other WDFW- managed lands enhances the effectiveness of these efforts as a new part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area and the Pygmy Rabbit Recovery Emphasis Area designated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Upland Restoration Wildlife Area Unit - is comprised of many scattered properties, including former agricultural lands as well as upland and wetland habitat for small game, waterfowl, and conservation of critical habitat. The properties were purchased for upland restoration purposes and public access is limited. This 1,437-acre unit is part of the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Columbia National Wildlife Refuge - is a 30,000- acre mixture of rugged cliffs, canyons, lakes, grasslands, and sagebrush. The combination of lakes and surrounding irrigated croplands, combined with generally mild winters and the protection provided by the refuge, attracts large numbers of migrating and wintering mallards, Canada geese, tundra swans, and other waterfowl. Hanford Reach National Monument - is a 57,000-acre refuge on the only remaining non - tidal, free flowing stretch of the Columbia River with deer, elk, pelicans, coyotes, bald and golden eagles, egrets, various herons, and waterfowl of all descriptions. Salmon, steelhead, monster white sturgeon, largemouth bass, walleye, and many other sportfish inhabit the Columbia River. Lake Lenore Caves State Park Heritage Site. - is within the traditional territories of Sahaptian and Interior Salish Indigenous people whose present- day descendants include members of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the 30 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Yakama Nation that provided shrub -steppe landscapes of the Grand Coulee and important root collection for biscuitroot and bitterroot. Sun Lake -Dry Falls State Park - is a 3,774-acre park with 73,640 feet of freshwater shoreline at the foot of Dry Falls, a stark cliff, 400 feet high and 3.5 miles wide that overlooks a desert oasis filled with lakes and abundant wildlife. Environment - birders More than 40,000,000 people in America are interested in bird watching, making birding trails big business. Birding trails and the birds attract visitors to primarily rural locations, which spurs economic development and gives residents increased incentive to safeguard the natural areas. Birdwatching is a casual hobby, while birding is an active and dedicated pursuit. A birdwatcher typically observes birds encountered in daily life, such as in the backyard, while a birder actively seeks out birds, traveling to find rare species, keeping detailed lists of sightings, using advanced gear like high -quality binoculars, spotting scopes, and birding apps. Grant County has a diverse and abundant bird population, due to the large bodies of water and plentiful habitat options. Waterfowl populations reach peaks of over 100,000 birds during the fall season including birds of prey, shorebirds, songbirds, upland birds, wading birds, and waterfowl. The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge has over 200 varied species including waterfowl on the lakes, marshes, and sloughs; hawks, owls, ravens, and cliff swallows" nest in the cliff areas; herons, American Avocet, and other shore birds' shelter in the wetlands; and pheasants, quail, and magpies reside in the uplands. The Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) features more than half of Washington's 346 annually recorded bird species with thousands of Sandhill Cranes migrating along the Pacific Flyway in spring and fall; Black -crowned Night - Herons and Great Egrets nesting in summer; and large populations of Bald Eagles and waterfowl in winter. Habitat Areas i4aWe Ephrata The Nature Conservancy 1 110 Uon's Park A Beezley Hills Preserve 7'i24 Oasis RV Park USFWS 8 Columbia National Wildlife Refuge 3 Blue Heron Park C Hanford National k0lonument 4 lJohn E Calborn Island Park WD FW I McCosh Park D Banks Lake Unit 6 Montlake Park---------- E Desert Unit 7 Three Ponds Wetland Park F Gloyd Seeps Unit 8 Smoklam Park 6 Lower Crab Creek Unit Wilson Creek H Priest Rapids Unit 9 Wilson Creek City Park -- M I _Quincy Lakes Unit i Rosky Ford Unit WA State Parks I � .. 1.1-1 1-1-111-- K Seep lakes Limit Crab Creek Road Access L Sun Lakes Unit 11 13 Northrup Canvon Trailhead...._... M 'Upland Restoration Unit Northrup Point N Winchester Reservoir Unit 13J@ Potholes Sate Park ---- These lands are managed tro,provide _14 Steamboat Rod State Park habitat for birds and other animals. 15 Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park WDFW -i6 Dodson .!7 _"_.jerlw is 13 Job Corps Dike/Potholes J9 -13 take ZO 3 'Und Coulee island Site/Potholes ,-"- -- -- - -- ---------- --- ----- 21 TRocky Ford Hatchery National Parks Service 22 Crescent Say US Bureau of Reclamation Z3 Summer Falls US Fish & Wildlife Service Ir Z4 Marsh Overlook zS Royal Lake Overlook Grant County PLID 26 Priest Rapids Recreation Area 2?, 13 Priest Rapids North Trailhead Quincy Port District ;i 13 Bishop Trailhead Birding,location identified by th, e Colum bid owl N WE -0. .2.6 j Doftt 6/20/2025 Fo- 2 4 a Miles (c) 2025 Nortirmest Portal www.northwest ........... ...... ... I .... ""men It to le : bon CFO* a E91• or 4 EHabitat Lands Sinfing sites 9 Trailhead Beat Laruncb Campground Camping park Fishing access Park or ON Use ...... PTC Trail* Vacreatlen LUNIS BLM USFWS USSR WA State Park. WDFW WONR City County Non -Profit Port/utility Private Other" City UGA Closed to public Status unknown* Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 31 U In addition to the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), and Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), several birder organizations develop data on bird populations, conservation, management, and research in the Pacific Northwest including eBird Northwest. Several organizations also post data on sightings, locations, sightings, and conduct field trips including Inland Northwest Birders, Pacific Northwest Birding, Northwest Birding, Washington Ornithological Society, and Central Basin Audubon Washington. Central Basin Audubon Societv WBAS volunteers work with the staff of Columbia National Wildlife Refuge to introduce area school children to habitats and wildlife on the Refuge. Over 1,000 students from Othello, Ephrata, Connell, Warden, Moses Lake, and other communities are involved with this 4�1 program in presentations and guided field trips. CBAS volunteers lead birding field trips for members and the public to the Olympic Peninsula or North Idaho, or close to home visiting the 3 2 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Potholes Wildlife Area or the Beezley Hills Preserve with birders of all skill levels from the beginner to expert. Coulee Corridor Scenic Bvwav Birdinz Trail - was mapped by CBAS and eBird with stops at special places where birds are most likely to be seen. Each stop describes the habitat, what birds are there in what season, where to look, and how to get from the main road to the location. Heritage - Native American Lake Lenore State Park Heritage Site - located in the Grand Coulee south of Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park, features shallow basalt caves carved by ancient Ice Age floods and a trail with historical and geological significance. The Lenore Caves were used by Native Americans for thousands of years as shelter, storage, and a site for collecting resources. Lenore Caves Trail is a 1.1-mile, out -and -back trail along a ridge to several of the shallow basalt caves. The trail starts with a staircase carved into the rock before continuing with a gradual incline along a rocky and uneven surface. There are 7 caves of varying sizes along the route that were historically used by Native Americans that includes exhibits about the geology of the area. Wanapum Heritage Center - located near Priest Rapids Dam in Beverly, was built to preserve, and share the history and culture of the Wanapum people. The center features exhibits, artifacts, and historical narratives about the Wanapum's traditional lifestyle, including their religion, called Washani (Dreamers) and the relationship with the Columbia River. The Wanapums carved over 200 petroglyphs, in the surrounding rock cliffs of the tribe's territory. ColvUle Tribal Museum - the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) is a federally recognized tribe comprised of 12 bands, including the Moses -Columbia, Sanpoil, Nespelem, Methow, Entiat, Colville, Lakes, Wenatchee, Chief Joseph's Band of Nez Perce, Palus, Southern Okanogan, and Chelan. The Colville Indian Reservation is a large and diverse area that is home to the Colville Confederated Tribes, and their cultural heritage is rich with history and traditions from the 12 bands that make up the confederation. The Colville Indian Reservation is located on the north boundary of Grant County extending west to Bridgeport near Chief Joseph Dam and east to Lincoln on the shores of Franklin D Roosevelt Lake. The Colville Tribal Museum is located at Coulee Dam with rotating exhibits, historical photos, murals, dioramas, and artifacts. Fort Okanogan Interpretive Center - located east of Brewster on the Columbia River on the Colville Indian Reservation sits on a high bluff above the Columbia River overlooking the remains of the two Fort Okanogan's as well as the river delta. Aj The Fort Okanogan Interpretive Center exhibits the history of the Fort Okanogan Trading post, which operated from 1811-1860. Fort Okanogan was the first official Euro American trading post in the north central Washington area. For thousands of years the site at the mouth of the Okanogan River was a large fishery were native people gathered to fish, trade, and socialize. In 1811, John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company built a -trading post on the banks of the river naming it Fort Okanogan. Around 1830 the Northwest Company (later managed by the Hudson's Bay Company) built a new fort about I mile south of the original fort. Archaeological investigations at the two fort sites and nearby Indian villages continued after the interpretive center opened. Over 4 summers, archaeological teams from the University of Washington discovered over 3,500 artifacts relating to the fort. In 2011, the Center was gifted to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville (CCT) Reservation by the State of Washington. In 2013, the exhibits and storyline were updated to tell a more comprehensive history of the CCT and interpret the fur trade through a Native perspective. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 33 Heritage - Hispanic -Latino The history of Spanish-speaking people in the Pacific Northwest dates to 18th-century Spanish maritime expeditions that charted the coast, with crews largely composed of Mexicans from New Spain. Mexican miners and mule packers were crucial to the region's early economic development, particularly in commercial transportation to mining camps when roads were scarce. The if vaquero" (ranch hand) culture and technology also left a lasting mark on Eastern Washington's livestock industry, with terms like TV rodeo If and "lariat" in common use. The demand for agricultural labor in Washington state, particularly after the internment of Japanese Americans during World War 11, led to an influx of Mexican and Chicano (Mexican American) workers. The federal Bracero program (1942-1947 in Washington) contracted thousands of temporary Mexican laborers, and many workers and their families settled permanently in agricultural areas, including Moses Lake and the surrounding Grant County area. Hispanics or Latinos make up a substantial portion of Grant County's population (around 43% as of 2021), a figure considerably higher than the statewide average. This demographic shift has led to large, multi -generational communities. Latino -owned businesses, such as panaderias (bakeries) and taquerlias (taco restaurants), have become common fixtures in towns across the county. The community actively celebrates its heritage through events, such as the UMANI Festival in Moses Lake, a major collaboration of cultural institutions and individuals. Organizations such as the Unidos Nueva Alianza (UNA) Foundation (formerly Latinos Unidos Grant County) and the Latino Civic Alliance (with an office in Quincy) serve the local Hispanic/Latinx, immigrant, and farmworker communities, advocating for social justice, economic development, resource accessibility, resources, and work to ensure inclusivity and civic engagement. Latino workers are a vital part of the agricultural, construction, and manufacturing industries. Latino entrepreneurs have established numerous small businesses, including restaurants and retail stores, which add to the local economy and cultural landscape. The community is largely of Mexican descent celebrated through local events, cultural presentations, music (such as Latin music nights at the county fair), traditional foods, and arts. The strong and growing Hispanic and Latino population in Grant County continues to shape its unique character and future. Significant events include Cinco de Mayo, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and El Grito (Mexican Independence Day) with food vendors at major gathering places including the Moravida Festival at Grant County Fairground. Heritage - historic places Historic -places and buildings Historic places in Grant County include a wide variety of sites and buildings some of which are listed on Washington State and the National Register of Historic Places. Coulee Cite 2 Dry Falls Vista House - with views of the site of Dry Falls with information on the area's geological history. v Grand Coulee Dam - a monumental feat of engineering that has a significant history and is a major regional landmark. Ephrata a Grant County Historical Museum & Village - located in Ephrata, the museum features a village of restored historic buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s. a Bell Hotel - an historic hotel in Ephrata listed 34 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan on the National Register of Historic Places. U Grant County District Court - an historic landmark in Ephrata listed on the National Register of Historic Places. U Lea Theater - a historic theater in Ephrata. Hartline W Historic Hartline School - originally built in 1922, the historic schoolhouse now functions as a second-hand store and antique shop. mattawn a Wanapum Heritage Center - history and culture of the Wanapum people through artifacts and exhibits. U Hanford Reach National Monument - a national park and nature reserve of a desert landscape with significant historical importance and wildlife that includes the Hanford Reach along the Columbia River Moses Lake a Moses Lake Museum & Art Center - provides insights into the region's geological and cultural past. Quingy N Samuel and Katherine Reiman House - an historic house that serves as a museum. a Beverly Railroad Bridge - the railroad bridge (now part of the Palouse to Cascade Trail) crossing the Columbia River and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Soap Lake E Masquers Theater - one of Washington's oldest community theaters, that provides a mix of plays and musicals. a Mesa 36 - an important archaeological site near Soap Lake. a Stone House Homestead - located in Soap Lake, the remains of an historic homestead. Stratford a Stratford School - an historic rural schoolhouse on WA-7 in Stratford. Warden U Lind Coulee Archaeological Site - also known as 45GR97, is the site of an archaeological dig that dates to 2,000-4,000 years. Recovered artifacts include a large number of bone tools, nearly two dozen bone needles, and bone points that are believed to precede the Clovis Point. Wilson Creek 0 Wilson Creek State Bank - an historic bank building from 1906 that houses a local history museum. Other Grant Count a Wild Horse Monument - a sculpture of wild horses near 1-90, commemorating the history of horses and their importance to the region. Historic barns Historic barns are any large agricultural buildings used to house animals, crops, or farm equipment that are over 50 years old and, on the Washington, Historic Register. William Kelley Barn - near Hanson Vinyard Peo Barn - near Hartline William and Rebecka Schorzman Homestead - built in 1913 in Quincy. Agriculture - Wineries Grant County is home to several American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) that are distinct grape - growing regions recognized for unique soils, topography, climate, and other viticultural features. a Wah, luke Slope AVA - established in 2006 covering 81,000 acres in Grant County within the larger Columbia Valley AV, A. a Royal Slope AVA - established in 2020 covering 156,389 acres in Grant and Adams Counties. a Beverly AVA - established in 2024 covering 2,415 acres in Grant County within the larger Columbia Valley AVA. Wines labeled with these AVAs as an appellation of origin are made from grapes grown primarily within that specific, recognized geographic area, which has distinct climate, soil, and topographical features that differentiate it from the broader Columbia Valley region. Grapes grown in Grant County have become some of Washington State's most impressive, award - winning premium wines in the last decade. Many Grant County wineries including the smallest family operated ventures to major corporations feature tasting rooms and a calendar of special events, tastings, and concerts. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 3S George ■ Burke Vineyard Winery - is a small family estate winery located in Quincy on the edge of the family farm started in 1973 in George. Quincy ■ Winchester Estate Winery - the farm has been in the family since the 1950's and started a vineyard in 2010 with the first wine in 2016. - E Beaumont Cellars Tasting Room - farming for over 3 decades with a vineyard the past 5 years with tasting rooms in Quincy and Woodinville. x Cave B Winery - harvested the first grapes in 1984 and established the Champs de Brionne Winery in 1986 renaming it Cave B Winery in 2000. Originated the Champs de Brionne to promote the winery which was sold in 1993 as the Gorge Amphitheatre. Added Cave Inn & Tendrils Restaurant (now Sagecliffe Resort & Spa) in 2005 and sold in 2017 along with the construction of 44 Cave B Ridge Condo and the 1,000 seat Stage B Amphitheatre in front of the tasting room. a Chris Daniel Winery - includes tasting room in Quincy. Named one of the Fabulous Four Washington State Wineries of the year for 2024 by the Seattle Wine Awards. a Errant Cellars - uses a low -intervention style of winemaking with a tasting room in Quincy. a Jones of Washington - family farmed potatoes in the early 1950s planting the vineyards in 1997 and harvesting the first wine in 2003. Awarded Washington Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest in 2022 and Most Valuable Producer (MVP) by Washington State Wine Awards/Seattle Wine Awards in 2023. ■ White Heron Cellars - located in the ghost town of Trinidad near Quincy, began making wine in 1986 and planted the first vineyards in 1991. The tasting room is inside the wine making and bottling facility overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. Mnsp-q I.akp- a Camas Cove Cellars - located on a former sand dune which is stabilized by the vineyard with a tasting room. ■ Cascade Cellars - founded in 2016 with a tasting room in Moses Lake. mattawn a Ginkgo Forest Winery - opened in 2007 with the only Lasing room and music entertainment on the Wahluke Slope in Mattawa. Thiede Farms LLC sells Wahluke Slope grapes to small wineries and hobbyist winemakers. Othello ■ Foxy Boxy - grapes are sourced from StoneRidge Vineyards along with other renowned award -winning vineyards in Washington and the Columbia Valley AVA. Foxy Roxy Winery and tasting room and StoneRidge Vineyards are located between Royal City and Othello. Microbreweries in Moses Lake a Ten Pin Brewing Company - started with Lake Bowl, a family owned and operated business built on bowling and entertainment in 1957 in Moses Lake. The brewery opened in 2013 and won the Brewery of the Year Award in 2016 and the Great American Beer Festival Award in 2018. Operates mobile kiosks at Grant County attractions beginning in 2017, the rebranded AmeriStay Hotel as Ten Pin Inn & Suites in 2018, and the Groovefest outdoor beer event in 2019. 9 Moore Brewing - a family enterprise operating a brewpub, taproom, and restaurant in downtown Moses Lake. Agriculture- farmers' markets and fruit stands Farmers' markets are fixed locations where farm producers sell agricultural products, like fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy, directly to consumers. The markets allow shoppers to buy local, fresh food while supporting local farmers and economies. The markets often feature a variety of goods, can be seasonal or year-round, and serve as community gathering spots. Specific vendors and products vary depending on the market's location and the season. The markets stimulate local economies by supporting farmers and small businesses, increase access to fresh, nutritious food, and help revitalize downtown areas. 36 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Washington State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1070 and working with over 110 member farmers markets to bring local, healthy food to communities and direct sales to farmers, artisans, and other small businesses. WSFMA's mission is to support and promote strong, resilient farmers markets where vendors are successful and farm sales continue to grow and provide the public with access to fresh, healthy food and the farmers who grow it. a Moses Lake Farmers' Market - established in 1978, the outdoor market in McCosh Park is the largest in Grant County providing a venue for sellers of fresh produce, quality foods, and quality crafts on Saturdays from May to October. The market includes 40 produce vendors, 25 product vendors, and 10 miscellaneous vendors or 75 operations. ® Quincy Public Market - a new indoor market opens daily with produce, food, wine, bakery, brewery, and restaurant. a Quincy"s B Street Market - an outdoor market operating on Saturdays from June to September with a wide variety of vendors including farm products, art, handicrafts, and food vendors. M Mattawa Flea & Farmers' Market - an outdoor flea market operating on Saturday and Sunday from February to November where over 100 vendors sell clothing, food, produce, plants, and tools. Farm stands Farm stands generally sell seasonal products that are grown on -site or within a short distance of a major highway or road. Farm stands may also provide other value-added activities, agricultural recreation, and options for other types of agritourism, such as potentially allowing food service on farms for wedding venues, temporary event spaces, and similar activities. Ism -100: . 7 .. a Cloudview Farm - is a community centered non-profit education farm serving Ephrata, Soap Lake, Moses Lake, and other towns and cities throughout Grant County. Organically grown seasonal fruits and veggies are available for local pick up through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Boxes or membership Online Farm Store purchases. The Farm provides a variety of educational opportunities for schools, youth, and families, as well as seasonal community events. a Faw & Sons Produce - is a specialized farm in Quincy providing a wide selection of high -quality shallots, pearl onions, and other products grown on -site. U Jones Produce - stand and distribution center started in the early 1950s in Quincy, planted vineyards in 1997 and harvested the first wine in 2003 - see Jones of Washington. a Verhey's Peaches & Royal Canning Company - have grown and canned peaches & nectarines in Royal City since 1967 or a customer can pick their own from the orchard early August to mid -September. Verhey's has stands in the Moses Lake and Ellensburg Farmers' Markets. a White Russia Produce - a farmstand in Quincy that sells a variety of local produce like apples, peaches, and watermelons as well as local wines, sauces, and artisanal gifts. Agriculture - farm stays A farm stay is a type of travel where guests book lodging on a working farm, ranch, or vineyard to experience rural life. Accommodations can range from simple camping to luxurious rooms, and some stays offer hands-on activities like collecting eggs or helping with chores, while others are more for observation. Farm stay may also be combined with cooking, baking, brewing, butchering, or other hands-on instructions. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 37 1 Blue Heron Park 'Moseslake__. 43 leiioreiABolate(y WOFW_... - 2 Cascade Marine _. _ Moses Lake M Herd coulee (8) ,wow_ 3. ® Cascade Park Moses Lake . ... 45... ®-l+owerCYabGeekaaoessi5l IAPOFW 4 ® Irrigation District LVXKh__... _.. _. Moses lace Ird atiion 0ist 46 Creek WA Eon (*yWOFW 5 John E, Calban island Par1t Moses Lake" " _ _ _..LwmrCrab 47 ' liovYer GGiab Greek WA West? WOF1M 6 LowerPeninwiaPark ...-_ Moses Lake 48MaroonResott WGNR 7 Marina Park Moses lake 49 Martha lake wVFW _ 8 ® MrCosh Park ..... ..... EatCe 54 MNion rotor & Populars (3) WOPW _ .. _ . ... 9 Mondate Park -- .. _ _.Moses Moses Lake 51 North Darn Park t1 S6lt W CJ Moses LAW Sand Dons _ ... Federal & Grant County __.._............. . .. S2 Noadr Moses take {2} WOFW ii Neppel laeirGng _ Nbs take __._.____.. _.. _.-.-._._..,..__.__._._ ._ . .-_ _. 53, Northnrp Pooet Briar !airily WA Siata Parks 12 ® South Winona Street _. Moses take ..� 54, 914!n 5 Campground 'WA State Parks 13 WDFW llAoses tske)3).... Y10F1lV _ 55 Park take Boat taunds WA State Parks _ is ®naamsa___ ................ _-_..-_.-_-..-. wM._..-_ . ,1..!__._� _ ___...._!^!. is Biiiya�,pi,awr _ _ .._ $7 d P�r<hole Iteservoli'(5).....-.._..IW" 16 ® Bishop Recreation Area _... Quincy Pot District. 59 _� Potholes State Pant WA State Parks 17 Bishop Recreation Area Quincy Pot District ... _. ... 519 Power Pkark Park um 1B Blue Lake 14 VIfOFYy 6D Priest Rapdris Reoirataore Aria Grant Courty PtJD J 9 Blue Lake Resort _ ......_.. _.. _ _. ._.Private ........ ...... ...... _.._ __ 61. QirinR WA Access ( 14 20 8 Blythe take Boat laiirile :LISFY115_.__.. _ .._...._.._. - _ _-.. -----------._._.... 62 Rattle Snake can ._ Grant County PL ID 21 ® Buckshot ... ..._ ..... _. _ _.. .. GrantPUD ...... ..... ..._......_ 53- Rc4yFvrd!�?1eini=� VI)FI 22- a CaiicheLaka .............. ..1pOFW" ................_.-_._-.....- -_ - __ _ ........_- 6d RorltyFordOrrerioaic Z3 ®Columbia Basin Nstrlhay _ ..__ ._AWDFViI -_ .._.- . _.__.-----W Sand Hallow Recreation Am ;Gant Corurty PW 24 ®Connelly Park ___-.____... _ _ . _.,___-_ Moses take Irrigation Dist. 66 Q Smoklurn RV Park ?Pl-- ® Corral Lake------ rr IIVOFW-._�....__. - _ ' Sraroldarae 5rr o take Ce+ulee City �'aornrriiurity--Park IJSBdt ..._...... 6B � Selo Lake Boatlainth t95FVAi5 Coulee Lodge Resort_._. _.... Private - _.._.__ _. _ 69 SouMr Teal late !tJ5FiN5 28 ® CotvleePlayiandKtesoR Pn+rate _ __---_-------------- 7t3 St_eam6oa1t1Rodt5ePant 1WA3taeeParks ..._ .__.-. Crater--- i.�. take die slough (2) .. WflFW _ . _ . _ 71 $f°rraner Fa11s__....__ __. 3D 1 , •Llneseetrt Bar Reasea don Area _ Grant Couiriy Ptm.._._ _................. 7P Stn Lalres Pads Resort WA state Pwb " .... 31 CrescentBsy (2) NP5 73 Wn Village Resort Privratae 3t Deep Lake Boat Launfi __r...___.__._____._._.__..-_......_ 1NA State Parks ._ 74 �j Sunbanks Resort ( ....._.�._ WDFW 75 Vernita BMW WDOE t .. 34 Fidesco-Wamvs 13 (3j _ .� _• _ ..._ 76. N! _ %VDFW Ford!air_.._._ IWOFW 77 i W`wopuin Darn Up marsv)... _-Grant t3a�rnrty Piro 36 ® Frenchman Coulee Boat launch 1,Grant G irev PUD _ .__ . _ - _.-.. _ 78 Warden lake wONR .� 37 Fr eai d±wr+ari hills & C [ij _- ._ _.._ iUYDFIAI � _ 79 West Beady _ !clue Ps46�) _._..._._.-_ ....._._ _ ID Wiodhesterlakel•3(31 WtlfiM _ . e Gra W Coulee Dam Park _.;tit .__ .. _. __. VA ere there a m muttiple *vier aatess WGes In close p w0nity MD„ 1 Priad 6A5 Draeia WDFW _ _ .-_.� nwnoged bbly o single entity thentcis o simgie eftiV., .with the Ja9rsonCreek Fish Cartw ....� GrantCoutityllUD numbermparontlheses diwtingthe number ofsites, The ne 42 , Jos Bay Camp 4W� Stall Fartcs inY�7VNM dal sites am aba rrepresen ted by smaller cons. ■ 119 3 ® 2 v LL cma 14 si"ill � 4 w � ors " " i M .•. •ice c ' • Boating & Fishing ® Boat Launch ® t Fishing Access Camping/launch Camping/Fishing FT'C Trail • • iteration Lands 44 -PE340 f : -1 t , 1 SLM USIFWS •, USSR ®'g'�1s- d '7 i WA state Parks�� k, • w WDF WDNR wP City County Non -Profit • - Porvutaity 56 r/ Private _.4 Other ss 1 ' WA State Parks Palouse to Cascades Trail. VW _ E +* Public landowners that do not have land in Grant County. City & . USSR, BLM and Grant County PUD allow recreation on some but not all of their lands. in an effort to capture recreation opportunities, ' UGA S Hate- d /26/2025 X p ; I lands outside of named recreation areas owned by these agencies have been divided into those that may allow recreation and those 0 ? 4 $Miles I that probably do not. Small properties, those with structures and Closedfto public those currently used for agriculture are assumed to be closed to (c) 2025 Northwest Portal www,nortliwegportal com - recreation, but this division has not been confirmed, Status un known*** _........................................ - _...__._.._......-------------------_--._..! 38 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Farmstay - established in 2010, is a networking nonprofit organization connecting visitors, families, and farmers with the idea that the best experiences come from real places and real people from dinner on the farm, a summer workshop, a wedding in the barn, or a weekend escape. a Basin Farmworks - is a small woman -owned 9-acre working farm in Othello open seasonally for fresh produce, berry picking, and flowers With booths in Moses Lake and Richland Farmers' Markets. a Cloudview Farm - is a non-profit education farm serving Ephrata, Soap Lake, Moses Lake, and Quincy with seasonal CSA box subscription, weekly farm stand, and a membership for an Online Farm Store to purchase organically grown seasonal fruits and veggies for local pick up. Cloudview also provides farm tours, summer camps, workshops, school field trips, and seasonal events to inspire youth and adults through organic -based gardening and hands-on nature education. School field trips are farm - based experiences designed to integrate farm content into existing lessons. Eat Local First - is food that is grown, caught, raised, or made in an area where it is feasible to "know your farmer." Eat Local First strengthens connections between local food, local communities, and regional economies by being the go -to resource for finding food that is grown, raised, harvested, and made in the community. Sustainable Connections' Food & Farming Program -- launched the Eat Local First campaign in 2011 to support local farmers, fishermen, and food artisans by connecting local buyers and encouraging the community to always Eat Local First. Recreation - boating US National Park Service (NPS), US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Washington State Parks, Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE), Grant County PUD, Quincy Port District, Soap Lake, Moses Lake, Moses Lake Irrigation District (MLID), and private parties provide 80 boat launch sites on the Columbia River, Moses Lake, and the numerous lakes in the Grant Coulee and throughout Grant County. Columbia River 21 Buckshot Grant PUD 30 Crescent Bar Rctn Area Grant PUD 36 Frenchman Coulee BL Grant PUD 41 Jackson Creek Fish Camp Grant PUD 56 Pool WDFW 60 Priest Rapids Rctn Area Gran t PUD 62 Rattle Snake Cove Grant PUD 65 Sand Hollow Rctn Area Grant PUD 77 Wanapum Dam Grant PUD 75 Vermita Bridge DOE Grand Coulee Corridor 18 Blue Lake WDFW 19 Blue Lake Resort Private 26 Coulee City Comty Park USBR 27 Coulee Lodge Resort Private 28 Coulee Playland Resort Private 31 Crescent Bay NPS 32 Deep Lake Boat Launch State Parks 35 Fordair WDFW 39 Grand Coulee Dam Park USBR 42 Jones Bay Campground State Parks 43 Lenore & Alki Lake 4 WDFW 50 Million Dollar & Populars WDFW 51 North Dam Park USBR 53 Northrup Point BL State Parks 54 Osborn Bay Campground State Parks 55 Park Lake BL State Parks 59 Power Plant Park USBR 66 Smokium RV Park Soap Lake 67 Smokium Park Soap Lake 70 Steamboat Rock SP State Parks 72 Sun Lakes Park Resort State Parks 73 Sun Village Resort Private 74 Sunbanks Resort Private 79 West Beach Soap Lake Moses Lake I Blue Heron Park Moses Lake 2 Cascade Marina Moses Lake 3 Cascade Park Moses Lake 4 Irrigation District Launch MLID 5 John E Calhorn Island Park Moses Lake 6 Lower Peninsula Park Moses Lake 7 Marina Park Moses Lake 8 McCosh Park Moses Lake 9 Montlake Park Moses Lake 10 Moses Lake Sand Dunes Grant County 11 Neppel Landing Moses Lake 12 South Winona Street Moses Lake 13 WDFW Moses Lake WDFW Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 39 20 Blythe Lake Boat Launch USFWS 2 3 Columbia Basin Hatchery WDFW 24 Connelly Park MLID 25 Coral Lake Southwest WDFW 38 Gloyd Seeps WDFW 44 Lind Coulee WDFW 48 MarDon Resort WDFW 52 North Moses Lake WDFW 5 7 Potholes Reservoir WDFW 58 Potholes State Park State Parks 63 Rocky Ford Hatchery WDFW 64 Rocky Ford Overlook WDFW 68 :Soda Lake BL USFWS Other 14 Adams Road WDFW 15 Billy Clapp Lake WDFW 16 Bishop Recreation Area Quincy Port 17 Bishop Recreation Area Quincy Port 22 Cliche Lake WDFW 29 Crater Lake & Slough WDFW 33 Dodson/Beda WDFW 34 Fidesco-Harris 1-3 WDFW 37 Frenchman Hills & Road C WDFW 40 I -Road 645 Drain WDFW 45 Lower Crab Creek 5 WDFW 46 Lower Crab Creek East WDFW 47 Lower Crab Creek West WDFW 49 Martha Lake WDFW 61 Quincy Access WDFW 69 South Teal Lake USFWS 71 Summer Falls USBR 76 W-F 20 Drain WDFW 78 Wardens Lake DNR 80 Winchester Lake 1-3 WDFW Boating interests are well represented in Grant County as all agencies combined provide 10 boat launches on the Grant County side of the Columbia River, 24 launches in the Grand Coulee Corridor, 26 launches in the Moses Lake tributary system, and 20 launches in other lakes and creeks in the rest of Grant County. Recreation - water trails Water trails are marked, designated routes on waterways like rivers, lakes, and coastlines for recreational use. The trails are often used for non -motorized boats like kayaks and canoes and connect points of interest, providing access to water for recreation and education. Key features of water trails are: 3 Designated routes - marked paths on navigable waterways, sometimes called "blueways," that guide users along a specific 0 course. a Recreational focus - designed for activities like kayaking, canoeing, and other small -boats. ■ Amenities and points of interest - often include access and launch points, and highlight historical, environmental, or cultural points along the way. E Benefits - promote conservation, healthy physical activity, and economic benefits for local communities by attracting visitors and increasing interest in protecting natural resources. 0 Common activities on water trails include kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, wildlife viewing, and camping. Some trails also accommodate motorized vessels or offer opportunities for swimming and . picnicking 0 Greater 'Columbia Water Trail (GCWT) - is a 146- mile, bi-state trail for non -motorized boaters (kayaks, canoes, small rowboats, and the like) spanning the tidally influenced river waters from the Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean. Since 2000, the Estuary Partnership has stewarded the GCWT, a collection of launch points, camping and lodging options, food and other services, and points of interest. When completed the GCWT will encompass 500+ miles of water trails including over 400 miles on the Columbia River as well as passage on 18 miles on the Similkameen River and 82 miles on the Okanogan River. The GCWT will pass through 11 counties and over 8 dams. The trail has 4 sections or segments: 1) the northeastern from Lake Roosevelt by the Idaho border; 2) the northwestern segment along the Similkameen and Okanogan Rivers from Oroville to the confluence of the Okanagan and Columbia Rivers near Brewster; 3) the central segment from Grand Coulee Dam to Rock Island Dam; and (4) the southern segment from Rock Island Dam to the Tri-Cities. Grant County has 8 designated handcarry launch sites and campgrounds on the GCWT provided by the US National Park Service (NPS), Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), and Grant County PUD: 40 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Columbia River 1 Crescent Bay Lake NPS 2 Crescent Bar Rctn Area Grant PUD 3 Rattle Snake Cove Rctn Grant PUD Area 4 Wanapum Dam Grant PUD 5 Bickshot WDFW 6 Priest Rapids Rctn Area Grant PUD 7 Jackson Creek Fish Camp Grant PUD 8 verrnita Bridge WDFW Moses Lake 9 Rocky Ford Hatchery WDFW 10 Rocky Ford overlook WDFW 11 Connelly Park Moses Lake ID 12 Cascade Park Moses Lake 13 Cascade Marina Moses Lake 14 Neppel Landing Moses Lake 15 Don Buckley Landing Moses Lake 16 Moses Lake ID Launch Moses Lake ID 17 Marina Park. Moses Lake 18 Lower Peninsula Park Moses Lake 19 South Winona Park Moses Lake 20 Montlake Park Moses Lake 21 Moses Lake Sand Dunes WDFW 22 South outlet WDFW 23 .North outlet WDFW 24 .Blue Heron Park Moses Lake Moses Lake Water Trail (MLWT) - includes 16 WDFW, Moses Lake Irrigation District, and Moses Lake designated access and launch sites beginning with the headwater of the lake at Rocky Ford Hatchery and extending to the south end of Moses Lake at the Mud Flats & Sand Dunes. Recreation - hike, run, bike Hiking involves long, vigorous walks, usually on trails or footpaths in natural settings like the countryside, mountains, or forests. Hiking offers substantial physical and mental health benefits, and generally requires minimal basic equipment for day trips. Hiking can range in difficulty and duration: 0 Day hiking - short hikes that can last from an hour to a full day, typically requiring minimal gear. ■ Backpacking/trekking - multi -day hikes that involve carrying gear, food, and shelter dike a tent) for overnight stays, often in more remote areas ■ Thru.-hiking - continuously hiking an established, long-distance trail from end to end, such as the Appalachian Trail (AT) or Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Trail running - is an endurance sport that involves running on unpaved surfaces, such as trails in forests, mountains, or parks. Unlike road running, which focuses on speed on even pavement, trail running emphasizes navigating varied terrain, including rocks, roots, gravel, and mud. Trail running can be about the experience and journey, with less emphasis on speed and time compared to road racing. Mountain biking - is an off -road cycling sport that takes place on rough terrain, including dirt trails, back -country roads, and other unpaved paths. It encompasses several different riding styles, from endurance -focused cross-country to gravity -driven downhill, requiring balance, endurance, and bike handling skills. It is a form of recreation and competition with many categories. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 41 1 'Trailhead 2 Recreation Lands 3 Trailhead 4 Recreation Lands 5 Trailhead 6 : Boat Launch 7 Trailhead 8 Recreation Lands 9 Trailhead 10 Camping park 11 Trailhead 12 F Recreation Lands 13.Trailhead/Climbii 14 Recreation Lands 15!Campground 16 Trailhead Recreation Lands 18 Trailhead 19 Trailhead 20 Trailhead 21 Trailhead 22 Recreation Lands 23 Camping park 24 ^Trailhead V Ancient Lake WDFW Beezley Hills Preserve The Nature Beezley Hills Trail System Ephrata, WDNR, & Private Bishop Recreation Area Quincy Port Disti Boy Scout Trailhead WA State Parks Buckshot Grant PUD; Manz WDFW Caribou Trailhead WA State Parks Columbia NWR USFWS Crab Creek Road Access IWA State Parks ICrescent Bar Recreation Area Grant County PU Delany Springs Trailhead WA State Parks Desert Wildlife A1rea nit WDFW 'Frenchman Coulee Trailhead WDFW !Hanford Reach National Monument USFWS 'Jackson Creek Fish Camp Grant County PLI Lenice Lake WDFW Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area WDFW & V4DNR Monument Coulee Trai State Parks ,Northrup Canyon Horse Trailhead WA State Parks Northrup Canyon Trailhead - -- - - WA State Parks - - -- -------- - - - --------------- - - Park Lake Trailhead WA State Parks Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area WDFW & WDNR t... ,Steamboat Rock State Park WA State Parks Warden Access WA State Parks W Date: 3/11/2025 0 2 4 8 Miles I (c) 202E Northwest Portal www.northN i L-- — -------- - ------ ------------------ -------------------- 42 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan - - -------- .. . ....... - - - - - ---- - -------- -- - ----- Dry Falls Lake ----------- w __----------------- ---- _ _ .._._..._ a_..- Moses Lake/Potl Grant County Tourism Master Plan 43 N Cross-country - focuses on endurance and climbing with lightweight and efficient bikes. N Trail - a general category for a wide variety of terrain with bikes that can handle both climbs and descents. a All-mountain/Enduro - rides on steep descents and long climbs, often at ski resorts using lifts for access. ® Downhill - specifically designed for fast, steep descents, jumps, and rugged terrain with bikes featuring strong frames and long suspension travel. U Freeride - involves aerial maneuvers on jumps and other natural or man-made features. Several multiuse hike, run, and bike trails have been developed in Grant County for short and long distance in a variety of terrain (see trail forks. com). ® Dry Falls Lake - 10 singletrack trails beginning in Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park north around Green Alkalki, Dry Falls, and Perch Lakes, east to Deep Lake, and south along Park Lake. Includes camping in Sun Lake -Dry Falls State Park and Sunland Resort. N Beezley Hills - 38 singletrack trails throughout the east face, across the top of Beezley Hills, and west through the Couch. The Beezley Burn is a I mile less popular blue singletrack trail located on Beezley Hill. This mountain bike primary trail can be used both directions and has a moderate overall physical rating with a 200-foot blue climb. On average it takes 6 minutes to complete this trail and is a popular competition sponsored each year by the Ephrata Parks Department. N Ancient Lakes - 44 singletrack trails extending from the Vantage -Plateau Loop above I- 90 north through Sunland Estates, under the Gorge Amphitheatre and the Waterfall Trail to the Columbia River, north and around Evergreen Reservoir, Burke, Quincy, Dusty, and Ancient Lakes, west on River Stroll to the Columbia River, and north on Northback Trail and back. Includes campsites around Ancient Lake off North Potholes Trail. 0 Moses Lake - 2 singletrack trails along the west shore of Moses Lake, the east shore of the Potholes Reservoir, and the north shore of the Potholes Reservoir and the sand dunes. Includes camping at nearby Potholes State Park at the southwest end of the reservoir. a Palouse to Cascade State Park Trail - is a 287-mile rail trail that follows the historic Milwaukee Road route from Seattle to Idaho and through Grant County for hiking, biking, and equestrian use, though some sections are closed due to safety concerns. The trail extends 18 miles east from Seattle (Cedar Falls) to the Snoqualmie Tunnel, 107 miles east and across the Columbia River on the Beverly Railroad Bridge to Royal City Cut-off, and 126 miles east from Warden to the Idaho border. a Great American Rail -Trail - will eventually link the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail into a nearly 4,000-mile developing trail that will connect the country from Washington, D.C. to Washington State. Recreation - horse trails Horse trails are generally defined as wildlands, rural, or urban. a Wildland trails - are in minimally developed or dispersed multiple -use areas, such as forests, swamps, deserts, or alpine areas and typically on state or federal lands. In some cases, rural road rights -of -way are used for wildland trails. a Rural trails - often incorporate some combination of rivers, creeks, unimproved drainages, hillsides, undisturbed open space, and other natural features and often include open spaces and preserves near highly populated areas or in moderately developed rural regions. Rural trails may cross or run at grade parallel to roads with vehicular traffic, a significant safety concern. a Urban trails - are in highly developed or congested areas and often accommodate many different user groups. Urban trails may share routes with other modes of transportation and often take advantage of roads, utility corridors, developed drainage corridors, and similar rights - of -way. Safety is a significant consideration when animals must mix with motorized traffic and adjust to other aspects of city travel. Hikers, trail runners, and horses can share multiuse trails without hazards. Horses and mountain bikers can share provided there are clear visual sight distances and bike speeds are low. Horses and motorized vehicles, however, cannot safely share the same trail corridors. When conflicts arise, trails may be separated or designated for a specific user. Given the amount of time and effort to trailer horses to horse trail trailheads most rides 44 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan typically last an afternoon at least and typically all day. Some longer rides may involve overnight camping. Several multiuse wildlands, rural, and urban horse trails have been developed in Grant County for short and long distance in a variety of terrain. a Steamboat Rock State Park - includes 17.3- miles of wildland horse trail segments including 1) 2.4-mile Banks Lake North Point, 2) 1.7-mile Banks Lake from Steamboat Rock, and 3) 2.9-mile Steamboat Cliff Viewpoint within the main park along with 5 horse campsites, 4) 1.4-mile Steamboat Rock Peninsula Loop along SR- 155/Coulee Boulevard, and 5) 2.8-mile Old Wagon Road Ridge and 6) 6. 1 -mile Northrup Canyon past the historic homestead site and into the canyon. ® Beezley Bills - shared horse, hike, and bike wildland/rural trails throughout the east face, across the top of Beezley Hills, and west through the Couch. a Bishop Recreation Area - or Ancient Lakes, are operated by the Port of Quincy on Port, BLM, and WDFW property with trailheads and overnight camping. The horse, hike, and bike wildland trails are located on old roads throughout the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Unit. a Frenchman Coulee - wildland/rural horse trails are located on old full -width dirt and gravel roads which are shared with hikers and off- roaders in the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Unit. E Columbia National Wildlife Refuge - includes wildland horse friendly trails shared with hikers and mountain bikers at the south end of the Potholes. Principal trail segments include 1) the 0. 1 7-mile Crab Creek Spur Trail, 2) 1.44 - mile Crab Creek Trail, 3) 1.49-mile Hutchinson - Shiner Lakes Water Trail, 4) 0.37-mile Pippistrelle Cliff Trail, and S) 1.88-mile Rimrock Trail along Lower Crab Creek. E Warden Horse Trail - a section of the Palouse to Cascade State Park Trail (formerly called the John Wayne Trail) that extends 126 miles from Warden to Plummer, Idaho on former railroad roadbed of gravel. This section of the rural horse, hike, and bike trail has few amenities or trailheads. a Palouse to Cascade State Park Trail - the Grant County section of the rural horse, hike, and bike trail extends across the Columbia River on the Beverly Railroad Bridge and then 23 miles to the Royal City Cut-off. Recreation - ORV/OHV Off -road vehicles (ORV) or Off -highway vehicles (OHV) are specifically engineered to navigate unpaved roads and surfaces including trails, forest roads, and other low -traction terrains. ORV/OHV are widely used in recreational activities and for practical applications like agriculture and construction. ORV/OHV includes a wide range of vehicles like dirt bikes, ATVs, SxS, and 4x4,. ORV/OHV designs feature robust suspension, specialized tires, and other adaptations for off -road navigation. a Dirt Bikes (Off -Highway Motorcycles) - are two -wheeled vehicles designed for off -road travel steered with handlebars. a All -Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) - also known as "quads" or "four -Wheelers,'' are typically four - wheeled vehicles designed for a single rider who straddles the seat and steers with handlebars. a Side -by -Side (SxS) - have non -straddle seating for one or more passengers, a steering wheel, and foot controls, and often include a roll cage and seatbelts. 0 Four-wheel (4x4) vehicles - provide power to all 4 wheels for traction and control, dual use on and off -road and include jeeps, trucks, and some Suvs. In the United States, the number of ORV users has increased from 5,000,000 in 1972 to 36,000,000 in 2000. ORVs cause more environmental stress than foot traffic alone, and ORV operators who attempt to challenge natural obstacles can cause significantly more damage than those on legal trails. Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 4S For this reason, Grant County, Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established ORV/OHV parks in Grant County. ORVs are also permitted on marked DNR and WDFW roads and trails. RED ZONE NO WhKks A&x,ved ON *ATE PAIDPERW SwId Dunes Rd NOTMSMSG M YELLOW ZONE Prewcm PROPER" 00"d ocwwl vow= Moses Lake Sand Dunes a Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dunes L- a basaltic aeolian sand accumulation on Grant County land located 4 miles outside the southern edge of Moses Lake includes 3,000 acres of sand dunes and 3,000 acres of mud flats (only open July -September) making it one of the largest in the region. There are no developed facilities, but camping is permitted. The ORV Park allows motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, SXS, 4x4/Jeeps (registered), Dune Buggy/Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered), and two-cycle engines subject to a 105 decible noise limit. Law enforcement is provided by rangers and officers in jeeps or ATVs. a Beverly Dunes Recreation Area - located near Mattawa, on Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land known for sandy terrain and activities with hiking, camping, and OHV use on the sandy dunes. a West Saddle Mountain OH OiDen Area - a 4,500-acre high desert terrain located in Mattawa on Bureau of Land Management Land (BLM) that includes 20 miles of narrow single track, makeshift motocross trails, rocky 4x4 trails, and rugged hill climbs for ATVs, SxS, 4x4s, dune buggy and sand rails, and 2-stroke engines with noise limits. 0 Wilbur Meadows ORV Park - a 100-acre man- made day -use ORV facility located on the east boundary of Lincoln County for dirt bikes, ATVs, SxS, drift carts, and 4x4 trucks with a motocross, dirt oval track, grass flat track, and obstacle course for all skill levels. The Lincoln County park is open daily year-round during daylight hours but is also available for special events. ORV/OHV activities are promoted by several user groups including the Washington Off Highway Vehicle Alliance (WOHVA), Northwest Motorcycle Association (NMA), Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association (PNW4WDA), Washington ATV Association (WAATVA), and Sand Scorpions. a Sand Scorpions - based in Moses Lake, operate as stewards of Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dunes organizing clean-up days, fence repair, boundary signage, and safety programs. The group hosts 20+ family -oriented competitive events a year that are free and open to the public. Recreation - campgrounds A campground typically consists of an open area where a camper can pitch a tent or park a trailer or recreational vehicle (RV). A campsite is a designated area set aside for camping, often requiring a user fee. A developed campground includes a moderate level of amenities including individual campsites with power, sewer, water hook-ups, wifi, a dump station, laundry facilities, onsite offices, or picnic shelters. A campground resort may also include rental trailers, yurts, cabins, snack bars, retail shops, restaurants, recreation halls, sports courts, swimming pools, golf courses, dog parks, or other similar activities. The US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) provides 1 campground in Grant County, Washington State Parks 6, Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 1, Grant County PUD 5, Ephrata 1, Royal City 1, Soap Lake 1, Moses Lake 1, and private operators 10. 46 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan II Dunes Recreation Area :WDNR 2 Bl,Beverly ue Lake Resort Standard Campground Private 3 Ca Park ------- - - -- !Standard Campground Moses Lake 4 'Colockurn Ridge rxgf and RV ---- AV Park 'Carn`pground_� Private S ':Coulee City Community Part - -------- _ ---- ....... ------ _I._I_____ ------ LISBR; Manager.Couleecity 6 Coulee Lodge Resort Standard Campground..._! Private 7 iCoulee Playland, Resort --- Standard Carnpound rPrivate 8 trescent Bar Recreation Area ---- - Standard CampgroundC-xantCounty PUD 9 Desert Aire RV Park RV Park 'Private 10 Ephrata RV Park & Campground RV Park -Private 11 Grant PLII) Visitor Center RV Park 'Grant County PUD 12 Jackson Creek Fish Camp Basic Campground Grant County PUD 13 Jones Bay Campnd Primitive Camping WA State Parks IA ;Northrup Canyon Norse Trailhead PrimitiveCarnping WA State Parks 15 ;WSullivanSportsman Resort RV Park Private 16 !Oasis RV Park and Golf Course _'...i -------------------- -------- -------- ---- ------------------ - - RV Park - -- ----- Ephrata, Manager. Private -------- ---------- 17 Osborn Bay Campground Primitive Camping WA State Parks IS i Potholes State Park Standard Campground WA State Parks 19 i Priest Rapids Recreation Area 'Standard Camp Grant County PW 20 1 Royal Golf Course RV Park !RV Park Royal city 21 'Sage HIIIs Golf Club RV Park RV Park :Private 22 :Sand Hallow Recreation Area Basic Campground -Grant County PW 23 jSmoklarn Park _ 4,1- IRV Park - --------------- Soap Lake _-__..__ ------- -, ...... 24 Smokium, RV Park *RV Park Soap Lake;,Manager Private. 25 Steamboat Rock State Park 'Standard Campground 4WA State Parks 26 Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park Standard Campground WAState Parks WA State Parks; Manager 27 Sun Lakes Park Resort Standard Campground Private 23 iSun Village Resod Standard Campground Private 'Sunbanksftsort Standard Cammzround Private29 LI REP" 115 N -.A-- I W- lapk S J Date- 3127/2025 8 Miles (c) 2025 Northwest Portal wwwaiarthwestporkdAm - - -------- -- 0 VM State Parks Palouse to cascades Tra". 00 Public landowners that do not have land in Grant County. "0 USBR. WM and Grant County PUD allow recreation on some but not A of their lands, in an effort to capture recreation opportunities, lands outside of named recreation areas owned by these agencies have been divided Into those that may allow recreation and those that probably do not. Smal properties, those with structures and those currently used for agricuiture are assumed to be closed to recreation, but this division has not Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 47 Columbia River 8 Crescent Bar Rctn Area Grant PUD 9 Desert Aire RV Park Private 11 Grant PUD Visitor Center Grant PUD 12 Jackson Creek Fish Camp Grant PUD 19 Priest Rapids Rctn Area Grant PUD 22 Sand Hollow Rctn Area Grant PUD Grand Coulee Corridor 2 Blue Lake Resort Private 5 Coulee City County Park USBR 6 Coulee Lodge Resort Private 7 Coulee Playland Resort Private 13 Jones Bay Campground State Parks 14 Northrup Canyon State Parks 17 Osborn Bay Campground State Parks 23 Smokiam Park Soap Lake 24 Smokium RV Park Soap Lake 25 Steamboat Rock State Pk State Parks 26 Sun Lakes -Dry Falls SP State Parks 27 Sun Lakes Park Resort State Parks 28 Sun Village Resort Private 29 Sunbanks Resort Private Moses Lake 3 Cascade Park Moses Lake 15 O"Sullivan Sportsman Private 18 Potholes State Park State Parks Other I Beverly Dunes Rctn Area DNR 4 Colockum Ridge RV Park Private 10 Ephrata RV Park Private 16 Oasis RV Park Ephrata 20 Royal Golf Course RV Royal City 21 Sage Hills Golf RV Private Grant County campgrounds include 6 are on the county side of the Columbia River, 14 in the Grant Coulee Corridor, 3 in Moses Lake, and 6 in other areas in the county. Most Grant County campgrounds, especially state parks, are older facilities that were designed for 0 tents or small trailers or pickup campers with back -in parking that can't accommodate larger rigs. Contemporary recreational trailers and RVs, however, are up to 40-50+feet long and tow a car, boat, or other recreational equipment. Modern campgrounds and RV parks are designed with 60- 80-foot pull -through sites to accommodate larger rigs. The lack of contemporarily designed campsites in Grant County limits the county's market appeal for these larger rigs. Recreation - sports tournaments Sports or multi -use courts - combine basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and tennis as well as a variety of other activities in half (25x50 feet) or full court (50xI0O feet) flexible layouts. Rectangular grass fields - support adult regulation (3310060 feet), youth ages 12-13 (3000 30 feet), youth ages 10- 11 (1 80x240 feet), youth ages 8-9 (90xI50 feet), and youth ages 6-7 (75xI20 feet) soccer activities. The larger field areas can be subdivided to support younger age player practices and games. For example, a regulation field of 330060 feet can be subdivided to support 12 acre 6-7 fields of 75xI20 feet. Baseball and softball field dimensions - vary considerably by age and league for baseline, infield, pitcher's mound, and distance to left and center field fences. The field -defining dimension, however, is the distance to center field as the infield dimensions can be modified to fit the player's ages and league for baseball and softball. Center field baseball distances for Pinto and Little League are 200-250 feet, Bonco 250 feet, Pony 300 feet, and high school and college 350- 400 feet. Softball center field distances are proportionately less for youth ages 10 and under of 175 feet, high school 225 feet, college and adult 220-250 feet, and adult slow pitch 315 feet. Baseball/softball fields may be dedicated with fixed skinned infield diamonds and outfield fences or located at the ends of rectangular fields where soccer fields can be overlaid the grass outfield areas. Sports tournaments are competitions involving three or more teams or individuals, where the overall winner is determined by a series of matches. Tournament types include knockout, league, and combination formats. a Knockout - competitors are eliminated after one loss. E League (or Round Robin) - all teams play each other and the winner is determined by total points or wins. ;Combination - a mix of knockout and league formats. 48 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Competitive Athletic Fields 7 1 i Big Bend Community College tommunity College Washington State 4 Ephrata High School High School Iphrata School District Moses Lake Park Park j'Quincy 7 Moses Lake High School !High S6001 Moses Lake School District 9 Paul Lauzier Athletic Complex Sports Fie1lds-_.-,_.-,-_ __ I -Moses Lake 10 'Quincy High School High School Quincy School District 11 Royal High School High School 'Royal School District 12 Warden High School High School Warden School District A The Quincy Parks District is building a "Q-Plex" sports complex with indoor & 4 outdoor field. The project is scheduled for completion in 2026. 19 R to VIP W. moo _ NN \ � Dote- A/27/2025 __--___._ ~_-___-________ Usm Usaft WA State Parks WOM City County Private Other WA State Parks Palouse to Cascades Trail. Public landowners that do not have land in Grant County- city USBR, BLM and Grant County PUD allow recreation on some but not all of their lands. In an effort to capture recreation opportunities. UGA lands outside of named recreation areas owned by these agencies hrie been divided Into those that may allow recreation and those clwWtopubfic that probably do not. Small properties, those with structures and Otose currently used for agriculture are assumed to be dosed to recreation, but this division has not been confirmed. VNII, Staus unkrx)wn*** Grant County Tourism Master Plan U 49 Sports tournaments involving school and league organizations are major tourism draws in Washington State and potentially for Grant County if courts and fields be assembled. Grant County has 12 sites with facilities that could support indoor and outdoor events including 5 in Moses Lake, 5 in Quincy, 2 in Ephrata, and 1 each in Royal City and Warden High Schools. Moses Lake Paul Lauzier Athletic Complex * 2 dedicated 300-foot grass ballfields with skinned infield, fence, lights, bleachers, and concessions * 3 dedicated 300-foot grass ballfields with dirt infield, fence, lights, bleachers, concessions * 0.5 outdoor basketball court Larson Playfield Complex ■ 1 dedicated 190-foot grass ballfield with skinned infield, fence, and lights ■ 2 dedicated 265-foot grass ballfield with dirt infield, fence, and lights ■ I dedicated 300-foot grass ballfield with skinned infield, fence, and lights Cascade Park 2 1 dedicated 200030-foot grass soccer field 0 1 divisible 180x300-foot grass soccer field divided into 2 each 115x180-foot youth soccer fields R I dedicated 100x175-foot grass youth soccer field a 3 dedicated 60x80-foot grass junior soccer fields Moses Lake High School a 2dedicated 300-foot grass ballfields with skinned infield and fence R 2 dedicated 200-foot grass ballfields with dirt infield and fence a 2 dedicated 150x350 grass soccer fields a I flexible 320x360-foot grass field a 1 dedicated grass 100-yard football field, synthetic surface track, and stadium a 14 outdoor tennis courts with lights 2 1 indoor regulation basketball court a I indoor lap swimming pool Big Bend Community College ■ I dedicated grass 300-foot ballfield with skinned infield, fence, lights ■ I dedicated grass 200-foot ballfield with dirt infield, fence 50 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Quincv East Park 1 dedicated grass 300-foot ballfield with dirt infield, fence, lights ■ Skatepark and pump track ■ Outdoor leisure pool ■ 6-lane outdoor lap pool ■ New Q-Plex aquatic facility will include 3 new slides, a lazy river, a 6-lane lap pool with a diving board and climbing wall, and a splash pad with a play structure designed for young children Lauzier Park ■ 2 flexible grass 250-foot ballfields with dirt infields ■ 2 grass 250x450-foot soccer fields ■ 1 grass rectangular field 550x750-foot field with 2 ballfield diamonds in the corner ■ 2 outdoor tennis courts with lights ■ 6 outdoor pickleball courts with lights 3 outdoor basketball courts with lights ■ 1.5 outdoor basketball courts without lights ■ Proposed improvements will reconfigure the park to add 2 grass 250-foot ballfields, 2 grass 250x450-foot soccer fields, and 2 grass 125x225-foot soccer fields -------------- --------- ----------- ---- I -------- --------- I ------- -- - --- ------- --.- ----------------------------------- - Q-Plex ■ Proposed 143,000 square foot multiuse facility that will include a fieldhouse that can accommodate a football field and track or 4 each 120x220 foot soccer fields or 2 each 120x240 foot soccer fields or an indoor market or 400 seats for concerts and conventions along with changing rooms, concession stand, and teen space. The facility will include a hard courts area that can accommodate 4 sports courts or 12 pickleball courts. Quincy High School ■ I dedicated grass 200-foot ballfield with dirt infield ■ I dedicated grass 200-foot ballfield with dirt infield, fence a I dedicated grass 300-foot ballfield with skinned infield 0 1 dedicated grass 300-foot ballfield with skinned infield, fence 0 1 grass 300040-foot rectangular soccer field E 1 grass 300x400-foot rectangular soccer field E 6 outdoor tennis courts a I synthetic turf 100-yard football field with track and stadium a I indoor regulations basketball court Quincy Middle School a I dedicated grass 300-foot ballfield with skinned infield, fence U 1 grass 200-foot ballfield with dirt infield on rectangular field a I grass 200x400-foot rectangular soccer field with baseball diamond overlay a 4 outdoor tennis courts with lights Ancient Lakes Elementary I grass football field (divisible for soccer) with synthetic surface track Ephrata Parkway Ballfields 1 dedicated grass 200-foot ballfield with skinned infield, fence, lights I dedicated grass 130-foot ballfield with dirt infield I dedicated 200-foot ballfield with dirt infield Ephrata High School a 4 dedicated grass 200-foot ballfields with dirt infield, fence, lights (I field), concession U I dedicated grass 300-foot ballfield with skinned infield, fence, lights a I grass 200-foot ballfield %-V a 4 flexible grass 150x215-foot soccer fields with lights (2 fields) a 1 dedicated grass 160000-foot soccer field a 8 outdoor tennis courts with lights a 1 dedicated grass 100-yard football field with synthetic surface track a 1 indoor regulation basketball court Royal City Royal High School a I dedicated grass 200-foot ballfield field with dirt infield, fence a I dedicated grass 300-foot ballfield field with skinned infield, fence, lights E 2 dedicated grass 240-foot ballfields with dirt infield a I flexible grass 200x230-foot soccer field a I dedicated grass 215x320 soccer field 0 1 synthetic turf 100-yard football field with synthetic surface track, stadium ■ I regulation indoor basketball court Wnrdpn Warden High School N 2 dedicated grass 200-foot ballfields with dirt infield, fence 0 1 dedicated grass 270-foot ballfield with skinned infield, fence N I flexible grass 220x600-foot rectangular field with I grass 220-foot ballfield diamond insert 0 1 dedicated grass 250075-foot soccer field a I dedicated grass 300x550-foot soccer field U I dedicated grass 240x420-foot soccer/football field with stadium ® 1 dedicated grass 175x360-foot soccer/football field a 1 indoor regulation basketball court Inventory 130-foot ballfields I 190-foot ballfields 1 200-foot ballfields 15 220-foot ballfields I 240-foot ballfields 2 250-foot ballfields* 4 265-foot ballfields 2 270-foot ballfields I 300-foot ballfields 15 60x80-foot soccer fields 3 100x175-foot soccer fields 1 125x225-foot soccer fields,% 1 150x215-foot soccer fields 4 150x350-foot soccer fields I 160x350-foot soccer fields 1 180x300-foot soccer fields 1 200x230 soccer field 1 200x330 soccer field 1 200-x400 flexible field I 2 1 Sx320 flexible field 1 220x600 flexible field 1 250x450 flexible field 2 250x375 flexible field I 300040 flexible field 1 300x400 flexible field I 300x550 flexible field I 320x360 flexible field I 550x750 flexible field 1 100-yard football field 7 0.25-mile track 5 Outdoor basketball courts 5 Outdoor pickleball courts 6 Outdoor tennis courts 34 Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 51 Indoor regulation basketball courts 4 Skate court/pump track I Outdoor leisure pool I Outdoor lap pool I Indoor swimming pool I Indoor Q-Plex with football field 1 and track or 4 each 120x220-foot soccer fields or 2 each 120x240- foot soccer fields and 4 sports courts or 12 pickleball courts Includes Lauzier Park additions Culture - Grant County Fairgrounds The Grant County Fair dates to 1911, when the first fair was held in Wilson Creek. The following year the fair was held in Ephrata, before a long hiatus likely caused in part by World War I. In 1923, the Grant County Fair was held in Moses Lake, then Neppel, for the first time. The 1923 fair focused on education with exhibits in agriculture, household, and 4-H club. The Grant County Fair and Livestock Association was founded in 1946 and the current fairgrounds' land was purchased in Moses Lake in 1948. -------_--- ------ ........... ........... ............ ....... ------- - ......... ------- ----------------- t Us *MOW *11*" NL= M Caen ........... ..... ....... ---------- ---- --- .. .......... ............. ------ ------------ ---_-------- ---------- Following the cancellation of the fair in 2020 due to the pandemic, the 2021 Grant County Fair received nearly 90,000 visitors. Since 2015, the fair attendance has fluctuated between 55,000 and 90,000 visitors. The Fair provides diverse entertainment with activities for all ages including clog dancing, juggling with fire, carnival rides, tractor pull, 52 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan concerts, animal shows, and others. A highlight of the fair is 4-H where members exhibit and display project work from animals to clothing and fashion. The Fairgrounds include: a 4 major buildings and a conference center with more than 30,000 square feet of indoor gathering space and 2 outdoor venues for larger events such as RV shows, festivals, car shows, or smaller private events like weddings, receptions, birthday parties, and more. a Over 60,000 square feet of indoor dirt arena for equestrian events, barrel races, tractor pulls, clinics, exhibitions, and livestock activities. a Rodeo arena with 5,000+ seats for rodeos, truck pulls, monster truck shows, concerts, circuses, and other activities. a One of the largest equestrian facilities in the Pacific Northwest with 444 horse stalls and over 465 RV sites. Facility sq ft Rodeo Arena - announcers' booth, 8 full size rough stock chutes, large bull, calf, and stock pens, 5,000 seat grandstands and bleachers, ticket booths, concession booths, and Musco lighting. Ardell Pavilion - show office, 35,584 enclosed eating area and kitchen, barrel lasers, warm-up pen, dirt arena Harwood Pavilion - bleachers, warm- 261400 up pen, and sand arena Commercial Building - 780-person 12,000 capacity, heat, and air conditioning with vaulted ceiling. AG Building - 468-person capacity, 79700 heat, and air conditioning. 4-H Building - 480-person capacity, 79200 with kitchen, bathrooms, heat, and air conditioning. Huck Fuller Building - 350-person 5I500 maximum capacity with 8x16-foot stage, commercial kitchen, bathrooms, heat, and air conditioning. Center Field - covered shelter with 800 10x20-foot stage. South Field - 9.5-acre grass outdoor venue with 75 rental campsites with water and electricity, and 150+ dry rental campsites. Total square feet 959184 Fairground events include: 0 Equine - with barrel racing, equestrian shows, cutting horse competitions, quarter horse shows, and mini horse and pony shows. a Rodeos and jaripeos - the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo is one of the largest events held at the fairgrounds and has hosted numerous Jaripeos (Mexican rodeo). 0 Gun shows - a Northwest Gun Shows event held once in the fall and once in the spring. a Livestock shows - including cattle and sheep shows, a pig sale, and FFA events. a Motor sports - include monster truck shows and truck pulls. E Pet shows - include the Moses Lake Kennel Club and the Washington State Rabbit Breeders Association. a Public events - include but are not limited to a mobile clinic for veterans, an auction and exposition put on by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce, multiple events put on by local churches and religious organizations, a Boy Scout day camp, automobile trade shows, and vintage and farmer's markets. a Celebrations - include weddings, Quinceafteras, and sweet-16 celebrations. Vendors and concessionaires provide a wide range of products including non-food products from textiles, art, crafts, novelty items, and event specific items, such as horse supply and tack. A key component of the Fair is to promote the local agricultural community. In addition to agricultural education through youth programs such as 4-H and FFA, the Fair provides a casual environment for farmers and consumers to interact. Culture - Moses Lake Roundup The first Columbia Basin, Rodeo was held in 1943 when wild horses were rounded up by horseback, jeep, and airplane to use for the bareback and saddle bronc events. Horses were colleced from as far south as the Frenchman Hills and as far west as Vantage. The last wild horse roundup was held in 19'53. Since then, the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association has relied on professional bucking stock. The Z:) current name, Moses Lake Roundup, pays homage to the origins of the original rodeo. In 1963 the association moved into the present facility at the Grant County Fairgrounds. That same year it also changed from a 2-performance rodeo to a 3-performance rodeo. In subsequent years, the Association brought well known western personalities to the rodeo such as Dan Blocker ("floss" from Bonanza) and Michael Landon ("Little Joe"). The Columbia Basin Rodeo Association continues to hire the best in professional rodeo entertainment. As a non-profit, the Association donates scholarships to local high school seniors partnering with the local Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation, as well as sponsoring area youth activities and rodeo teams. Moses Lake Roundup is a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) competing in the Columbia River Circuit. Moses Lake Roundup won Small Rodeo of the Year in 2011, and after increasing purse money, won Large Rodeo of the Year in 2013. The rodeo sponsors the following events: R Bareback riding - is one of the most physically demanding of all the rodeo events. A cowboy attempts to ride a bucking horse by holding onto a "rigging" - a leather and rawhide strap -with no stirrups or seat, for 8 seconds. There are 50 possible points awarded for the horse's bucking ability, and 50 for the cowboy's riding style. E Saddle bronc riding - is judged similarly to bareback riding but there are additional possibilities to being disqualified: losing a stirrup or dropping the thickly braided rein that is attached to the horse's halter. a Steer wrestling - the steer wrestler or "bulldogger," starts behind a barrier, and begins the chase after the steer has been given a head start. The steer wrestler is assisted by a hazer, another cowboy on horseback tasked with keeping the steer running in a straight line. After the catch, the steer wrestler must either bring the steer to a stop or change the direction of the animal's body before the throw or is disqualified. The clock stops when the steer is on its side with all four legs pointing the same direction. a Tie down roping - once a calf has been roped, the cowboy dismounts and runs down the length of the rope to the calf and ties 3 legs Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 53 together with a 6-foot pigging string. The calf must remain tied for 6 seconds or the cowboy is disqualified. 0 Team roping - two ropers, a "header" and a "heeler," work together to catch a steer in the fastest time possible. The header throws a rope first and must catch the steer with one of three legal catches - around the horns, around the neck, or around a half head. The header will then wrap a rope around a saddle horn and turn the steer to the left. The heeler then ropes both hind legs for a clean run, or one leg for a 5-second penalty. E Barrel racing - is a fast paced, timed event where horse and rider cross a starting line, race around a cloverleaf pattern, and run back across the finish line. Times are recorded to the 100th of a second. a Bull riding - is one of the most exciting events where a rider must last until the 8 second buzzer goes off. Bull riders use a "bull rope," a braided rope approximately 8 feet long, that is fitted around the bull's mid -section to hold on to. The rider inserts a hand into the rope and the rope is then pulled tight. The rodeo also hosts the Miner Services Demolition Derby, Dirt Bike Barrel Racing, and Power Wheels which include events for younger age participants. Culture - The Gorge Amphitheatre The Gorge Amphitheatre, originally known as Champs de Brionne Music Theatre and commonly referred to as The Gorge, is an outdoor concert venue situated near the 54 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Columbia River 9 miles west of George. The venue hosts 3 annual festivals: Beyond Wonderland, Watershed, and Bass Canyon, as well as solo acts. The Gorge is a 9-time winner of Pollstar Magazine's award for 'Best Outdoor Music Venue' and was voted as one of the 'Best Outdoor Concert Venues in America' by ConcertBoom. The original amphitheater was owned and operated by Dr. Vincent Bryan and Carol Bryan, along with the adjoining Champs de Brionne winery, for which it was named. It opened in 1986 and seated 3,000 people but expanded to 19,000 by the time of its purchase by MCA in 1993. The Gorge Amphitheatre was acquired by Live Nation in 2006 and currently has a 27,500- seat capacity. The White River Amphitheatre on the Muckleshoot Indian near Auburn opened in 2003, directly competing with The Gorge. The venue is substantially closer to Seattle, offering a shorter travel time of around 40 minutes compared to 2 hours 20 minutes to The Gorge, depending on traffic. However, a columnist for The Seattle Times noted The Gorge offers a preferable view it and "'experience'. . About 400,000 people attended concerts at The Gorge Amphitheatre in 2013. A documentary film titled 'Enormous: The Gorge Story was released in 2021 that focused on the venue and its music history. Apart from drawing big -name performers, The Gorge also hosts an array of popular music festivals including Area Festival, Creation Festival, Dave Matthews Band Caravan, Endfest, H.O.R.D.E. Festival, Honda Civic Tour, Identify Festival, KUBE 93 Summer Ham, Lilith Fair, Lollapalooza, Ozzfest, Pain in the Grass, Paradiso Festival, Rock the Bells, Sasquatch! Music Festival, Uproar Festival, Vans Warped Tour, and Watershed Music Festival. As of 2024, Dave Matthews Band has played 76 shows at the venue, traditionally during a 3 -night Labor Day weekend run. Campground - attendees can stay in the campground for 24 hours on the day of a single show, or until 12 noon the day after a run of shows ends. Camping at the Gorge requires a camping ticket, which can be included in the concert admission ticket price. %W JW_ The campground at the Gorge sets aside spaces for one car with up to two 2-person tents or a single RV. There are very limited RV hookups at the Gorge campground. Sites are set aside on a first -come, first -served basis. Potable water, flush toilets, hot showers, and a convenience store are available on the grounds. The campground has 24-hour security. There are other camping options near the Gorge including the Wildhorse Campground, which offers a shuttle to and from the venue that is included in the price of camping. Visitors can also stay off -site at properties like Sagecliffe Resort and Spa, which has a pool, vineyards, and an on -site restaurant. Culture - the performing arts The Masquers Theater Open since 1979, Masquers, Theater is one of the oldest community theaters in the state of Washington providing a cultural hub for residents and visitors alike. The theater has produced top- notch productions from musicals to classic plays to contemporary dramas such as Firebringer, The Revlon Girl, Clue, Annie, The Lady Pirates of Captain Bree, The Odd Couple, Harvey, Elf the Musical, Sing On, Once on the Island, and You Can't Take It With You, among others. Bob and Shirley Dunlop started the Masquers Theater in 1979. The Dunlops moved to Soap Lake from California with experience and expertise in community theater. The first plays were produced in one of the downtown buildings and included Come Blow Your Horn, The Warrior's Husband, Gaslight, and Blythe Spirit. Although it has never left Main Street in Soap Lake, the Masquers Theater stage location has changed 4 times in the last 40+ years. For example, Pied Piper was performed in local schools and Driving Miss Daisy was presented as a dinner theatre at several restaurants. With the help of Hank Worden and the Columbia Basin Foundation, and a land donation by Marina Romary, a new state-of-the-art theater was constructed on Main Street in downtown Soap Lake in 2001. a Soap Lake Creative District - was certified by the ArtsWA Board of Commissioners in 2025 as one of the 20 communities in the state to be recognized for its innovation and creativity. ArtsWA views Creative Districts as vital to the broader creative economy, which encompasses a Wide range of professions and is a key component of Washington's cultural and economic sector that accounted for over 10% of Washington's GDP in 2020. Wallenstein Theater Big Bend College Larson Air Force Base was built between 1941 and 1942 and was in use from 1942 to 1966. In 1966 Big Bend Community College obtained 154 acres of the base for its new campus when the base was decommissioned. The college rehabilitated buildings for classrooms and offices and made Grant County Tourism Master Plan I SS the site its main campus with the theater one of the first buildings renovated. The theater was later named the Wallenstien Theater after the third Big Bend Community College President, Dr. Bob Wallenstien. The theater has been in regular use since. In 1974 the theater made local history when it hosted the first annual college musical starring Leonard Nimoy (best known for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise) as Fagan in "Oliver." Today, the theater is an essential part of Moses Lake and Grant County as the only theater able to sit almost 700. Along with housing Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA), the theater serves as classroom and facility for the Central Basin Community Concerts Association (CBCCA). The State of Washington remodeled the theater with fire safety system upgrades, electrical 0 upgrades, and a new roof in 2022. Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA), the local non-profit, books most events in the venue. Quincy High School Theater The Quincy High Drama Club - has been in operation since 1916 with the creation of the "Thalia Club" immortalized in the biography of Ruth Gordon, a founding member of the club. Ruth Gordon graduated from Quincy High School and went on to become an Oscar and TONY award winning actress. Quincy High School continued its mission to create quality productions for the students and community currently performing out of the Lloyd Hill Auditorium, a state of the art theater built in 2010. The Club currently has 80 student members who serve as performers, designers, stage managers, technical crew, and house staff who put on 3 full productions a year including a drama production 0 in the fall, a musical in the winter, and a variety show in the spring. The Quincy High School Drama Club provides challenging, diverse productions with on-stage and off-stage training. The program nurtures aspiring actors and technicians, providing an environment where students can flourish. The Drama Club uses the live theatre to educate, inform, provoke discussion, and entertain members of the school community and the residents of the greater Quincy area. The Quincy High School Drama Club produces shows like "Little Women" and participates in collaborations with other schools, such as the QNQ Drama Club. The QNQ Drama Club is also a student activity that involves various production roles from performing to stage crew. Z:> Quincy Community Theatre (Q.CT) - is located at the Oakley -Lindsay Center providing classes, workshops, and professional productions including musicals, mysteries, comedies, and dramas since 1923. Originally named the Quincy Community "Little" Theatre, the organizers presented 2 or 3 plays a year at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy. The Little Theatre was formally organized in 1928 by Mrs. Charles Dazey (wife of the famous Broadway playwright, Charles Dazey) and by Paul Weisenborn,, an attorney in Quincy, producing plays at the old Empire Theatre. In the early 1930's, smaller shows moved to the old First Baptist Church, a move that made year- round productions possible though major productions were still staged at the Empire Theatre. When using the church was no longer possible, the plays were staged at the Quincy Senior High School auditorium. During WWII, the shortage of male actors forced theatre activities to shut down. When the theatre resumed productions in 1953, it operated as an outdoor summer theatre. For the next 10 years, the productions were held on the lawn of the Art Barn located on historic Main Street. The theatre located to its first permanent home at 13th and Payson Avenue in 1964 with the purchase of the former Trinity Parish Hall. The 56 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan first full-time managing director was hired in 1973 and other staff positions were added as growth continued. In April of 1989, the theatre joined with the Civic Center Authority and the Quincy Convention and Visitors Bureau and applied for a $5,600,000 state grant to build a Civic Center/Theatre complex. The $1,250,000 goal for matching funds was reached 2 years later and construction of the new complex was completed in the spring of 1995. "Little" was dropped from the name and the facility became Quincy Community Theatre. The theatre was dedicated in 1995 with an inaugural performance entitled "Memories -A Musical Revue". The Quincy Community Theatre (QCT) has seating for 498 people with 184 in the orchestra section and 314 in the mezzanine. The thrust - style stage is 40 feet wide and 22 feet tall, with a 15-foot apron in front of the proscenium. 9 sections of the apron can be removed to reveal the orchestra pit that has space for up to 25 musicians and equipment. Lighting and sound are computer -controlled from a booth at the back of the auditorium and from a soundboard located between the theatre's orchestra section and the mezzanine. The backstage area is 80 feet wide, 50 feet tall, and 32 feet deep with drive -up capability and storage for sets and props. The backstage area includes an elaborate fly system used to raise and lower scenery. A large set of doors separates the backstage area of the theatre from the scene shop. Each door is 22 feet high by 6 feet wide and weighs approximately 3,500 pounds. The size and bulk of the doors allows scenery to be moved from the shop to the stage and soundproof the stage from the scene shop. a The Lab Theatre - is a 40-foot by 40-foot soundproof theatre used for rehearsals, auditions, meetings, cast parties, and as overflow dressing rooms for large musicals. The venue also serves as a secondary performance space with a full lighting grid and sound system. a Backs - includes spacious dressing rooms with bathrooms and showers, a Green Room with a kitchenette, and a costume shop. a Quincy Valley Allied Arts (OVAA) In 2000, the Quincy Valley Allied Arts (QVAA) produced "Oklahoma!" in the brand-new Quincy Middle School auditorium. QVAA produces, promotes, and supports all forms of art in Quincy from live music to visual arts to theater. Initially, the theatrical wing of QVAA was dubbed "The Quincy Harvest Players," but over the years, the actor -troupe and the organization have become synonymous. The troupe has staged classics from "The Sound of Music" to "Sister Act $1 , hosted summer melodramas in local parks, and regularly welcomes Missoula Children's Theatre to Quincy for youth productions. The last two spring musical productions, "'Hello Dolly" (2025) and "Bright Star," (2024), included American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters. QVAA also hosts an annual community choir concert during the holiday season. Last year, the program featured 90 local musicians, a choir of 60, and an orchestra of 30. The program serves as a fundraiser for the Quincy Food Bank. Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA) Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA) provides a wide variety of nationally and internationally acclaimed arts performances and events. CBAA was founded by a Big Bend Community College grant written to promote shows at the college's Wallenstien Theater. CBAA presents Green Turtle performances geared towards families and young people, while CBAA Premiere performances are for a broader audience Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 57 targeted to and performed by culturally diverse groups. A visual arts component currently consists of a yearly mural project in collaboration with the Moses Lake Museum and Grant County Fairgrounds, and an ArtBox project geared at putting easy -to -use lesson plans for educators based on Washington State K-12 arts learning standards. In 2018, CBAA extended outreach beyond the theater and Grant County into public schools in Lincoln and Adams Counties, CBAA is one of the few arts organizations to have received the Washington Governor's Arts Award for Artistic Excellence. CBAA's professional standing in the national arts community has been validated by financial recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts, Western States Arts Federation, Washington State Arts Commission, Western Alliance of Arts Administrators, Washington Commission for the Humanities, and Arts Network of Washington State. Central Basin Community Concerts Association(CRCCA) Central Basin Community Concert Association (CBCCA), a nonprofit organization, has provided the community with live concerts and music education since 1954. CBCCA has featured jazz, Classical, Pop, Irish, Celtic, Country, Gospel, Opera and Broadway genres of music in the Columbia Basin. Musicians travel from Ireland, Australia, Croatia, Italy, Ukraine, France, Korea, and others to perform. The concerts provide outreach education to schools, music students, and teachers. Membership fees and donations fund concerts and outreach including discounted rates for music students and teachers. CBCCA produces 4 musical concerts of national and international recognition at Big Bend Community College's Wallenstein Theater each year. CBCCA also provides members free access to dozens more shows from California to Montana at other Community Concert Associations as part of a nation-wide network. Culture - fine arts Moses Lake Museum & Art Center Moses Lake Museum 1& Art Center is a program of the Moses Lake Parks & Recreation Department supported by the City of Moses Lake and Museum Members and housed in the Moses Lake Civic Center. Originally founded as the Adam East Museum in 1958, the Museum is home to local history exhibits, a fine art gallery, a museum store, and a giant Columbian Mammoth metal sculpture. The Center is dedicated to exploring the human and natural history of the Columbia Basin and celebrating the works of regional artists. The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center is a member of the American Alliance of Museums, Washington Museum Association, and American Association for State and Local History James Cultural Center GCQ The Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee had a vision for a permanent space that could be used as a meeting and exhibit venue for sharing the Lower Grand Coulee experience through arts and science education, exhibits, and presentations. The James Building was donated to the City by the William Beeks Foundation and William Beeks, 58 I Grant County Tourism Master Plan (a local part time resident) before he passed away around 2016. The James Building is a Soap Lake landmark sitting on Main Avenue East in downtown Soap Lake. The building was in terrible condition, particularly the roof when donated. The city temporarily leased the building to the Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee to allow critical repairs . After the restoration work was completed, the Friends negotiated a restoration and usage agreement with the City of Soap Lake and a long-term lease. The James Building has proven to be a valuable organizational hub for community projects such -as Winterfest, the Centennial Celebration, Smokiam Days, Suds 'N Sun, Moonlight Paddle, and more. It is also being used as an archive center for Brent Blake memorabilia and artworks, the Historical Society's informational collection, a window display for Ice Age Flood interpretive panels, and great canoe race memorabilia. M The Rural Communities Design Initiative (RCDI) - facilitated workshops for a downtown Soap Lake revitalization project and a public workshop for the JCC in 2024. The workshop produced fresh design concepts and information about what it will take to support a revitalized James Building. The design concept will retrofit the James Building to provide exhibit spaces, auditorium, classroom, kitchen, and cafe to ensure the facility's sustainable operation. The building space will be publicly available to other organizations with similar needs and purposes including local schools, creative district organizers, artists, vendors, and other organizations. tn The Rural Communities Design Initiative (RCDI) is a collaborative effort between WSU design disciplines at the School of Design + Construction, including WSU faculty in history, business, sociology, anthropology, and communications, and WSU Extension. The RCDI seeks to enhance the social, cultural, economic, and natural capital of unique rural places through design interventions in the physical environment. Soap Lake 'Ouilt Retreats The Soap Lake Quilt Retreats is located near downtown on First Avenue across the street from East Beach to provide classes, local tours, bikes, historical information, and massage therapy. a The Retreat Center - is a 2,000 square foot classroom with 421 each 4-foot tables, 20 armless rolling chairs, 30 each 6-foot design walls, 2 ironing boards and irons, and views of Soap Lake. The facility is wheelchair accessible with 3 bathrooms and a full commercial kitchen complete with dishes and utensils for 20, a double oven, large capacity refrigerator, premium wine fridge, and dishwasher. Small appliances include 40 cup coffee pot, Keurig coffee maker, 6-quart slow cooker and blender. The center can be arranged to accommodate up to 30 quilters as a package with a minimum of 3 condos for a quilting or scrapbooking group. # a ' 1906 historic bungalows - were originally built during the height of Soap Lake's tourist activity in 1906. Plumbing was added in 1935, the kitchens were remodeled in 1970, and all were completely refurbished in 2016. Condos - were built in 2019 with 2 bedrooms, bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, 4 seat dining room, and living room. The condos are 0 offered as a package deal with the Retreat Center Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 59 for groups of 12 or more. An additional condo, bungalows and cottages can be added to accommodate larger groups. Artists of Central Washington Artworks in the State Art Collection are by artists based in or with a strong connection to the Central Washington counties of Yakima, Kittitas, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan. The artists grew up or are currently living and working in Central Washington. Many of the artists are or have been teachers at local colleges and universities such as Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wenatchee Valley College, and Yakima Valley College. As a State Art Collection, the artworks are of the area's extensive and shared landscape and inspiration that form a visual web of connections and influences. Following is a list of the artists and the location of their 64 artworks in Grant County. Artist Grand Coulee - 1 Lucinda Parker Soap Lake - 14 Joanne Hammer Jo Fyfe Ruth Brockmann Janette Hopper William Winden William Winden Gloria Crouse Bill Colby Michael Williams Peggy Hitchcock Ruth Brockmann Elwood Jones Mindi Katzman Dennis Cunningham Ephrata - 2 John Killmaster Joe Federsen Quincy - 13 Susan Aurand Susan Aurand Susan Aurand Susan Aurand Lisa Stirrett Lisa Stirrett Lisa Stirrett Location Lake Roosevelt ES Soap Lake ES Soap Lake ES Soap Lake ES Soap Lake ES Soap Lake ES Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Soap Lake MS Ephrata Armory Ephrata HS Ancient Lakes ES Ancient Lakes ES Ancient Lakes ES Ancient Lakes ES George ES George ES George ES Lisa Stirrett Cynthia Krieble Michael Williams Michael William Ron McGaughey Steven Scheibe Moses Lake - 6 Earl Olsen Anne Fiske Dana Boussard Luis Serrano Earl Olsen Brian Borrello Moses Lake SD - 4 Barbara Wilson Katherine Holzknecht Claudia Riedener Haiying Wu Mattawa - 11 Richard Beyer Barbara Kasten Brian Swanson James Deitz Isabel Sim Hamilton Gu Ziong Ray Troll Judith Poxson Fawkes Frank Samuelson Ann Gardner James Sahlstrand Royal City - 5 Stephanie Inman Stu Levy Stu Levy Stu Levy David H Wilson Warden - 4 Katherine Holzknecht Louise Williams Robert Graves John Davis Wilson Creek - 3 George ES Monument ES Monument ES Monument ES Monument ES Monument ES Big Bend Community College Big Bend Community College Big Bend Community College Big Bend Community College Bid Bend Community College Big Bend Community College Columbia Basin Secondary School Park Orchard ES Sage Point ES Moses Lake HS Saddle Mountain ES Saddle Mountain ES Wahluke HS Wahluke SD Wahluke SD Wahluke SD Wahluke SD Wahluke SD Wahluke SD Wahluke SD Wahluke SD Royal Intermediate School Royal MS Royal MS Royal MS Royal MS Warden ES Warden ES Warden ES Warden ES 60 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Dick Garvey Wilson Creek ES Barbara Black Wilson Creek ES Michael Brophy Wilson Creek ES Grapeview - 1 Linda Okazaki Grapeview School ES - elementary school, MS - middle school, HS - high school, SD - school district Source: Washington State Arts Commission, Artists of Central Washington, ArtsWA.gov Soap Lake School District has the largest collection of Washington State Arts Commission with 14 artworks, Quincy School District with 13 including multiple artworks by Susan Aurand and Lisa Stirrett, and Wahluke School District in Mattawa with 11. Culture - festivals Soap Lake Food & Folk Festival The annual Soap Lake Food & Folk Festival takes place on the third weekend in June organized by ------ - 1-- ------- ------ - - - ---- I-- - ----- - - the Creative District �p �i�, and Coulee Friends in partnership with Cloudview Farm of Ephrata, a community - centered nonprofit • serving Grant County - ------ --- with education, food, and a local connection. Cloudview hosts food, live folk, Americana, blues, Pan-African, Celtic, and European music performances, a beer garden, and craft vendors. Live music begins before noon and continues until sundown at Smokiam Park in downtown Soap Lake. Moses Lake Air Show The Moses Lake Airshow was created in 2019 by the Port of Moses Lake to develop awareness of the community and tourism surrounding Moses Lake as well as the city's military and civilian connections. Located in the Grant County International SES Airport, one of the largest airfields in the United States, Moses Lake is filled s -41esstmio-o with aviation -------------------------------------------- I _ __.._... history. The first show in 2019 featured aviation legends such as Vicky Benzing, Mini Jet Airshows, Alpha Jet, The Rock N Roll Airshow Man (Will Allen), Ken Hildebrandt, the United States Army Parachute Team (The Golden Knights), and Yellow Thunder. The wings in the logo are a nod to the military heritage of the Port of Moses Lake. The fire - breathing dragon in the center represents the lake itself, which is shaped like a lithe - magical creature of the Far East. The 2020 Air Show was cancelled due to Covid, as well as most other airshows around the county, but returned in 2021 with normal gate attendance, as well as drive -In parking spots on the grounds. Moses Lake Umani & Harvest Festival UMANI is a major community -wide collaboration between individuals and many of the largest cultural institutions in the area, including Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA) Moses Lake Library, Downtown Moses Lake Association, Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA), Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, Moses Lake Creative District, Big Bend Community College, Moses Lake High School MEChA, Artisans Co. and EDUBS C/S. - ---------------- I ........ - - -- - ----- - ----------------- - ...... HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION LIVE MUSIC 6 DANCING, LOWRIOERS, WORKSHOPE, FOOD, DRINKS, LUCHA FESTIVAL 6 MORE! UMANI takes place the last Saturday of September in the middle of the National Hispanic Heritage month (September 15th-October 15th). Free activities include Lucha wrestling, a lowrider car show and hop off, music, barbers, artists, creative workshops, crafts and games for families, resource booths, vendors, food trucks, and a beer garden. Moses Lake Spring Festival Started in 1980, Spring Fest is run by volunteers --------- — - ------ during a 4 -day Memorial Day weekend in McCosh Park on roC the Moses Lake waterfront. The festival is an annual tradition with a kickoff to spring in the Columbia Basin Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 61 featuring 3-on-3 basketball, volleyball, a cross- country run, carnival, car show, parade, talent competition, free live music entertainment, food trucks, and craft, jewelry, and specialty good vendors. The 2025 festival attracted 20,000 attendees with 589 runners in the Fun Run, a fundraiser for the high school cross country team, 180 entries in the car show hosted by the Lakesiders, 126 3-on- 3 basketball teams, 12 volleyball teams, 62 entries in the parade, and 100 vendors. Moravida Festival Moravida Festival is a celebration of life inspired by the traditions of pia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and hosted in the Grant County Fairgrounds since 2021. The Moravida Festival serves as a gathering place to honor the memories of departed loved ones while celebrating Hispanic culture. The festival includes face painting, arts and crafts, trunk or treat by the Lakesiders Car Club, costume contest, La Catrina contest, food trucks, games, pumpkin painting, petting zoo, pop-up vendors, a community altar, and live entertainment by the Ballet Folkloricos and Mariachis. a La Catrina - one of the strongest and most recognizable symbols of The Day of the Dead celebrations is the tall female skeleton wearing a fancy hat with feathers named La Catrina. La Catrina and the essence of her story is deep into Mexican traditions and roots but has been restyled only in the last century. It is believed that the Aztecs worshipped a goddess of death that allegedly protected departed loved ones, helping the dead into the next stages. The Mexican tradition of honoring and celebrating the dead is entrenched deeply in the culture of the Mexican people. La Catrina is a strong visual image depicting how the Mexican people see death and the afterlife. Different cultures have diverse traditions regarding death and how to deal with it individually and as a family. Mexico is unique in that it prefers to take it good- humoredly and passionately celebrates the life and memories the person created while alive instead of indulging in death. La Catrina is about living true self and not pretending to be someone else because no matter what you look like and where you come you will end up a skeleton in the end along with everyone else. 62 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan 4: Visitation North Central Region North Central % visitor % The State of Washington Tourism (SWT) Region days change maintains Datafy, a visitor statistics model based Kittitas County 43.5% +2.3% on historical trends. Datafy determined the state Grant County 32.5% -3.9% generated 91,706,808 visitor trips in 2024 which Chelan County 24.9% -2.1% was -7.2% less than 2023. However, the number Okanogan County 9.2% % of visitor days in 2024 of 204,787,197,was +3.3% Total trips 59115,035 +2.2% more than in 2023 and the average length of stay Visitor days 10,228,444 -2.7 of 2.2 days in 2024 was +0.2 days longer than in Average length of 2.0 days -0. 1 days 2023. Consequently, even though the total stay volume of trips declined in 2024 the visitors Source: State of Washington (SWT) Datafy stayed longer than in 2023. Note - percent change not available for Okanogan County % visitor % Washington State days change Metro (Puget Sound) 47.3% +1.5% Southwest (Palouse) 20.3% 0.0% Eastern (Ponderosa) 13.3% +0.05% Wine Country 12.0% -0.8% Peninsulas 5.6% +1.6% North Central 2.0% -2.5% (Trails & Lakes) Northwest (Salish 4.2% -0.8% Sea) Total trips 91j706,808 -7.2% Visitor days 204,787,197 +3.3% Average length of 2.2 days -0.2 stay days Source: State of Washington (SWT) Datafy Grant County's located in SWT's North Central Region (the Trails & Lakes region) that includes Grant, Kittitas, Chelan, and Okanogan Counties. Datafy determined the North Central Region captured 5% of all state visitor days in 2024 which was -2.5% less than the total number of state visitor days captured in 2023. The total number of trips in the North Central Region was 5,115,035 in 2024 which was 2.2% more than in 2023 though the number of visitor days of 10,228,444 was -2.7% less than in 2023 and the 2.0 days of the average length of stay was -0.1 day less than in 2023. Consequently, even though the North Central Region's total visitor trips increased the number of visitor days and length of stay declined over 2023. Grant County captured 32.5% of all visitor days in the North Central Region in 2024 which was -3.9% less than in 2023 meaning Grant County's capture rate declined within the North Central Region. % Grant County Region Counties visitors North Kittitas, Grant, Chelan, 31.9% Central Okanogan Metro King, Pierce, 2 9. 0?,o' Puget Snohomish, Thurston Sound Eastern Spokane, Whitman, 15.5% Adams, Stevens Wine Benton, Yakima, 14.7% Country Franklin, Asotin Southwest Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, 4.7% Pacific Northwest Whatcom, Skagit, 2.3% Island, San Juan Peninsulas Kitsap, Clallam, Grays 1.9% Harbor, Mason Source: State of Washington (SWT) Datafy Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 63 According to Datafy, 31.9% of all visitors to the North Central Region come from the 4 counties within the region, or Kittitas, Grant, Chelan, and Okanogan Counties. The remaining regions that provide visitors to the North Central Region come from Metro Puget Sound for 29.0%, .Pastern for 15.5%, wine Country for 14.7%, Southwest for 4.7%, Northwest for 2.3, and the Peninsulas for 1.9. Therefore, the primary source of visitors to the North Central Region and thereby Grant County are local or residents primarily of Metro Puget Sound to the west of Grant County, and the Pastern Region to the east of Grant County - or the 1-90 corridor. Days 1 2 3 4+ days 76.9% 9.4% 3.85% 2.69 change -3.0 +1.08% +0.26% +0.24% Source: Eastern Washington University (PWH) Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis At beast, 76.9 of all stays in the North Central Region are for a single day, 9.4 for 2 days, 3.85 for 3 days, and 2.69% for 4+ days. However, the percent staying a single day declined -3.0 from. 2023 while the percent staying 2 or more days increased slightly. Approximately 51.6 of all visitors were one- or first-time visitors while 48.4% were repeat visitors who were familiar with north. Central Region assets. Washington State Parks Washington State Parks collects annual visitation numbers for both overnight and day -use visitors. The visitor counts are derived through methodology and do not represent an exact count. Washington State Parr makes no claims to the accuracy of the data or to the suitability of the data for a particular use. Grant County's State Park visitation trends remained relatively flat from 2020-2024 averaging 1,12 5,804 to 1, 2 24,484 day use visitors and 232,140 to 268,395 overnight visitors with the lowest volumes in 2020 during Covid and the highest in 2021 immediately afterwards. - -- - - --- ---- ----- --. _..- -. _ ._... .-.. . Grant+County State Park Visitation 2020-2024 a 600MO FAY LW0,000 Days Day use overnight Total 2020 11125,804 232,140 1,35 7,944 2021 19224,484 268,395 194929879 2022 1,113,531 2549961 1,3681492 2023 1,1870455 258,003 11445,458 2024 11174,121 2599821 194339942 Percent 2020 82.9% 17.1% 100.0 2021 82.0% 17.9% 100.0 2022 81.3% 18.6% 100.0% 2023 82.2% 17.8,E 100.0% 2024 81.9% 18.1% 100.0 Source: Washington State Parrs The percent of day use visitors ranged from 81.3 to 82.9 and overnight visitors 17.1% to 17.9% of all visitors. Days Day use Overnight Total January 209954 251 21,205 February 26,685 409 27,094 March 54,445 31464 57,909 April 9.29469 18,069 110,538 May 1519899 33,461 1859360 June 166,919 43,355 210,274 July 208,273 60,408 2689681 August 189,664 59,380 249,044 September 1329010 28,062 160,072 October 80,445 11,816 92,261 November 29,995 916 309911 December 209363 230 20,593 Source: Washington State Parrs Pear day use and overnight volumes were highest during July with a summer season extending from May -September. 64 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan -4ft- 46at A* Steamboat Rock State Park Dry Falls Visitor Center Dry Falls -Sun Lake State Park Grant County Tourism Master Plan 65 ---- ---- --------- ---- ------- I .... ---- Grant County State Park Visitation 2024 Steamboat Rock and Sun Lakes -Dry Falls are Grant County's most popular State Park day use and overnight destinations. Day -use volumes, however, significantly exceed overnight stays. Steamboat Rock and Sun Lakes Resort have the highest overnight volumes. Grant County State Park Visitation 2024 400,OW 300,000 ZOOPM 42,428 161,667 Dryftftftitar Pabotes t rt Sm Lake*Dry Falls cauer NDay-use z0vermight Day Parks 2024 use Overnight Total Dry Falls 183o047 0 183j047 Visitor Center Potholes 161,667 42,428 204,095 Steamboat 4499450 105v087 554,537 Rock Sun Lakes 0 709672 70,672 Resort Sun Lakes -Dry 379,957 41,634 421,591 Falls Source: Washington State Parks Sun Lake -Dry Falls - day use and overnight visitation gradually declined from an annual high of 1,046,293 in 1999 to 421591 in 2024. The highest visitations were generally 1998-2000 and 2002-2005, after which visitation leveled off between 375,198 in 2019 and 604,403 in 2017. The decline in visitation is due to the imposition of fees in 2011 associated with the Discover Pass. Dry Falls Visitor Center - day use visitation reflects the opposite trend with a spike in visitors of 194,594 in 2003 and an increase in visitors beginning at 222,131 in 2018. ---------------- ----------- -------------- ---- - ---------- - ---- ------- -- ... --- I - - -- .11 ------------------- --- ------------ .__ --- --- ----- Sun Lake -Dry Falls Visitation 2014-2024 1.04CZ93 400AW $0.414 W&M 69"79 102 $00'm 400.000 i3. 604.403 S S4"7 4wyst S4.571 Y to 13UA Mt IMSAI 2011.0w a le 14, IV* 114, 1Le lip .10 "o� 41? -.004 .011, 41;11 lie 10, 41* -1011 lop e I* 4P -ve GrantCountyTmnds ----------- - -------------- ------ ----------- -------- ---------- ------- -------- - ---------------- ....... Sun Lake -Dry Dry Falls Visitor Falls Center 1998 994,076 201454 1999 110469293 669537 2000 950,414 379937 2001 613,298 419611 2002 938j093 31,492 2003 863,392 194,594 2004 894,879 303224 2005 779,102 589368 2006 4559089 639711 2007 540,974 54,928 2008 5709873 52;o783 2009 5871145 581414 2010 523,013 641557 2011 570,523 659509 2012 4749367 509397 2013 4571282 499840 2014 3869396 1139192 2015 4521616 95,837 2016 5499358 55,418 2017 6049403 589818 2018 425,210 222,131 2019 3759198 2419476 2020 4809751 194,478 2021 4541571 208,844 2022 4139872 1809116 2023 4379149 197,018 2024 4219591 1839047 Source: EWU Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis 66 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Recreation Areas Priest Rapids Project Legend tv Columbia Siding— C* Yo Yo Rock Boat Launch\ Columbia Cliffs, Apricot -Orchard,,: Tafoiscaft Creek— A6 Memorial upw,west air Lowff W"t Cr ent Sit Recreation Area Quincy Wikflh Ares Quilomono Unland Boat Launch Quilomene Dune and 8&y--Q#"` Sunland Picnic Am- Sumland Stvor*Iir%---- Wh Isk" Dick CreA__ RaVosr'3KO move Day Un Ar#a Rocky Coulee-, chman Coulee Recreation Area Varttage Boat Launch- saw Hollow 1"ofth) Und rio I low Airstrip Access Wanapum Dam Upper Boat Launch Wanapurn Recreation Aisa fWSPY. —Vitanapurn Dam Norlook Mack Sands fwwh--". Gmitt PUD Visitor Center The Cored Wanspurn Dam Lower B" Launch Huntzir,get Road Fishmig HuntznW Road Boat Launch-`- Crab Creek Park Wanapurn Darn Turbine Park Severly kind Dunes ORVP-ark Butieft Lake 14ayst,xk Rapids Sentinel Gap -Pr4st Wildlife Area Buckshot qscrealpon P6nt Rapids Ree-reatm n Area Priest Rapids Watef Wanapurn Hentage Center Goose Island —--Priest _> Rapids Tailrace PRIEST -Jackson Creek Fish Camp - -------------_ Grant County PUD ad Nkhts Stayed MOO is 21322 2423 n Mest Rapids v Smd HoRow njadLwn Cm4ek mRadLy Coulee m Crescent Bar ---------------- ___ ------------------- -- — - ---------- ---- - — - -- - ------------------------- ---------- _._.____! Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 67 -- ------------------------------------------- ----------------- ------ --l- ------- --------- ........ I ....... .... ..... I- ---------------------- - ........ Dry Falls Visitor Center Visitation 2014-2024 Mew 241.476 zoo,$" 200.000 194-"4 94.471 197.019 I 150.000 100.000 37 us S5 $0.000 7 .ill I. MU O i ZIM 2M 2007200i M" 2010 2011M1 2-00 281* MIS MS2017 2014 2019 I= WR =2 3023 310,14 GrantCaunty grinds ----------- ----------------- - ------ - ----- - ----------- - I ........ ---------- ------ _11__._ ............................ -----------------_-- - -------- - The changes in visitation at Sun Lake -Dry Falls and Dry Falls Visitor Center may reflect the changing characteristics of Grant County visitors and the nature of visitor trips favoring day use over overnight stays. Grant County PUD The Grant County Public Utility District (PUD), founded in 1938, is owned by customers and governed by a Board of Commissioners elected by the customer -owners. The PUD owns and operates the Priest Rapids Project on the Columbia River in Vanport in southwest Grant County. The PUD developed and operates an extensive network of 19 recreational sites, 9 boat launches, and 5 campgrounds with 99 RV/tent and 30 primitive sites on both sides of the Columbia River between Rock Island Dam and Priest Rapids Dam including 5 campgrounds - Priest Rapids, Sand Hollow, Jackson Creek, Rocky Coulee, and Crescent Bar. 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Priest 685 811 907 743 645 Rapids Sand 931 19388 1563 1539 1260 Hollow Jackson 156 229 403 286 275 Creek Rocky 364 330 306 238 202 Coulee Crescent 4,180 59440 71501 71407 7,269 Bar Source: Grant County PUD, 2021 Covid year Crescent Bar Recreation Area is the most used of all PUD campgrounds with overnight stays increasing from 4,180 in 2019 to 7,269 in 2023. -- ----------- - ---------------------------------------------- .............. .1 ............ - ------------------------ ------- - --- ----- I ....... - --------------- - -------------- - --------------- ---------- Resident County of PUD Visitors L 20% 2015 2018 2021* 2023 a pnma" M secondary UTWtiary ---------------- __ --------- ------------------------------------------ ------- ------- ____ ---------- -1 ---------------- Grant County PUD I s boat launch and campgrounds are frequented by resident of the primary market area (Grant, Chelan, Okanogan, and Kittitas Counties) at 34% of all visits in 2023, by the secondary market area (Yakima, Lincoln, Adams, Benton, and Franklin Counties) at 18% of all visits, but primarily from the tertiary market area (King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Thurston Counties) at 48% of all visits. Although the resident market area captures vary from year to year the tertiary market area from Puget County counties remains a significant percent of the PUD's draw. Grant County Fairgrounds & Moses Lake Roundup The first Grant County Fair was held in 1912 in Marion and the event has been an annual event in Moses Lake ever since celebrating the region's agricultural roots and community spirit. The Fair showcases local produce, livestock, and other products, reflecting Grant County's heritage. The Fairgrounds hostsnumerous events and activities throughout the year in addition to the annual Fair and Moses Lake Roundup including a demolition derby, concerts, the annual Moravida Festival, and Quinceafteras, the Spanish celebration of a girl's 15th birthday. Grant County Fairgrounds has one of the largest equestrian facilities in the Pacific Northwest, with 446 matted horse stalls, 2 indoor riding pavilions, 68 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan a 5,000-seat rodeo arena with 60,000 square feet of dirt, and over 456 RV sites on a 187-acre site. The Fairgrounds also has 4 major buildings and a conference center with 30,000 square feet of indoor gathering space for larger events including RV shows. In 2021, Grant County Fairgrounds hosted 64 events, compared to 111 in 2019. The decrease in the number of events is mostly due to the lingering impacts and limitations of Covid. Of the 64 events in 2021, roughly half were equestrian or barrel racing events, while the rest included farmers markets, dog shows, business exhibitions, livestock shows, weddings, Quinceafteras, and others. Grrmt County Fair Attmdance 2015-2025 84.2W &C300 80.200 81.700 76, M E E _ = 76.400 W300 6&.Sw 6.000 S%100 KSOO KOM 44000 30,000 2CLOOO MWO 10 0 101E 2016 2011.7 20118 210LID 'Iwo 2021 Gw,antCeunty Fair 2022 2023 V_W4 -2025 Annual Fair attendance 2015 54,500 2016 68,300 2017 591100 2018 68,600 2019 76,100 2020 2021 849200 2022 84300 2023 80s200 2024 81,700 2025 76,400 Source: Placer.ai, T 2020 cancelled due to Covid. Fair attendance gradually increased from 54,500 attendees in 2015 to 76,100 in 2019 until Covid restrictions in 2020 cancelled that year's fair. Attendance increased in the following years to 84,200 in 2021 post-Covid attendees but declined to 76,400 in 2025. Grant County Fairgrounds attracts visitors from all over the state for both fair and non -fair events. The 2021 Grant County Fair attracted visitors from 16 of Washington's 39 counties according to the survey of fair attendees or a total of 9% from outside of Grant County. Survey respondents indicated 20% reported visiting the fair for just I day, while 32% of respondents reported attending the fair all 5 days. Non -fair events, like livestock shows and equine events offering prize money, estimate that 70% to 90% of visitors come from outside Grant County. Placenai Placer.ai was founded in 2013, headquarters in Santa Cruz, California, and operates remotely. Placer.ai is a location analytics company that provides data -driven insights into foot traffic and consumer behavior for businesses and organizations. Placer.ai aggregates anonymized location data from millions of mobile devices for a specific destination location field to help make strategic decisions on a range of activities from marketing campaigns to site selection. Placer.ai collects anonymized, aggregated location data through partnerships with hundreds of mobile apps. The company operates with a "privacy -by -design" approach, meaning it works with data that has been stripped of personally identifiable information. To protect privacy, Placer.ai only provides aggregated, statistical information for locations with a panel of at least 50 unique devices and does not provide data on individuals under 18 years old. Placenta generates demographic characteristics based on where most cell phone users reside where there are enough users to be reliable. Placer.ai Civic Dashboard summarizes the demographic data based on 30%, 50%, and 70% of the cell phone visitors to the site. Placer.ai data has been collected for several Grant County destinations for the period 1 August 2024- 31 July 2025. Grand Coulee Dam Grand Coulee Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Columbia River constructed between 1933 and 1942. It is one of the largest concrete structures in the world and the largest power - producing dam in the United States, generating hydroelectric power and providing irrigation water for the Columbia Basin Project. Key features include its massive size, high power output, and its role in irrigation for agriculture in the region. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 69 Placer.ai data was generated by cell phone users who frequent the visitor center. 2024-2025 visits 24,100 Return visits 1.17 Minutes at site 34 Volume compared 2023-2024 (YoY) -0.1% Volume compared 2022-2023 (Yo2Y) +14.3% Volume compared 2021-2022 (Yo3Y) +29.2% Source: Placenia, based on 70% of visits Placer.ai data indicates most Coulee Dam visitors are first time (only 1.17 are repeat visits), that stay at the dam visitor center for 34 minutes, with a volume that was down -0. 1% compared with the year before, but +14.3% over 2 years before, and +29.2% over 3 years before. Moses Lake Mud Flats and Sand Dunes The Moses Lake Mud Flats and Sand Dunes is owned and managed by Grant County, Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and DNR open to all types of ORVs, camping, and boating/fishing. The Sand Dunes ORV area includes 1,780 acres open year- round while 1,980 acres of the Mud Flats is open from July -September. There are no developed facilities in the Sand Dunes though camping is permitted. 2024-2025 visits 1207300 Return visits 3.13 Minutes at site 365 Volume compared 2023-2024 (YoY) -2.5% Volume compared 2022-2023 (Yo2Y) -12.6% Volume compared 2021-2022 (Yo3Y) -7.2% Persons/household 2.80 Median age 31.7 Hispanic' 49.0% Household income** $84,187 Per capita incorne** $30,595 College degree 51.70 Married couples 65.0% Source: Placenia, based on 70% of visits At nearby activity, ** Average Placer.ai data indicates most Sand Dunes visitors are repeaters (3.13 are repeat visits), that stay in the dunes for 365 minutes, with a volume that was down -2.5% compared with the year before, 12.6% over 2 years before, and -7.2% over 3 years before. Demographically, Sand Dune visitors are small families or small group users (2.80 persons per household), young adults (31.7), Hispanic (49.0%), of middle income ($84,187 household and $30,595 per capita), with some college degrees (51.7%), and married couples (65.0%). The Gorge Amphitheater The Gorge Amphitheatre, originally known as Champs de Brionne Music Theatre, is currently managed by Live Nation, an event promotion company. The 2 7, 500-capacity amphitheater is sited on a hillside above the Columbia River with spectacular views and natural acoustics. The venue hosts 3 annual festivals: Beyond Wonderland, Watershed, and Bass Canyon, as well as solo acts. Onsite camping options range from a large lawn for tents and RVs to glamping. Visitors can also stay off -site at properties like Sagecliffe Resort and Spa, which has a pool, vineyards, and an on - site restaurant. 2024-2025 visits 571,900 Return visits 1.91 Minutes at site 166 Volume compared 2023-2024 (YoY) -2.3% Volume compared 2022-2023 (Yo2Y) +52.3% Volume compared 2021-2022 (Yo3Y) +12.4% 70 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Persons/household 2.60 Median age 33.8 Hispanic 34.6% Household income $919747 Per capita income $35,511 College degree 58.9% Married couples 69.6% Source: Placenia, based on 70% of visits At nearby activity, Average zvr Placer.ai data indicates Gorge attendees are repeat visitors (1.91), that stay at the Gorge for 166 minutes, with a volume that was down -2.3% compared with the year before, but +52.3% over 2 years before, and +12.4% over 3 years before. Demographically, Gorge visitors are small group users (2.60 persons per household), young adults (33.8), Hispanic (34.6%), of middle to upper income ($91,747 household and $35,511 per capita), with some college degrees (58.9%), and married couples (69.6%). Grant County FairRrounds & Moses Lake Roundup Grant County Fairgrounds is in Moses Lake with an annual fair and Moses Lake Roundup in August and numerous events and activities the rest of the year. 2024-2025 visits 75,400 Return visits 1.66 Minutes at site 232 Volume compared 2023-2024 (YoY) +10.0% Volume compared 2022-2023 (Yo2Y) +112.5% Volume compared 2021-2022 (Yo3Y) +191.5% Persons/household 2.85 Median age 31.4 Hispanic 47.1% Household income $85,607 Per capita income $30,826 College degree 51.7% Married couples 65.8% Source: Placenta, based on 70% of visits At nearby activity, ** Average Placer.ai data indicates Fair and Roundup visitors are repeat visitors (1.66), stay at the Fairgrounds for 232 minutes, with a volume that was up 10.0%% compared with the year before, 112.5% over 2 years before, and +191.5% over 3 years before. Demographically, Fair and Roundup visitors are small to medium group users (2.85 persons per household), young adults (31.4), Hispanic (47.1%), of middle income ($85,607 household and $30,826 per capita), with some college degrees (51.7Y), and married couples (65.8%). Crescent Bar Recreation Area Grant County PUD, as part of the Priest Rapids Dam FERC agreement, operates 19 recreational sites, 9 boat launches, and 5 campgrounds with 99 RV/tent and 30 primitive sites along the Columbia River including the largest campground at Crescent Bar. Crescent Bar has 55 RV camping sites, group picnic facilities, 2 boat launch ramps, marina with a dock for 12 day -use slips and a dock for 10 commercial slips, and a 9-hole golf course. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 71 A 2024-2025 visits 1711300 Return visits 3.63 Minutes at site 145 Volume compared 20232024 (YoY) +3.8% Volume compared 2022-2023 (Yo2Y) +7.7% Volume compared 2021-2022 (Yo3Y) -12.9% Persons/household 2.66 Median age 33.3 Hispanic 41.1% Household income $89,978 Per capita income $34,019 College degree 55.6% Married couples 69.0% Source: Placenta, based on 70% of visits * At nearby activity, ** Average Placer.ai data indicates Crescent Bar Recreation Area visitors are repeat visitors (3.63), stay at the site for 145 minutes, with a volume that was up 3.8%% compared with the year before, 7.7% over .21 years before, but -12.9% over 3 years before. Demographically, Crescent Bar Recreation Area visitors are medium group users (2.66 persons per household), young adults (33.3), Hispanic (41.1%), of middle to upper income ($89,978 household and $ 34,019 per capita), with some college degrees (55.61/10), and married couples (69.0%). Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park Dry Falls was carved by Ice -Acre Floods 15,000 0 years ago. The former waterfall is now a stark cliff, 400 feet high and 3.5 miles wide. During the floods, the waterfall was four times the size of Niagara Falls, Today, Dry Falls overlooks a desert oasis filled with lakes and abundant wildlife. The park and the interesting exhibits at Dry Falls Visitor Center provide opportunities for people to learn about the Ice -Age Floods. Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park is a 3,774-acre camping park with 73,640 feet of freshwater shoreline, 96 standard campsites complete with fire rings, 41 full -hookup utility sites with a maximum site length of 65 feet, and a group camp site for up to 75 people for tents only, no RVs. The park provides 2 boat ramps, 680 feet of dock and 42 moorage slips, 90 unsheltered picnic tables, restrooms with showers, a trailer dump station, 8 miles of moderate to difficult hiking traits, and 9 freshwater lakes, 7 with trout fishing. Sun Lakes Resort is located within the park and provides a park store, laundromat, boat rentals, propane, firewood, cabins, a commissary, 9-hole golf course and miniature golf course. 2024-2025 visits 23,500 Return visits 2.45 Minutes at site 142 Volume compared 2023-2024 (YoY) +5.2% Volume compared 2022-2023 (Yo2Y) -18.2% Volume compared 2021-2022 (Yo3Y) -12.8% Persons/household 2.77 Median age 32.9 Hispanic 37.3% Household income $93,324 Per capita income $349192 College degree 54.7% Married couples 70.2% Source: Placenia, based on 70% of visits At nearby activity, ** Average Placer.ai data indicates Sun Lakes -Dry Falls visitors are repeaters (2.45), stay at the site for 142 minutes, with a volume that was up 5.2%% 72 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan compared with the year before, but -18.2% over 2 years before, and -12.8% over 3 years before. Demographically, Sun Lakes -Dry Falls visitors are medium to large group users (2.77 persons per ty household), young adults (32.9), Hispanic (37.3%), of middle to upper income ($93,324 household and $34,192 per capita), with some college degrees (54.7%), and married couples (70.2%). Steamboat Rock State Park Steamboat Rock State Park is a 5,043-acre camping park with 50,000 feet of freshwater shoreline at the north end of Banks Lake. Steamboat Rock is a columnar, basalt rock with a surface area of 600 acres with views of Grand Coulee and the Okanogan -Wenatchee National Forest. The park provides 26 standard campsites, 166 full -hookup sites with utilities, 44 primitive campsites with vault toilets at Jones Bay, 26 primitive campsites with vault toilets at Osborn Bay, and 5 equestrian campsites. The park also provides 56 picnic sites, swimming beach, 5 watercraft launches on Banks Lake with 320 feet of dock, a fishing pier accessible to those with disabilities, a basketball court, sand volleyball court, paddle board and kayak rentals, restrooms, showers, trailer dump station, store, play equipment, 13 miles of hiking and biking trails, and 10 miles of horse trails. 2024-2025 visits 10,300 Return visits 2.43 Minutes at site 40 Volume compared 2023-2024 (YoY) +11.5% Volume compared 2022-2023 (Yo2Y) +3.1% Volume compared 2021-2022 (Yo3Y) -20.2% Persons/household 2.38 Median age 42.7 Hispanic 11.9% Household income $87,896 Per capita income $37oO46 College degree 60.0% Married couples 69.4% Source: Placenia, based on 70% of visits * At nearby activity, ** Average Placer.ai data indicates Steamboat Rock State Park visitors are repeaters (2.43), stay at the site for 40 minutes, with a volume that was up 11. 5%% compared with the year before, up 3.2% over 2 years before, but -20.2% over 3 years before. Demographically, Steamboat Rock State Park visitors are small group users (2.38 persons per household), older adults (42.7), Hispanic (11.9%), of middle to upper income ($87,896 household and $37,046 per capita), with some college degrees (60.0%), and married couples (69.4%). Limitations While Placer.ai data is useful, it can't be considered foolproof. The data is dependent on how the locational attributes are defined for a collection site and when and how the cell phone information is collected. Nonetheless, Placer.ai data can be useful if collection sites in Grant County are identified in a manner that allows comparisons and accuracy over time periods. Accommodations Grant County has 29 motels/hotels, is campgrounds, and 13 resorts located in 10 cities and places throughout the county. The largest concentration of franchise motels (15) is in Moses Lake due to the city's tourism assets as well as a location on the 1-90 interstate corridor. Coulee City has 3 campgrounds and 4 resorts, and Quincy/Crescent Bar has 5 campgrounds and 4 resorts. Accommodation sales % growth 2004, $153109,618 2005 $16,328,807 8.1% 2006 $16,990,073 4.1% 2007 $20,093,745 18.3% 2008 $22,9799248 14.46% Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 73 2009 $20,464,113 -11.0% 2010 $21,859,722 6.8% 2011 $24,3949 13 1 11.6% 2012 $2315 199742 -3.6% 2013 $26,514,239 12.7% 2014 $269716,167 0/ 0.8 /110 2015 $309197,677 13.0% 2016 $32,269,756 6.9% 2017 $35,220,774 9.1% 2018 $3614649090 3.5% 2019 $39,4185232 8.1% 2020 $31,106,228 -21.1% 2021 $42,0391'913 35.2% 2022 $47,392t097 12.7% 2023, $53,844,902 13.6% 2024 $579416,265 6.6% Source: EWU Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis Grant County Lodging Revenues 2004-2024 2,004 N*3 2W6 2007 NOS 21009 ZOtO 2011 2012 2013 M4 20k$ 2'0,16 200 2'0 8 2010 20ZO 2021 ZQ2 2023 2024 Grant CAwnty Trends ---------- ---- - ----------- - ---------- ------- Accommodations in Grant County generated $15,109,618 in lodging taxes in 2004 0 0 progressively increasing to $57,416,265 by 2024 except for an economic downturn of -11.0% in 2009,-3.6% in 2012, and -21.1% in Covid impacts in 2020. Conclusions 5 Visitation trended downward - at major Grant County destinations, including State Parks, over a 25-year period and particularly since Covid with gradual but underwhelming response since. ■ Visitation primarily day -use - with little overnight stays at State Parks, Moses Lake Mud Flats, and other over -night facilities limiting local exposure and expenditures. n Expenditures increased - even as volumes stabilized or declined probably from inflation rather than increases in per capita spending. 0 Grant County assets are not visible (included) - in State of Washington Tourism (SWT) campaign's 34 videos (15-seconds to 3.4-minutes each). Grant County needs to define and assert itself to generate tourism. ff Quality marketing materials are key - to generating incremental increases in visitation, length of stays, expenditures, and satisfaction as well as long-term awareness. a Westside visitors - are a significant component of all Grant County visits and significate population growth will increase this potential market opportunity. Grant County lodging tax revenues increased above inflation levels - from 2004 to 2024 reflecting an increase in overnight stays though some of the increase may be due to 1-90 interstate travel in Moses Lake as much as tourists. 74 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan 5: Potentials �7 Grant County market area The regional market area for Grant County tourism includes the counties within a 30-60- minute or primary market, 90-minute or secondary market, and 120-minute or tertiary market drive based on the results of the visitation analysis in Chapter 4. 2025 2050 % Adams 219570 26,100 21.0% Benton 220,889 288,887 30.8% Douglas 45,336 56,8461 24.5% Franklin 1059837 150,970 42.6% Grant 105,140 1349321 27.8% .Kittitas 49,234 62,643 27.2% Lincoln 119094 119496 3.6% Subtotal 559,100 7309878 30.7% Chelan 82,483 97,195 17.8% Ferry 7,218 6,986 -3.2% Okanogan 42,897 45,101 5.1% Spokane 5639048 669,671 18.9% Walla Walla 63,714 679645 6.2% Yakima 263,562 293,279 11.3% Subtotal 19022g922 111799877 15.3% King 21377,737 29897,176 21.1% Subtotal 29377_,737 2l879y176 21.1% All total 399599759 417899931 21.0% Source: Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) GMA Forecasts 0 Primary market area - is projected to increase from 559,100 persons in 2025 to 730,878 persons by 2050 or by 171,778 persons or 30.7%, 9 Secondary market - is projected to increase from 1,022,922 persons in 2025 to 1,179,877 persons by 2050 or by 156,95 5 persons or 15.3%, 0 Tertiary market - is projected to increase from 2,377,737 persons in 2025 to 2,879,176 persons by 501,439 persons or 21.1% 0 Total markets - are projected to increase from 3,959,759 persons in 2025 to 4,789,931 persons in 2050 or by 830,172 persons or 21.0%. ------------ --- -------- __ ---------- ----------- - ------------- 11 -----__------- __ -------- ------------------- __1 ----- - --------------- ------------ -------- I-- ---------- ------- Grant County market area population projections 6AW"o 2020 2WS 2030 2t 5 Z(" 2045 20so oftimarymark,et aSmoodary market �Terdary market --------------- - - ------ I -------- --- ----- ..... - --------------------- -------- 11 ... _--------_- -1-1— ------ ___ ---------- --------- - ----- ----------------- ....-..__---------- The greatest numerical increase in population will occur in the tertiary market or King County due to the travel time on 1-90. This market area, King County, will have a more significant impact on Grant County tourism if the County can retain and attract visitors from this area. RCO SCORP Survey Washington State's Recreation & Conservation Office (RCO) develops a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) every 6 years to help decision -makers better understand statewide recreation issues and to maintain Washington's eligibility for federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) funds. RCO conducted a series of 12-month diary surveys of a random sample of Washington State residents in 2000, 2006, 2012, 2018, and 2022 to determine the type of indoor and outdoor recreation activities and events residents engaged in over the year including the resident's age, gender, ethnicity, income, and regional place of residence. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 75 Survey regions were defined based on common geographic features that affect outdoor recreation opportunities. Grant County visitors ,are most likely residing within the North Cascades (Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Okanogan, Chelan, and Kittitas Counties), Columbia Plateau (Douglas, Grant, Lincoln, and Adams Counties), and Seattle -King County regions. NORTH NORTHEAST CASCADES PENINSULAS SEAnL1E KING COLUMBIA THE PLATEAU COAST SOUTHWEST THE PALOUSE SOUTH CENTRAL The 2022 statewide survey was completed by 6,171 persons and collated and weighted by age, gender, region, race, and income of and weighted accordingly. The survey is within a 95% confidence level with a +/-5% confidence interval. Response by age, gender, region, race/ethnicity, and income varies. The 2022 RCO SCORP survey recorded what residents 18 years and older participated in of 10 recreation categories consisting of over 88 different activities including the participation rate and number of occasions per year and generalized location of activity by city, county, federal, and tribal land. North Cascade, Columbia Plateau, and Seattle - King County regions' participation rates vary slightly from Washington State partly reflecting the availability of different activities in each region, region resident preferences, and statistical variations between the smaller number of survey respondents for each region compared to the state total. Participation Participation is the percent of the population that engages in a recreational activity. 0 Top 1S activity participation rates - Columbia Plateau region Activity % I Walking/mobility device on roads, Sidewalks 91% 2 Walking/mobility device on trails 90% 3 Wildlif e/nature viewing 85% 4 Scenic driving (sightseeing) 84% 5 Hanging out 70% 6 Picnic,.BBQ, or cookout 68% 7 Community garden, farriers' market 66% 8 Visiting outdo or/cultural/historical facility and events 62% 9 Swimming - natural settings 61% 10 Paddle sports - whitewater, canoes, kayaks, paddle boards 52% 11 Gathering/collecting in nature 49% 12 Outdoor concert or special event 49% 13 Tent camping - campground 44% 14 Backpacking 42% 15 Tent camping - undeveloped area 41% RCO SCORP 2022 Diary -Based Survey Most of the top 15 participation rates in the Columbia Plateau region are for activities that are assets of Grant County. Frequency Frequency is the number of times the person that engages in the activity engages per year. tD ZD Top 15 activity participation rates - statewide Activity # I Walking/mobility device on roads, sidewalks 34.0 2. Walkina/mobility device on trails 27.3 3 Jocrcrincr/runnincr on roads, sidewalks 26.3 4 Parkour 25.1 5 Motorcycling 23.6 6 Trapping 23.6 7 Y Electric bicycling 23.4 8 Wildlife/nature viewing 23.4 9 Lacrosse 2 3.2 10 Ice climbing 22.6 11 Football 22.4 12 Track 22.3 13 Jogging or running on trails 22.0 14 Rugby 22.0 15 Road cycling 21.5 RCO SCORP 2022 Diary -Based Survey 76 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Most of the highest frequency activities are also of activities that are assets of Grant County. Location The 2022 RCO survey elicited what participants did for recreational activities but not where the activity occurred. Survey participants may engage in activities but possibly outside of the regions, and conversely participants from other regions may travel to engage in activities in Grant County. The survey did not control for user transpositions between regions. The survey did collate location by major activity groups by major park ownership including local parks, school districts, state and federal parks, tribal parks, and unspecified. The location of an activity group depends on the nature of the activity and the availability of appropriate facilities. For example, athletic, leisure, and trail -based activities are focused on local parks with 38.3% of all athletics, 38.0% of all leisure, and 32.8% of all trail and road -based activities or close to residential areas. Comparatively, camping (60.5%) and motorized vehicle excursions (50.3%) occur on state and federal lands where forests, wilderness, and other attractions are located. Grant County includes facilities in all ownerships that appeal to all activity groups, so it is unlikely to be able to adjust (or reduce) the projected 2020-2050 annual activity volumes significantly. Activity Local School WA/US Camping 13.3% 2.4% 60.5% Trails 32.8% 6.9% 40.4% OHV/ORV 11.6% 5.7% 50.3% Water based 28.0% 3.0% 43.3% Snow based 20.2% 5.4% 47.1% Nature, cultural 28.6% 4.5% 40.5% Fishing, hunting 13.7% 3.7% 46.8% Park activities 38.0% 9.3% 30.4% Athletics 38.3% 21.1% 15.7% Outdoor adventures 21.9% 8.9% 42.9% RCO SCORP 2022 Diary -Based Survey Annual volumes 2050 Grant County's annual volume of recreation activity is determined by multiplying Washington State's age -specific participation rates for each of the 18-0, 41-64, and 65+ age groups by the annual occasion or frequency rates by the number of persons projected to be in each age - specific category for the projection years by the percent that will occur on local, state, and federal lands. (Note - Washington State participation rates are used due to the larger statewide sample size statistical accuracy and identified age group collations.) Top 15 activity volumes Activity 2050 1 Walking/mobility device on roads, sidewalks 1169959v055 2 Walking/mobility device on trails 91,248,508 3 Wildlife/nature viewing 759797o392 4 Scenic driving 619455,805 5 Hanging out 48,6329745 6 Swimming - natural water 3711959254 7 Playground 33,015,853 8 Picnic, BBQ, or cookout 31,026,696 9 Community garden or Tamers' market 30,757,617 10 Gathering/collecting in nature 29,838,088 11 Jogging/running on roads, sidewalks 29s7049697 12 Motorboats including water skiing 28,047,570 13 RV/motorhome/trailer camping in campground 27,329,529 14 Fishing from a ban k/dock/pier/jetty 269990,429 15 Yard games - beanbag toss, horseshoes, etc. 26,7659829 RCO SCORP 2022 Diary -Based Survey The largest volumes of activity in 2050 for which Grant County has the most attractions, will be walking and mobility devices on trails with 91,248,508 annual volume, wildlife and nature viewing 75,797,394 annual volume, and scenic driving with 61,455,805 annual volumes. Economic contribution RCO completed the Economic Contribution of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State in 2015 and updated in 2020 that estimated the economic Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 77 contribution of outdoor recreation activities as well as non -monetary benefits. RCOs economic analysis collected and reported recreation participation day expenditures from land managers associated with public agencies and private landholders like private campgrounds. Expenditures were determined by multiplying the number of participant days a recreation site received by the average spending rate per person. The spending rate per person was largely dependent on who managed the recreation site, how far participants traveled to access recreation sites, and how many days were spent at a recreation site. Top 15 expenditures in 20:50 Activity 2050 1 Wildlife/nature viewing $5,666,230,01-0 2 Scenic driving $4,609,185,375 3 Motorboats including water skiing freshwater $2,647,768,058 4 Skiing or snowboarding at resort $2,420,084,854 5 Paddle sports - whitewater, canoes, kayaks, paddle boards $2,196,317,471 6 Snowmobiling $2,123,528,329 7 Cross-country or nordic skiing $291 17,458t368 8 Golf $1,808,885,004 9 Hunting $ 1 w 779tO3 7,999 10 Backcountry skiing or snowboarding $1,4129080,637 11 Tracked ORV s $1,349,490,928 12 RV/motorhome/trailer camping at campground $1,314,404,896 13 Fishing from a bank/dock/pier/jetty $1,229,634,143 14 Snorkeling or scuba diving $1,067,801,356 15 Fishing from a boat $1,062,795,632 RCO 2020 Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State The largest expenditures in 2050 for which Grant County has the most attractions, will be wildlife and nature viewing with $5,666,230,070 and scenic driving with $4,609,185,375, Expenditures Using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the economic analysis used an input- output (1-:0 - IMPLAN) contribution model to project financial linkages between industries. 2050 expenditures for local goods and services Goods/services % 2050 Multiuse apparel and accessories 11.4% $$73509,781,500 Festivals, sporting ZD events, concerts 3.4% $2,239,7599395 Guided tours and outfitted travel 3.6% Vs371s5091947 Local trips and travel 8.3% $ 5,467,647,934 Food and beverages 5.9% $3,886,641,303 Lodging 9.2% $6,060,525,421 Shopping and souvenirs 3.9% $2,56911350776 Transportation 15.1% $9,947,166,723 Federal government 0.4% $263,501,105 State and local government 3.6% $2,371,509,947 Total 64.8% $429687,1179,051 Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 2023 The largest expenditures for local goods and services in the Grant County market areas, other than for state and local taxes, will be for multiuse apparel and accessories for $7,509,781,500, transportation (gas and rentals) for $9,947,166,723, lodging for $6,060,525,42 1, and local trails and travel for $5,467,647,934. Multipliers The input-output (1-0 - IMPLAN) contribution model also projected the direct, indirect, and induced effect of value added to jobs, labor, income, and tax revenue in the economy. a Direct effects - include expenditures to industries directly supported by recreation users including hotels, retail stores, recreation services, and restaurants. suppliers effects - include expenditures by uppliers necessary to support direct industries such as farm livestock and crops for restaurants. N Induced effects - account for expenditures by employees of industries on goods and 78 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan services necessary to sustain their households. Depending on the extent to which recreation industries are connected in the regional economy, the direct, indirect, and induced expenditures circulate (multiply) throughout the economy numerous times before the dollars finally leave the region. Multi Jobs Local taxes Adams 1.6 673 $755369000 Benton 1.9 3,837 $351,2291000 Douglas 1.6 977 $81557,000 Franklin 1.5 15323 $12,918,000 Grant 1.6 3,223 $34,800,000 Kittitas 1.4 11500 $14,085,000 Lincoln 1.3 292 $4759000 Subtotal 1.6 11;82 S $11396009000 Chelan 1.7 31081 $29,678 Ferry 1.3 325 $2,318,000 Okanogan 1.9 21765 $313730v000 Spokane 2.2 14,179 $145,463,000 Walla Walla 1.8 1,539 $16,875,000 Yakima 1.8 79253 $81,289,000 Subtotal 2.0 29g142 $2779704,678 King 1.9 38,813 $380,967,000 Subtotal 1.9 38,813 $380,967,000 All total 1.9 79,780 $772927,19678 Source: 2020 Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State According to the analysis, the statewide multiplier is estimated to be $1.52 in indirect and inducted effects for every $1.00 in direct expenditure or a combined contribution of $2.52 to the economy. The analysis projected the total outdoor recreation expenditures, economic contributions, multiplier, employment, and sales and use tax for each county in the state but did not include equipment expenditures due to lack of data where such purchases occur. As shown, the multipliers range from 1.3 in Lincoln County to 2.1 in Whatcom County depending on the local availability of cafes, restaurants, breweries, grocery stores, campgrounds, motels, hotels, and other business services. Grant County's 1.6 multiplier in 2020 generated 3,223 jobs and $34,800,000 in local taxes. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 79 Potholes [50 feet deep!) drilled into the basalt at Dry Falls State Park near Coulee City, 80 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan 6: Opinions Public opinion was collected from a series of online surveys of visitors, residents, workshops with agencies and user groups, open houses, and a final survey of priorities of county voter households. An online survey was conducted of Grant County visitors that was promoted by email, website, and handouts at campsites, motels, hotels, and other public gathering areas. Survey questions sought to obtain information on how visitors obtain information, what destinations they visited, how long they stayed, and how much they spent that was completed by 115 visitors. Following is a summary of the findings - detailed results including comments are provided in the Appendix. In most instances, the results have been statistically weighted and ranked as noted to provide meaningful findings. Survey respondent characteristics Where do you live? Skippcd' Tacoma, Seattle, 2 1% Oregon 1% Everett Other Western WA 120/6 California 2% Central WA 3 1% Other state in US 2 Eastern WA 25% Canada Implication Survey respondents are primarily residents of Western Washington including Puget Sound (33%, Central Washington (3 1%), and Eastern Washington (25%). How much did/will you and your party expect to spend on the following items in Grant County on an average day? I kd1. 10 Skipped. 5 1- $101- $201+ Activity $0 $100 200 Performing arts 32% 44% 13% 12% Artworks and 47% 45% 4% 5% crafts Other retail - 32% 50% 9% 9% clothes, gifts Food 2% 60% 14% Drinks 31% 54% 101% 5% Boating related 50% 31% 11% 8% Recreation 34% 56% 8% 3% Hotel/motel 56% 9% 22% 14% B&B, Airbnb 67% 5% 1 % 15% Campground 36% 45% 12% 7% Gas, rental 9% 57% 19% 16% Implication Survey respondents spent the most money on food (98%), gas and rental cars (91%), and the least on B&B and Airbnb ((33%) and hotels/motels How many times have you visited Grant County.? Answered: 109 Skipped- 6 1 2% 4 7% 7 1% 3 6% 6 1% Implication Survey respondents are regular Grant County visitors,(69% more than 8 times). How did/will you get here.? Answered: 108, Skipped- 7 . .1 Airplane 1% Rented 2% Bicycle 3% car Private 89% Tour bus 0% fees, tours 3 How many nights did/will you stay? Answered: 109 Skipped: 6 0 13% 3 14% 6 4% 2 23% 5 4% 8+ 23% Implication Survey respondents tend to stay 7-8+ days (86%). Where did/will you stay in Grant County? A--nlc,wered: 1.08, Skip-erl: 7 Friends 23% Hotel/motel 11% Seasonal 8% B&B, Airbnb 9% Time share 0% RV/tent camp 34% Rented house 2% Other 14% Implication Survey respondents stay primarily at an RV/tent campground (34%) or with friends (23%). Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 1 3 8 If you did/will not stay overnight in Grant County, what was/will be the reason? i d Day tripping 59% Accommodations 3% not available Passing through 38% Implication Survey respondents are primarily day trippers (59%) or visiting other places and passing through (3 8%). How many were will be in your party most of the time or when travelling? Answered: 111, Skipped 4 0 1 2 3 4 5+ Under 18 43% 17% 22% 7% 52% 7% 19-84 1% 15% 56% 8% 13% 8% 85+ 70% 14% 10% 1% 2% 2% Implication Survey respondents under age 18 travel in large groups of 4+ (59%), between 19-84 in 2 persons (56%), and over 65 in 1-2 persons (24%). Do you plan on coming back? Answered: 109, Skipped: 6 No 0% Maybe 10% Yes 90% Implication Survey respondents plan on returning to Grant County (90%). How many times in the next year? Answered: 108, Skipped 7 0 3% 4-6 20% 10-12 6% 1-3 47% 7-9 9% 13+ 15% Implication Survey respondents will visit again for at least I- 3 days in the next year (47%). What age group are you in? Answered: Ito, Skipped 5 19-24 12% 35-44 23% 55-64 15% 25-34 28% 45-54 17% 65+ 5% Implication Survey respondents are represented in all age groups but primarily in young -middle aged adults including 25-34 (28%) and 35-44 (23%). What is your household income? Answered: 106, Skipped 9 <$ 2 5,000 8% $75-99,999 17% $25-495999 15% $100,000+ 46% $50-74,999 13% Implication Survey respondents are primarily upper middle income over $100,000 (46%). What level education do you have? Answered, 110, Skipped 5 Grade school 0% Some college 22% High school 12% Bachelors 44% Technical school 3% Graduate 20% Implication Survey respondents are generally college graduates (64% bachelor's degree or higher). What do you recommend Grant County work on to improve your tourism experience and interest? Answered: 59, Skipped 56 Will you recommend Grant County's attractions, programs, and facilities to others? Answered: 104, Skipped Il No 2% Maybe 36% Yes 63% Implication Survey respondents will recommend Grant County to other tourists (63%). Conclusion - survev res-nondents were: • Primarily residents of Western Washington including Puget Sound (33%, Central Washington (3 1%), and Eastern Washington (25%). • Spent the most money on food (98%), gas and rental cars (9 M, and the least on B&B and Airbnb ((33%) and hotels/motels ((44%). • Are regular Grant County visitors (69% more than 8 times). • Travel primarily by private car (89%). ■ Tend to stay 7-8+ days (86%). ■ Stay primarily at an RV/tent campground (34%) or with friends (23%). Are primarily day trippers (59%) or visiting It, other places and passing through (38%). ■ Under age 18 travel in large groups of 4+ (59%), between 19-84 in 2 persons (56%), and over 65 in 1-2 persons (24%). ■ Plan on returning to Grant County (90%). • Will visit again for at least 1-3 days in the next year (47%). • Are represented in all age groups but primarily in young -middle aged adults including 25-34 (28%) and 35-44 (23%). ■ Are primarily upper middle income over $100,000 (46%). ■ Are generally college graduates (64% bachelor's degree or higher). ■ Will recommend Grant County to other tourists (63%). 82 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Behaviors and opinions What Grant County cities/places did/will you visit during this trip? Answered: 114, Skipped I Electric City 31% Moses Lake 68% Ephrata 4 3 % Quincy 4 2 % George 43% Royal City 10% Grand Coulee 46% Soap Lake 44% Mattawa 13% Warden 10% Implication Survey respondents most plan on visiting Moses Lake (68%) and least on visiting Royal City (10%) and Warden (10%). What other places did/will vou visit duriniz this Answered: 110, Skipped 5 Leavenworth 39% Walla Walla 14% Wenatchee 49% Spokane 45% Winthrop 14% Coeur D'Alene 25% Yakima 19% Bend 5% Tri-Cities 28% Only Grant Co 23% Implication survey respondents plan on visiting Leavenworth (39%) and Wenatchee on SR-2 (49%) and Spokane (45%) and Coeur D"Alene (25%) on 1-90. For what reasons did/will you come to Grant County today? Answered: 114, Skipped I Minor Major Arts and culture - visit artist 31% 13% studios, galleries, theater History - tour landmarks, 40% 24% historic districts, museums Recreation - hike, bike, boat, 17% 77% tours Agritourism - visit wineries, 36% 15% farms, barns Ecotourism - tour Ice Age 31% 33% Flood, nature, and wildlife tours Events - festivals, fairs, 28% 30% athletic tournaments Area ambiance - shop in 52% 22% stores, eat in restaurants Visit family and friends 15% 50% Attend meeting or conference 5% 8% Other 7% 12% Implication Survey respondents visit Grant County primarily for recreation activities (77% major) and visit family and friends (50% major). Have/will you attend any festivals, fair and rodeo, athletic tournaments, or other special events during your visit? Answere,d: I 10, Skipped 5 No Maybe Yes Athletic competition 65% 14% 21% Fair and rodeo 55% 33% 32% Conference 88% 7% 6% Other 81% 9% 11% Implication Survey respondents are primarily attending the fair and rodeo (33% maybe and 32% yes) and not conferences:(88% no). Would you Mike more information on special events in Grant County.? An,s�ve-re-d, Ing, Skipped 6 No 52% Maybe 30% Yes 17% Implication Survey respondents are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the special events the County has to offer (17% yes, 30% maybe). What special event program, service, and facility would you like to see identified and/or developed in Grant County? Answered: 49, Skipped 66 See Appendix for itemized lists. Have/will you visit the following historical and cultural facilities dining your visit? Answered: 112, Skipped 3 No Maybe Yes 'Dry Falls Visitor Center 35% 25% 40% Grand Coulee Dam 28% 22% 50% Visitor Center Grant County 50% 27% 22% Historical Museum Grant County PUD 62% 28% 10% Visior Center Lake Lenore Caves 40% 23% 36% State Park Heritage Site Moses Lake Museum & 55% 23% 21% Art Center Quincy Valley 69% 25% 6% Historical Society Wanapurn Dam 50% 27% 23% Interpretive Site Wanapurn Heritage 59% 25% 16° Center William Kelly Heritage 70 % 22% 8% Barn Vine gars Poe Heritage '72% 21% 8% Barn Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 83 William & Rebecca 70% 24 6% Schorzman Heritage Homestead Implication Survey respondents are most likely to visit Grand Coulee Dam visitor Center (72 maybe and yes) and Dry Falls visitor Center (65 maybe and yes). Would you like more information on historical and cultural attractions in Grant County? Answered: .1 9, k p -e 1V06fl Maybe 23` des 17 ........ . Implication Survey respondents are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the historical and cultural attractions the County has to offer (40 maybe and yes). What historical and cultural program., service, and facility attractions would you like to see identified and/or developed in Grant County? Answered: 38, Skipped 77 See Appendix for itemized lists. Have/will you visit the following wildlife and environmental interpretive facilities and state parrs during your visit? Answered: l 11, Skipped 4 No Maybe Yes Banks Lake Wildlife Area 30% 26% 35% Billy Clapp Lake Wildlife 55% 22% 22% Area Columbia Basin Wildlife 44 16 41 Area .Desert Wildlife .Area 55' 25% 20% Gloyd Seeps 'wildlife 61 26 13% Area .Hanford Reach National 5 5 2 5% 20% Monument Lower Crab Creek 50 27% 23% Wildlife Area Priest Rapids Wildlife 63 24 13% Area Quincy Lakes Wildlife 47 27% 27% Area Soap Lake Wildlife Area 57 27% 16/ Sun Lakes Wildlife Area 3 8% 2 5% 3 7% Upland Restoration unit 61% 26% 13% Winchester Reservoir 64% 26 10% Wildlife Area Implication Survey respondents were most likely to visit Sun Lakes Wildlife Area (62% maybe and yes), Banks Lake Wildlife Area (61% maybe and yes), Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area 54% maybe and yes), Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area (50% maybe and yes), Desert Wildlife Area (45` maybe and yes), Hanford Reach National Monument (45% maybe and yes), and Billy Clapp Lake Wildlife Area (44% maybe and yes) . Would you like more information on Wildlife, environmental, and state park attractions in Grant County? Answered: 103, Skipped 12 'No " S"5 , Maybe 2 0 Yes 2 4 Implication Survey respondents are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are Well versed in the Wildlife, environmental, and state park attractions the County has to offer (44 maybe and yes). What wildlife, environmental, and state parr attractions program., service, and facility attractions would you like to see identified and/or developed in Grant County? Answered: : , k pp d 7 7 See Appendix for itemized lists. Have/will you visit the following agritourism attractions during your visit? Answered: 109, Skipped No .Maybe 'des Grant County Fair & 52 16 32 Rodeo Farmers' markets 31 a 20% 48% Organic farms 5 4' 2 3 % 22% Family or pick -your -own 38 27% 3 5% farms Wineries and distilleries 50' 28% 22% Breweries 5 9 18 2 3 Other agricultural 58% 28 14 attractions Implication Survey respondents are frequent visitors of farmers' markets (68 maybe and yes), family or pick -your -own farms (62" maybe and yes), wineries and distilleries (50" maybe and yes), and organic farms (45 maybe and yes). Would you like more information on agritourism attractions in Grant County? An , � E-,re c !033. Skipped 1 No 63% ` Maybe 22% Yes 15% Implication Survey respondents are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the agritourism attractions the County has to offer (37/ maybe and yes). 84 Grant County Tourism Master Plan what agritourism attractions program, service, and facility attractions would you like to see identified and/or developed in Grant County? Answered. 17, Skipped 98 See Appendix for itemized lists. Have/will you visit the following trail -oriented recreation attractions during your visit? Answered,- 108, Skipped 71 No Maybe Yes Hiking on a park or area 19% 19% 61% trail Biking on a park or area 52% 19% 29% trail Biking on -road touring 70% 14% 16% Horseback riding on a 68% 17% 15% park or area trail Riding an ATV or SxS or 67% 13% 20% 4x4 Riding a trail bike or 72% 10% 18% motorcycle Other 72% 12% 16% Implication Survey respondents predominantly hike on a park or area trail (80% maybe and yes) and bike on a park or area trail (48% maybe and yes). Have/will you participate in the following water -oriented recreational activities during your visit? Answered: 110, Skipped 5 No Maybe Yes Floating or rafting 38% 25% 37% Canoeing or kayaking 36% 25% 39% Water skiing 67% 15% 18% Power boating 57% 14% 29% Other 71% 14% 14% ,Implication Survey respondents predominantly canoe or kayak (64% maybe and yes) and float or raft (62% maybe and yes). Have/will you participate in the following fishing and hunting -oriented recreational activities during your visit? Answered' 108, S1--s 1%11 p p e C1 7 No Maybe Yes Fishing from the bank 53% 18% 29% Fishing from a boat 57% 17% 26% Skeet, trap, or range 73% 11% 15% shooting Hunting for upland 75% 12% 13% birds Hunting for waterfowl 79% 10% 10% Hunting for small 80% 11% 8% animals Hunting deer, elk, or 78% 8% 13% other big game Other 90% 5% 5% Implication Survey respondents predominantly fish from a bank (47% maybe and yes) and fish from a boat (43% maybe and yes). Would you like more information on trails, water, fishing, or hunting attractions and facilities in Grant County? A n s we'-� 17 e d: 1-1) Q, Skip p e d 16 No 75% Maybe 11% Yes 14% Implication Survey respondents are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the trails, water, fishing, and hunting attractions the County has to offer (25% maybe and yes). What trails, water, fishing, or hunting attractions and facilities would you like to see identified and/or developed in Grant County? Answered: 25, Skipped 90 See Appendix for itemized lists. How much did/will the following sources provide you information about Grant Cou, nty"s attractions, services, and other particulars? Answered: 108, Skipped 7' None Some Lot Previous knowledge 11% 46% 42% Family and friends 20% 40% 41% Grant County Visitor 47% 32% 21% Guide Central Washington 52% 34% 14% Visitor Guide Washington State 51% 36% 12% tourist information Private guidebooks and 55% 33% 13% travel guides Commercial adds 67% 27% 6% Promotional brochures, 52% 39% 9% flyers Internet websites 16% 45% 38% Newspapers 68% 26% 6% Visitor or welcome 38% 44% 18% center Implications Survey respondents primarily receive information about Grant County attractions from previous knowledge (88% some and a lot), internet websites (83% some and a lot), family and friends (81% some and a lot), visitor or Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 85 welcome centers (62% some and a lot), and Grant County Visitor Guide (53% some and a lot). If you did/will Internet websites, how much did/will you use the following sites? Answered. 104, SKIpped I I No Some Lot www.tourgrantcounty.com 53% 32% 15% www.cascadelooi).com 61% 32% 7% www.exi)eriencewa.com 57% 33% 10% www.scenicwa.com 60% 34% 6% www.watoursmalliance.com 74% 25% 2% Implication Survey respondents primarily use www.tourgrantcounty.com hosted by Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee (47% some and a lot) and www.experiencewa.com by the State of Washington (43% some and a lot. How would you prefer to be 'Informed about program, services, and facility attractions and schedules in Grant County? Answered- 29, Skipped: 86 See Appendix for itemized lists. Would you like to be enteredautothe drawing for the $25O gift certificate for participating in the survey? Answered: 93, Skipped: 22 Conclusion - survey respondents: Most plan on visiting Moses Lake (68%) and least on Royal City (10%) and Warden (10%). ■ Plan on visiting Leavenworth (39%) and Wenatchee on SR-2 (49%) and Spokane (45%) and Coeur D'Alene (25%) on 1-90. ■ Visit Grant County primarily for recreation activities (77% major) and visit family and friends (50% major). ■ Are primarily attending the fair and rodeo (33% maybe and 32% yes) and not conferences (88% no). Are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the special events the County has to offer (17% yes, 30% maybe). ■ Most likely to visit Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center (72% maybe and yes) and Dry Falls Visitor Center (65% maybe and yes). ■ Are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the special events the County has to offer (40% maybe and yes). ■ Most likely to visit Sun Lakes Wildlife Area (62% maybe and yes), Banks Lake Wildlife Area (61% maybe and yes), Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area 54% maybe and yes), Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area (50% maybe and yes), Desert Wildlife Area (45% maybe and yes), Hanford Reach National Monument (45% maybe and yes), and Billy Clapp Lake Wildlife Area (44% maybe and yes). Are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the wildlife, environmental, and state park attractions the County has to offer (44% maybe and yes). • Are frequent visitors of farmers' markets (68% maybe and yes), family or pick -your -own farms (62% maybe and yes), wineries and distilleries (50% maybe and yes), and organic farms (45% maybe and yes). • Are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the agritourism attractions the County has to offer (37% maybe and yes). • Predominantly hike on a park or area trail (80% maybe and yes) and bike on a park or area trail (48% maybe and yes). • Predominantly canoe or kayak (64% maybe and yes) and float or raft (62% maybe and yes). • Predominantly fish from a bank (47% maybe and yes) and fish from a boat (43% maybe and yes). ■ Are frequent travelers to Grant County and assume they are well versed in the trails, water, fishing, and hunting attractions the County has to offer (25% maybe and yes). ■ Primarily receive information about Grant County attractions from previous knowledge (88%, some and a lot), internet websites (83% some and a lot), family and friends (81% some and a lot), visitor or welcome centers (62% some and a lot), and Grant County Visitor Guide (53% some and a lot). Primarily use www.tourgrantcountv.com hosted by Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee (47% some and a lot) and www.exiDeriencewa.com by the State of Washington (43% some and a lot. An online survey wvvas conducted of Grant County residents that was promoted by email and on the website. Survey questions sought to obtain information on what facilities residents used, their relation to tourism, and their opinions about future tourism impacts that was completed by 331 residents. 86 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Following is a summary of the findings - detailed results including comments are provided in the Appendix. In most instances, the results have been statistically weighted and ranked as noted to provide meaningful findings. Survey respondent characteristics Where do you live? Answered: 32 1- Skipped: 10 Electric City 2% Moses Lake 50% Ephrata 15% Quincy 11% George 2% Royal City 3% Grand Coulee 2% Soap Lake 8% Mattawa 1% Warden 1% Implication Survey respondents generally reflect the distribution of residents within the County with the greatest concentration in Moses Lake (50%), Ephrata (15%), and Quincy (11%). What age group are you in? Answered: 327, Skipped 4 19-24 17% 35-44 25% 55-64 18% 25-34 20% 45-54 20% 65+ to Implication Survey respondents are represented in all age groups but primarily in young -middle aged adults including 25-34 (20%), 35-44 (25%), and 45- 54(20%). What is your household income? Answered: 320, Skipped 11 <$ 2 5,000 6% $75-99,999 19% $25-49,999 11% $100,000+ 42% $50-74o999 23% Implication Survey respondents are primarily upper middle income over $100,000 (46%). What level of education do you have? Answered. 321- Skipped: 10 Grade school 0% Some college 34% High school 13% Bachelors 33% Technical school S% Graduate 15% Implication Survey respondents are generally college graduates (48% bachelor's degree or higher). What is Grant County's greatest tourism attraction? Answered: 26`3- SkiDped: 66 See Appendix for itemized lists. What do you recommend Grant County work on to improve tourism experience, interest, and revenue? Answe-1,;,,-,1d, 198- Skipped: 133 See Appendix for itemized lists. Would you like to be entered into the drawing for a $250 gift certificate for participating in this survey? Answered-, 254- Skipped: 77 Conclusions - respondents are: • Generally, reflect the distribution of residents within the County with the greatest concentration in Moses Lake (50%), Ephrata (15%), and Quincy (11%). • Are represented in all age groups but primarily in young -middle aged adults including 25-34 (20%), 35-44 (25%), and 45-54 (20%). • Are primarily upper middle income over $100,000 (46%). in Are generally college graduates (48% bachelor's degree or higher). Survey respondent opinions and behavior To what extent do you agree with the following statements on what tourism is and should be in Grant County? Answered: 331-. Skipped: 0 No Some Lot Not important - tourists 69% 25% 5% overwhelm local facilities and services Some importance - 7% 36% 57% tourists spend money, support employment in local businesses Significant importance - 4% 30% 66% tourism provides revenues to improve local facilities and services implication Survey respondents overwhelmingly agree tourism is somewhat important (93% some or a lot) to significant (96% some or a lot). To what extent do you agree with the following statements on what tourism is and should be in Grant County? Answered. 33 1- Skipped: 0 No Some Lot Reduce tourism to 79% 17% 3% contain costs for facilities and services Reduce tourism volume 79% 18% 4% Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 87 to reduce volume at County facilities for residents Maintain current tourism 16% 42% 42% volume to protect local jobs and revenues Increase tourism volume 7% 2 8% 650//0 to increase local jobs and revenues Other 57% 27% 16% Implication Survey respondents overwhelmingly agree tourism should be increased to grow local jobs and revenues (65% agree a lot) and maintain current volume to protect local jobs and revenues (42% agree a lot). .Are you involved as a volunteer, employee in any of the following tourism activities? Answered: 327- Skipped: 4 # volunteer or employee Vol Emp Arts and culture - artist studios, 28 8 galleries, theaters History - landmarks, historic 15 5 districts, museums Recreation - hike, bike, kayak, 48 15 fish, hunt Agritourism - wineries, farms, 22 21 barns Ecotourism - Ice Age Flood, 11 4 wildlife tours, bird watch Events - festivals, fairs, athletic 105 25 tournaments Services - stores, restaurants, 18 33 hotels, campgrounds, Airbnb Other 13 23 Total 260 134 Implication 260 survey respondents volunteer in events (105) and recreation activities (48) and employed in numbers of 134 in services (33) or other activities (23). Do you to work in any festivals, fair and rodeo, athletic tournaments, or other special events? Answered, 326- Skipped: 5 # volunteer or employee Vol Emp Athletic competitions 66 6 Fair and rodeo 56 13 Conferences 32 5 Other events 52 14 Total 206 38 Implication 206 survey respondents volunteer in athletic competitions (66), fair and rodeo (56), and other events (52) and conferences (32) and employed in 88 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan numbers of 38 but not employed in significant numbers in any event. What special event, program, service, and facility attraction would you like to see identified and/or developed to increase tourism in Grant County? Answere�d: 185- SkippeclL 146' See Appendix for itemized lists. Do you volunteer or work in any of the following historical and cultural facilities? Answered: 2; 2_ Skh)oed: 9 # volunteer or employee Vol Dry Falls Visitor Center Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center 4 Grant County Historical Museum 6 Grant County PUD Visitor Center 3 Lake Lenore Caves State Park 3 Heritage Site Moses Lake Museum & Art Center 5 Quincy Valley Historical Society 9 Wanapum Dan Viewpoint & 2 Interpretive Site Wanapurn Heritage Center 1 William Kelley Heritage Barn 2 Vineyard Poe Heritage Barn I William & Rebecca Schoirzman 1 Heritage Homestead Total 39 Implication 39 survey respondents volunteer and 9 are employed 9 but are not significant in any historical or cultural facility. Emp 2 0 0 1 9 What historical and cultural program, service, and facility attractions would you like to see identified and/or developed to increase tourism in Grant County? Answered: 132- Skipped: 199 Do you volunteer or work in any of the following wildlife and environmental interpretive facilities and state parks? Answered: 132- Skipped: 19;" # volunteer or employee Vol Emp Banks Lake Wildlife Area 4 1 Billy Clapp Lake Wildlife Area 3 2 Columbia Basin Wildlife Area 4 1 Desert Wildlife Area 5 1 Gloyd Seeps Wildlife Area 1 2 Hanford Reach National Monument 1 0 Lower Crab Creek Wildlife Area 3 0 Priest Rapids Wildlife Area 1 1 Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area 5 ? Soap Lake Wildlife Area 3 0 Sun Lakes Wildlife Area 5 1 Upland Restoration Unit 3 1 Winchester Reservoir Wildlife Area 3 1 Total 41 13 Implication 41 survey respondents volunteer and a3 are employed but are not significant volunteers or employees in any historical or cultural facility. What wildlife and environmental interpretive facilities attractions would you like to see identified and/or developed to increase tourism in Grant County? Answered. 117- Skipped: 214 See Appendix for itemized lists. Do you volunteer or work in any of the following agritourism attractions? Answered: 326- Skipped: 5 # volunteer or employee Vol Emp Grant County Fair & Rodeo 46 11 Farmers' markets 31 2 Organic farms 4 4 Family or pick -your -own farms 5 9 Wineries and distilleries 6 3 Breweries 4 1 Other agricultural attractions 8 5 Total 104 35 Implication 104 survey respondents volunteer in the Fair & Rodeo (46) and Farmers' markets (3 1) and 3 5 are employed but are not significant employees in any agritourism attraction. What agritourism attractions would you like to see identified and/or developed to increase tourism in Grant County? Answered: 114- Skipped: -1.17 See Appendix for itemized lists. Do you volunteer or work in any of the following trail -oriented recreation activities? Answered: 317- Skipped. 14 # volunteer or employee Vol Emp Hiking on a park or area trail 19 4 Biking on a park or area trail 15 4 Biking on -road touring 9 1 Horseback riding on a park or area 7 1 trail Riding an ATV or SxS or 4x4 13 1 Riding a trail bike or motorcycle I 1 0 Other 4 1 Total 78 12 Implication 78 survey respondents volunteer in hiking (19), biking (15), OHV (13), and riding trail bikes or motorcycles (11) and 12 are employed but not in significant numbers in any recreation trail activity. Do you volunteer or work in any of the following water -oriented recreation activities.? Answered: 316- Skipped.; 1 3- # volunteer or employee Vol Emp Floating or rafting 15 3 Canoeing or kayaking 19 4 Water skiing 7 3 Power boating 14 3 Other 6 3 Total 61 16 Implication 61 survey respondents volunteer in canoeing or kayaking (19), floating or rafting (15), and power boating (14) and 16 are employed but not in significant numbers in any water -oriented activity. Do you volunteer or work in any of the following fishing and hunting activities? Answered: 3 IS- Skipped: D6 # volunteer or employee Vol Emp Fishing from the bank 30 3 Fishing from a boat 26 3 Skeet, trap, or range shooting 11 1 Hunting upland birds 10 1 Hunting waterfowl 12 0 Hunting small animals 11 1 Hunting deer, elk, or other big 16 0 game Other 3 1 Total 119 10 Imvlication 119 survey respondents volunteer in fishing from the bank (30), fishing from a boot (26), hunting big game (16), hunting waterfowl (12), skeet, trap, or range shooting (11), hunting small animals (11), and hunting upland birds (10) and 10 are employed but not in significant numbers in any fishing or hunting activity. What trail, water, fishing, hunting attractions would you like to see identified and/or developed to increase tourism in Grant County? Answered: 84- Skipped: 2247 See Appendix for itemized lists. Conclusions - resident survey respondents • Overwhelmingly agree tourism is somewhat important (93% some or a lot) to significant (96% some or a lot). • Overwhelmingly agree tourism should be increased to increase local jobs and revenues (65% agree a lot) and maintain current volume Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 89 to protect local jobs and revenues (42% agree a lot). a 260 respondents volunteer in events (105) and recreation activities (48) and 134 are employed in in services (33) or other activities (23). a 206 respondents volunteer in athletic competitions (66), fair and rodeo (56), and other events (52) and conferences (32) and 38 are employed but not employed in significant numbers in any event. a 39 respondents volunteer and 9 are employed but are not significant in any historical or cultural facility. a 41 respondents volunteer and 13 are employed but are not significant volunteers or employees in any historical or cultural facility. a 104 respondents volunteer in the Fair & Rodeo (46) and Farmers' markets (3 1) and 3 5 are employed but not in significant numbers in any agritourism attraction. A 78 respondents volunteer in hiking (19), biking (15), OHV (13), and riding trail bikes or motorcycles (11) and 12 are employed but not in significant numbers in any recreation trail activity. a 61 respondents volunteer in canoeing or kayaking (19), floating or rafting (15), and power boating (14) and 16 are employed but not in significant numbers in any water - oriented activity. a 119 respondents volunteer in fishing from the bank (30), fishing from a bot (26), hunting big game (16), hunting waterfowl (12), skeet, trap, or range shooting (11), hunting small animals (11), and hunting upland birds (10) and 10 are employed but not in significant numbers in any fishing or hunting activity. Workshops Separate workshops were conducted at the County Courthouse with, stakeholders, agencies, arts and culture groups, athletic tournaments, and trails and hiking interests, and chambers of commerce. Following is a summary of major findings. Chambers of Commerce t f% Ephrata 0 Tourist aren't frequenting downtown businesses other than during baseball and softball tournaments. 90 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan a Tourists are primarily westside recreationalists on the way to other sites. 2 City lacks lodging capacity,, what is available is booked 90-100% during summer season, especially during concerts at the Gorge. a Area lacks shoulder, winter season activities to draw tourists. Locals snowmobile or ice fish. a Very few Airbnb, not an option - Ephrata may have ordinances against it. Moses Lake a Has good events throughout the year, though not as many in winter, other than hockey. City festivals include a brew and tunes event. Occupancy is full during concert series. New hotel being built with extended stay option. a Missing agritourism opportunities. Wineries don't help much as facilities are only open Saturday and Sunday. a Moses Lake has Best Western Conference facility, Big Bend Community College, and fairgrounds for conferences that range from a couple hundred capacity to a couple thousand. Most attendees are for state agency events given the city's mid -state location. a Majority of tourists are from westside to play in sand dunes, lakeside getaway, and Airbnb's. Moses Lake does the advertising as the Chamber of Commerce isn't the marketing engine. a Hotel capacity is 100% during summer season and during Gorge concerts. In winter, occupancy drops to 70-80%. Moses Lake hosts tournaments for softball, baseball, hockey, primarily at city - owned parks that draw from Washington State as well as the Pacific Northwest region. Attendees stay in a mix of places including Airbnb's, hotels, and campgrounds in summer season. a Construction workers also fill the hotels during major projects. South Grant County a Has an event center managed by Port of Mattawa that is used primarily for local events and not tourists. There are no hotels in Mattawa and Desert Air, but RV resort, campgrounds, and some Airbnb's. Lots of second homes in Desert Air for snowbirds and remote workers. a Mattawa would like to attract tourists but the downtown needs to work on marketing and attractions. 0 Large Hispanic -Latino population and culture in Grant County and need activities focused on Hispanic -Latino interests including regional events. a Biggest promotional drawback is the lack of knowledge and promotional materials about what Grant County has to offer tourists. Stakeholders Columbia Basin Rodeo Association a Puts on the Moses Lake Round Up at Grant County Fairgrounds that is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) sanctioned rodeo and part of Columbia River circuit. Contestants go on to National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The Rodeo Association was founded in 1943. There isn't a qualifying event for this rodeo, but competitive attendees do sign up. E The Demolition Derby involves about 120 cars per night for the derby and about 80 cars for the rodeo. This year the derby was live -streamed ,and re -run on the Cowboy Channel. The Association is considering raising the prize money amounts. 'The derby gets local business sponsorships and ticket revenue. 0 Contracted rodeo personnel stay overnight more than the cowboys. a Total Fair and Rodeo attendance last year was 22,000 corning from Wenatchee, Spokane, and the westside. Saturday numbers were down a little because of a shooting incident on Friday. Online 0 versus ticket gate purchases were about 50/50. Tourism Advisory Committee a Promotes tourism for the entire county (Coulee Creative Company). TAC markets small businesses within Grand Coulee area and Grant County using every social medium including digital, print, tv broadcast (KXLY, KREM, KING5, FOX). Fox is effective but expensive. Is Big difference between summer and winter seasons with peak during September - November and mid -February - end of April. Retirees travel in the fall when kids are in school, while spring is family travel. Fall travel is more history, museum, and laid-back RV camping. Spring is adventure, BMX, rock climbing, boating, and fishing. n Families tend to travel the furthest up to 6 to 8 hours from Idaho, Oregon, and westside with some repeat visitors. Families tend to stay in a mix of RV parks and hotels. E Older adults stay longer, more leisurely in the fall season, and don't travel quite as far in a 4-to- 6-hour mark and stay in RV parks. a Steamboat Rock and Dry Falls -Sun Lake State Parks are booked year-round and full as are the PUD parks at Priest Rapids and Crescent Bar, and the private campgrounds at the Gorge. Need more RV parks in the central and south destination areas. 8 Winter season activities include ice fishing and ice climbing which is increasing in popularity in the north county areas. 2 Older adults like the theater, fireworks show, and festivals and stay afterwards. n The county needs more infrastructure including tours, campgrounds, more activities for visitors to come and do as well as instructions and guides for activities like fishing. 8 TACs current approach is to market to tourists, but not to businesses. The County doesn't have the tools to market to businesses to locate here. The tourism budget could be more expansive with additional money for social media. The website needs to be expanded and separated from the county's website like Okanogan Country did. The county website was switched because of the challenge of keeping it up to date and making it useful. Right now, the website doesn't cost anything. a TAC working on collaborating countywide on ZD all the marketing efforts at the different levels of chambers, cities, and county. TAC launched an app in February that allows users to filter by area and interest but not ,sure how well it is currently working. TAC hopes the app is a bridge because it's easier to use than the link for the website. The app costs $ 10,000 year, the magazine was $40,000 this year. Yakima Valley is the prototype TAC would like to emulate. n Ice Age promotion needs to be increased with greater recognition in advertising, more signage, 4b guides, and places to stay. Moses Lake a Hockey tournaments on the outdoor rink are the tourism draw in winter for Moses Lake. a Indoor swimming pool at Moses Lake High School (owned by the school district) also brings competitors in November - March. Moses Lake Manta rays use the pool for competitions, but Tri- Cities uses it to host also. 0 Outdoor city pool has a Surf and Slide leisure pool and host a swim meet in June with attendees camping at Frontier Middle School. Sun Lakes Park Resort E Located 7 miles outside of Coulee City, has been a member of TAC and LTAC for 3 years. The resort has not been happy with the magazine as the information is wrong and the magazine does not get effectively distributed. The magazine Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 91 removed the fishing map which was one of the most important items. The magazine needs to be accurate, or the focus needs to adjust to maybe just providing maps. a Sun Lakes Park Resort hosts 9 events per year that generate more than 50,000 customers including Cinco De Mayo, Fishing Derby, Happy Kids Festival (all month of May), June Carnival Festival, 4th of July, September shoulder season Car Show with 150+ cars from the westside, and the 3 weekend Fall Festival event. 0 The Resort markets to the westside on marketplace ads, sends out information to all customers, and on social media posts. a Lots of regulars and 4th generation families but over 50% of customer base is new each year. 0 Sun Lakes Park Resort events are not getting included on the website or in the booklet. The resort has 71 cabins (from studio to 2 bedroom) and 144 RV sites that visitors travel by way of SR- 17. RV sites can accommodate up to 48-foot trailers and RVs with some back in and some pull through with full hookups, and wifi. a Resort amenities include a 9-hole professional golf course with clubhouse, pool, beach, mini golf, and access to hiking trails. Expansion opportunities include more cabins. 2 The resort is fully occupied every weekend from 20 June to after Labor Day. Ephrata Chamber a Has a floodplain issue that discourages residents from remodeling houses and commercial buildings. a Ephrata Chamber moved into an historic building on Main Street in the downtown and are hosting more walk-in traffic and considering more programs in the space. 0 • The Chamber took over Sage and Sun Festival that takes place in June because it lost its identity in past years. The Chamber is updating information on maps with a location and activity spreadsheet. Agencies Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) and the Columbia Basin Conservation District E Combined agencies conduct the Sand Hill 0 Crane Fest in Othello. Attendance in 2024 was 1,200 with about 800 in 2025 most of which were from out of the area. The Sand Hill Crane Committee charges $10 with additional fees for other tours. Most attendees stay in Moses Lake, Othello, and Soap Lake. Event size is limited by the size of the grade school gym in Othello where the event is held. 0 The Committee is working with local tribes and may host a stick game and could also include drumming, singing, and storytelling in the stick game circuit that includes White Swan, Pendleton, and Coeur d'Alene. a Grant County is a leading producer of waterfowl and geese, mule deer, quail, and pheasant. Local hunters feel the county is over- run by westsiders. Hunting is on a slow, steady decline. 0 Overall recreational demands, however, are on the increase with a spike during Covid that hasn't slowed down, On a state level, agencies are working to figure out how to manage the increase in demand. E Carrying capacity for WDFW is affected most by the availability of toilets as WDFW lands are managed in a primitive state. Parking areas reach capacity, but there are opportunities to park on the side of the road. Some parking areas are perhaps too big. Though boat launches can have capacity limitations. a Wildlife impacts are most affected by the timing of the year with some restrictions during nesting seasons for falcons, for example, as well as other wildlife. • A target shooting range is about to be completed at Lake Lenore with another scheduled for the Potholes. a WDFW is redeveloping the Winchester wildlife area to provide more reliable water and expand hunting using diverse funding sources. • WDFW is developing trails in Othello over the next 2 years. Once a trail route has been formally approved there are volunteers and groups like TREAD and Evergreen MTB willing to work on constructing the trails. a Ebikes are allowed but mostly on access roads or only where motorized use is allowed. Arts and culture The Masquers Theater a Is part of the Soap Lake Creative District. The theater, a nonprofit, has one of the more prolific scheduled events along with The Gorge Amphitheatre. The theater shares ads with the theater in Quincy by cross advertising in playbills as well as maintaining a website, Facebook, TikTok, and the planned installation of a reader board along the highway. a The theater conducts 5 shows that run 9-11 92 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan nights each year along with a summer gala and theater camp for youth. Most attendees come from a 60-mile radius of Soap Lake which is the area the theater focuses promotional outreach. Communication is difficult and could be improved with a countywide approach. a Performers come from Grand Coulee, Wenatchee, Warden, Coulee City, Quincy, and Moses Lake which brings new supporters. People want to get involved after seeing show - some onstage, some backstage. a The nonprofit owns the theater which was built 20 years ago specifically for theater and entertainment with a 135-seating capacity. The building was acquired with a loan and donations from the Columbia Basin Foundation. Operating costs are financed by Grant County Tourism, Soap Lake Tourism, admission, concession, donations, and memberships. a The theater is rented occasionally but rental is limited by a lack of rehearsal space. Three large storage facilities are rented in Soap Lake for props and costurnes but are considering building a storage facility that could be a workshop as well. Currently an offsite location is rented in Ephrata for rehearsals for summer musicals. E Marketing budget is funded with LTAC grants. Advertising in Quincy and other cities is difficult because most papers are once a month and publishing is typically off schedule for productions. a Dress rehearsals are open to school students with a tour along with question -and -answer sessions afterwards. Relationships are developed with the drama departments in each school with the objective of attracting students who will be interested in theater into adulthood. Friends of Lower Grand Coulee 0 Estblished a Creative District in Soap Lake with a $5,000 grant from ArtsWA to define and organize a collaborative marketing effort of all the artistic entities. The District is working on a brand, marketing plan, and promotional signage along the highways. a The 3 restaurants in Soap Lake average 86,000 customers a year with some diners that attend the Masquers Theater afterwards. a Soap Lake Resort, the campground, and the Quilt Retreat Center bring about 14,000 visitors a year into the city. Quilt Retreat Center a Is designed for groups to work on quilting projects, as individuals or collaborating on a group project. The center has 3 houses that accommodate varying group sizes, up to 20 or so, and can arrange more accommodations if a group is larger. Soav Lake Music Festival a Is in its second year in June with food and entertainment inspired by folk music. Attendance was low the first year of the festival because of high temperatures, so the festival was moved earlier in the year. Athletics Ephrata Sage & Sun Festival Is conducted in ,,dune with a 3-on-3 tournament that attracts participants from 3rd to 8th grades from up to 2 hours travel distance of the city that stay at local hotel and campgrounds. Ephrata expanded the tournaments to adult men and women.The tournament is promoted by radio, online, print media, and website. E Quincy and Moses Lake also have tournaments that Ephrata would like to jointly market. The city hopes to create covered pickleball for tournaments by developing up to 9 courts including 3 fenced in the next year or so. In Not much soccer tournament activity compared to baseball and softball. Moses Lake has hosted Babe Ruth, American Legion, state championships, and have the field capacity to do that. a Ephrata Enforcers has hosted 1-2-day softball tournaments all summer for the past 5 years for age 9-12 drawing teams from all over eastern Washington. Ephrata Enforcers is expanding parking and adding new fields. n Ephrata Enforcers would like to host 3-on-3 tournaments with RV parking space but don't want to compete with the city's Oasis Park. The Enforcers need to provide 50-amp hookups and pull-throughs for 40-foot trailers and RVs. 8 Ephrata's Oasis Park provides RV, par 3, 18- hole pitch and put, pool, laundry, showers, and a little store that is very well -used during tourist season May - September at 80% capacity. Visitors stay and boat and fly fish in Rocky Fjord Creek. The park is leased to a concessionaire who manages all aspects of the property. v Expansion is a challenge as the city doesn't want to remove the golf course. There is some land across the street that could be developed. a Indoor space is already utilized with local activities including Ephrata Parks & Recreation programs and AAU games. City needs more Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 93 indoor gym space as young children don't get gym space until 8 pm. School district is building additional gyms. a City has an outdoor pool built in the late 1990s that is 60-70% subsidized. Quincy E Expanding sports tourism with the development of additional fields and a fieldhouse (Q-Flex). Consultant (Pinnacle) advised the city that participants will drive up to 2 hours for sports tournaments which could be as far as Spokane or Seattle. Proposed 130,000 square foot field house (Q Plex) will contain indoor turf field that can be configured for two 9 on 9 fields, or four 7 by 7 indoor soccer fields), 2 sport courts, and indoor perimeter track. a Quincy voters approved a parks district and $0.50 per $ 1,000 property tax assessment to fund Q-Plea. The facility will have staff to include marketing, but a consultant will help with feasibility study of use potentials. Details regarding Quincy School District use as well as other users are being worked out. a Quincy could consider participating in a countywide tournament marketing approach considering, however, that voters approved a city not a regional facility. City has not assessed how to market QPlex along with the other county sports facilities. Trails Moses Lake-Tral"Is Team a Is in a state of flux because the city is considering dissolving the Trails Team and making it multi -modal with community input. v The Team is interested in equestrian trails. There are some suitable trails in the city, but with shared pedestrian users equestrian use is challenging. Would like to extend a horse trail into the county but not sure where to go safely and without private property infringement. U Could locate horse trails at Potholes & Sand Dunes but have potential conflicts with motorized vehicles at the Dunes. a Equestrians must trailer horses to trail sites consuming time for a minimal duration ride. Trails and trailheads need to be located along trails that will provide a satisfactory experience and ride duration. 0 Ideal trail would start in the city and extend out into the county for a satisfactory ride opportunity. 94 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan a Team is interested in developing water trails for kayaking with storage for boats and access to Moses Lake. Some existing lake access is outside city limits. Not sure if multi -modal water or other trail proposals will include motorized. a Fairground rodeo barrel racers and trainers may not be interested in a horse trail system. a Fairground equestrian groups include a pony club, barrel race group, different small equestrian groups (dressage workshop), but not a lot of formalized, large groups that could be interested in horse trails. i Voter household priorities survey An online survey was conducted of Grant County households that was promoted by a postcard mailed to every household in the county using the LISPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). The survey was also promoted by email and on the website. Survey questions sought to obtain information on what priority voter households placed on Tourism Master Plan proposals that was completed by 604 households. Following is a summary of the findings - detailed results including comments are provided in the Appendix. In most instances, the results have been statistically weighted and ranked as noted to provide meaningful findings. Survey respondent characteristics Where do you live? Answered: 596- Skipped: 8 Electric City 0% Moses Lake 59% Ephrata 13% Quincy 11% George 2% Royal City 0% Grand Coulee 0% Soap Lake 4% Mattawa 5% Warden 2% Implication Survey respondents generally reflect the distribution of residents with the County with the greatest concentration in Moses Lake (59%), Ephrata (13%), and Quincy (11%). What age group are you in? Answered: 598, Skipped 6 19-24 6% 35-44 18% 55-64 17% 25-34 17% 45-54 16% 65+ 25% Implication Survey respondents are represented in all age groups but primarily in 65+ (25%), middle-aged adult age 35-44 (18%), young -middle-aged adults including 25-34 (17%), and 45-54 (ISM. What is your household income? Answered- 561, Skipped 43 <$25,000 9% $75-999999 17% $25-49,999 16% $1009000+ 4 1% $50-74v999 17% Implication Survey respondents are primarily upper middle income over $100,000 (41%). What level of education do you have? Answered: 591- Skipped: 13 Grade school 1% Some college 27% High school 18% Bachelors 30% Technical school 6% Graduate i 91% Implication Survey respondents are generally college graduates (49% bachelor's degree or higher). Are you involved as an owner, employee, or volunteer in any of the following tourism activities? Answered: 595- Skipped: 9 # volunteer or employee Own E,mp Vol Environmental (eco- 6 8 20 tourism) - Ice Age Floods, bird watching Heritage tourism - 3 6 16 historical museums, districts, societies, Main Street programs Agriculture (agri-tourism) - 10 16 20 wineries, farm stays, farmers' markets, farm stands Recreational tourism - 1 45 boating, camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, sports tournaments Cultural tourism - 2 12 32 performing arts theater and music events, fine art studios and galleries Branding - developing 4 8 18 maps, guides, websites, and promotional materials and programs Total 40 60 151 Implication 251 persons out of 604 survey respondents are volunteers, employees, or owners of tourism activities with the highest numbers involved in recreation tourism (70 owners, employees, and volunteers), and agriculture (46). Conclusions - respondents: a Generally, reflect the distribution of residents within the county with the greatest concentration in Moses Lake (59%), Ephrata (13%), and Quincy (11%). a Represented in all age groups but primarily in 65+ (25%), middle-aged adult age 35-44 (18%), young -middle-aged adults including 25-34 (17%), and 45-54 (15%). a Primarily upper middle income over $100,000 (41%). a College graduates (49% bachelor's degree or higher). Survey respondent opinions Survey responses were weighted where 1 is the lowest, 2 low, 3 moderate, 4 high, and 5 highest and each then multiplied by the number of responses in each rank divided by the total number of persons responding to the survey. A weighted average of 2.0-2.75 is lowest -low, 2.75- 3.25 is moderate, 3.25-4.0 high -highest. Geotourism - recognizes that different tourists are interested in different attractions generally defined as the environment (eco-tourism), heritage, agriculture (agri-tourism), recreation, and culture that motivates their visits. That does not mean that once in an area, a specific geotourist won't visit other attractions, but rather their specific interests are the principal reason why they visit the area to begin with. Grant County's Tourism Master Plan recognizes this trend and is based on developing a marketing and promotion campaign that appeals to each geotourist interest. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the geotourism approach? Answered. 597- Skipped- 7 Weight Agree with geotourism 3.67 Implication Survey respondents indicated high -highest agreement with geotourism (3.67) agreement. Environmental (eco-tourism) actions - the following actions are proposed to market and promote specific environmental attractions in Grant County. The tours would be packaged with accommodations and measured for impact on retail and lodging sales. What priority would you Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 9S assign each proposed action to encourage environmental tourism in Grant County? Answered: 600- Skippe 4 Weight Market Ice Age Flood tours - 3.26 working with the Ellensburg Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute's (IAFA) Ice Age Tours and CWU Geology Department to designate features and conduct group tours of the Ice Age Flood sites. Market wildlife and bird watching 3.35 tours - working with the Central Basin Audubon Society (CBAS), US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Washington State Parks, and Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), to expand the Great Washington State Birding Trail of the Coulee Corridor and conduct group tours of wildlife and birding viewing sites. Implication Survey respondents gave moderate -high ratings to marketing Ice Age Flood tours (3.26) and wildlife and bird watching tours (3.35). 0 Heritage actions - the following actions are proposed to market and promote specific heritage tourism attractions in Grant County. T tours would be packaged with accommodations and measured for impact on retail and lodging sales. What priority would you assign each proposed action to encourage heritage tourism Grant County? Answeredn 602- Skipped: 2 Promote Native American culture - working with the Wanapum, Yakama, and Colville Tribes to expand on the histories, artworks, gathering sites, and interpretive facilities of tribes who resided in or adjacent to Grant County with wayfinding signage and Interpretive exhibits. Promote Hispanic -Latino cultural events and activities - working with Unidos Nueva Alianza (UNA) Foundation, Latino Civic Alliance, and Grant County Fairgrounds to promote Cinco de Mayo, Die de los Metros (Day of the Dead), and El Grito (Mexican Independence Day) with food vendors, music, and other entertainment. Promote historic districts,barns, 3.55 and landmarks -working with Coulee City, Ephrata, Hardline, Mattawa, Moses Lake, 0-pincy, Soap Lake, Stratford, Warden, Wilson Creek, and other historical societies and museums to highlight landmark sites, buildings, and districts and conduct tours for interested historic tourists. Implication Survey respondents gave moderate -high ratings to promote historic districts, barns, and landmarks (3.55) and Native American culture (3.48) but moderate ratings to promoting Hispanic -Latino cultural events and activities Agriculture (agri-tourism) actions - the following actions are proposed to market and promote specific agriculture tourism attractions in Grant County. The tours would be packaged with accommodations and measured for impact on retail and lodging sales. What priority would you assign each proposed action to encourage agri-tourism tourism in Grant County? Answered: 602- Skipped: 2- Weight Develop winery and tasting tours - 3.64 he working with the many vineyards and wineries in the County to conduct tours of their facilities. in Weight 3.48 Promote farmers' markets - working 4.06 4b with Moses Lake Farmers' Market, Quincy Public Market, Quincy B Street Market, Mattawa Flea &Farmers' Market, and the many farm stands in the County to market their businesses with customers and tourists. Develop farm stays - working with 3.57 Basin Frameworks in Othello, Cloudview Farm in Ephrata, and other e potential farm stay operations to market their businesses with customers and tourists interested in cooking, baking, brewing, butchering, and ZD crop picking in a farmstead setting. Implication Survey respondents gave highest ratings to promoting farmers' markets (4.06), winery and 96 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan tasting tours (3.64), and high ratings to developing farm stays (3.57). Recreational tourism actions - the following actions are proposed to market and promote specific recreation tourism attractions in Grant County. The tours would be packaged with accommodations and measured for impact on retail and lodging sales. What priority would you assign each proposed action to encourage recreational tourism in Grant County? Answered: 604- Skipped: 0 EXpand water trails - working with Washington State Parks, Washington Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Grant County PUD, Moses Lake, and Moses Lake Irrigation District to designate overnight campsites for kayaks and canoes on the Columbia River, Sun Lake, and Moses Lake. Develop on -road bike route and events - on the Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB)frorn Grand Coulee to Moses Lake - working with WDOT, WA State Parks, and Moses Lake Irrigation District to designate shoulder lanes, shared on - .road routes, and overnight bike campsites, races, and other group ride events. Promote Beezley Hills Trails and the Beezley Burn - working with the Ephrata Parks Department to expand market outreach in east and west Washington for mountain biker and trail runner events of the Beezley Hills trails and events. Develop hike. bike, and horse trail on abandoned BNSF Railway - from Moses Lake to Coulee City -working With Washington Department of Fish &Wildlife (WDFW), Natural Resources (DNR), Moses Lake, Coulee City, and private property owners to designate a trail corridor on the historic railroad and wagon train road and/or on WDFW and DNR land and promote trail user group events. Designate hike, bike, and horse trail on the clif - from 1-90 to Trinidad - working with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) to designate the corridor from Serenity Beach Boat Weight 3.89 3.31 3.34 Launch to SR-28 near Trinidad and promote trail user group events. Promote Moses Lake Mud Flats & 3.46 Sand Dunes, Beverly Dun.... Recreation Area,, and West Saddle Mountain OHV - working with the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Sand Scorpions to market outreach and events to attract motorized off -road and off -highway user sto Grant County ORV/OHV sites. Promote regional Sporn- 3.66 tournaments - working with Quincy, Moses Lake, Ephrata, Big Bend Community College, and Royal City and Warden School Districts to market baseball, soccer, cricket, 3x3 basketball, pickleball, and other sports tournament activities on Grant County facilities. Implication Survey respondents gave highest ratings to expanding water trails (3.89), developing bike, hike, and horse trails on abandoned BNSF railroad (3.76), promoting regional sports tournaments (3.36), and high ratings to developing hike, bike, and horse trails on the clifftops from 1-90 to Trinidad (3.47), promoting Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dunes (3.46), and moderate -high ratings to promoting Beezley Hills 'Trails and Beezley Burn (3.34), and developing on -road bike route and events on the Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) from Grand Coulee to Moses Lake (3.31). 176 Cultural tourism actions - the following actions . are proposed to market and promote specific cultural tourism attractions in Grant County. The tours would be packaged with accommodations and measured for impact on retail and lodging sales. What priority would you assign each proposed action to encourage cultural tourism in Grant County? 0 Answered: 604- Skipped. - Weight Promote Grant County Fairgrounds 3.75 3.47 and Moses Lake Rounduv - working With Grant County Fair and Moses Lake Roundup to increase events and activities during the annual August Fair & Rodeo and the rest of the year for equestrian events, auto and RV shows, festivals, and other Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 97 "romotions to increase attendance. support the Gorge Amphitheater - working with George and Live Nation to resolve a master plan for the facility and supporting road, sewer, water, telecommunications, and other supporting infrastructure. Promote performing arts events - working with Masquers Theater, Quincy High School Club, Quincy High School Theater, Quincy Community Theater (QCI), Wallenstein Theater at Big Bend Community College, Moses Lake Summer Concerts, Quincy Valley Allied Arts, Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA), and Central Basin Community Events (CBCCA), among others, to expand outreach and promotion of Grant County performing arts programs and facilities. Promote fine arts events - working with Moses Lake Museum & Arts Center, James Cultural Center (,ACC), Soap Lake Quilt Retreats, Quincy Valley Allied Arts, and the Washington State Arts Collections/Artists of Central Washington to market and promote Grant County artists, galleries, programs, and facilities. Promote festivals - working Soap Lake Food Festival, Moses Lake Air Show, Moses Lake Omani & Harvest Festival, Moses Lake Spring Festival, Moravia Festival, Columbia Basin Allied Arts, among others, to market and promote Grant County special events and attractions. Develop new tourism promotional 3.58 3.53 content and message - working with the Coulee City, Ephrata, Grand Coulee City, Moses Lake, Quincy Valley, Soap Lake, and South Grant !County Chambers of Commerce's, Grant County PUD, Mar Don Resort, 3.57 Sun Lake Resort, and Gorge Sunland Vacation Rentals on updating digital, videos, interactive maps, and print materials to highlight the geotourism actions listed above. Consolidate content and message - 3.66 working with the Coulee City, Ephrata, Grand Coulee City, Moses Lake, Quincy Valley, Soap Lake, and South Grant County Chambers of Commerce's, Grant County PUD, Mar Don Resort, Sun Lake Resort, and Gorge Sunland Vacation Rentals on a centrally accessible website linked with all other promotional websites 3.36 with digital, video, interactive maps, and print materials that can be shared that are focused on geotourism activities and destinations. Place content and message - with 3.60 Washington state Tourism (WST), State of Washington Tourism (SWT), Washington State Marketing Authority, and Washington Tourism 3.87 Alliance (WTA), and Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO) to place Grant County content on regional and state tourism promotional outlets. Implication Survey respondents gave highest ratings to promoting festivals (3.87), promoting Grant County Fairgrounds (3.75), and high ratings to promoting performing arts events (3.57), supporting the Gorge Amphitheater (3.53), and promoting fine arts (3.36). Bran - the following actions are proposed to market and promote all geotourism attractions in Grant County. What priority would you assign each proposed action to encourage geotourism in Grant County? Answered: 601- Skipped: 3 Weight 98 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Implication Survey respondents gave high -highest ratings to consolidating content and message (3.66), placing content and message on regional promotional outlets (3.60), and developing new tourism promotional content and message (3.58). Implementation - the following actions are proposed to update lodging tax grant criteria and to track results in Grant County. What priority would you assign each proposed action to promote and monitor geotourism in Grant County? AnsvvereaL 597- Skipped: Weight Update lod-einpr tax Lyrant criteria - 3.29 working with the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), and County Commissioners to implement projects and programs that reflect this proposed Tourism Master Plan (TMP), fund shovel -ready proposals, increase tourist volumes, overnight stays, retail and lodging tax revenues, job opportunities, joint ventures with other public, nonprofit, and for -profit organizations, that effectively sustain the activities afterwards. Monitor results - working with 3.55 Coulee City, Ephrata, Grand Coulee City, Moses Lake, Quincy Valley, Soap Lake, and South Grant County Chambers of Commerce, Grant County PHIS, Mar Don Resort, Sun Lake Resort, and Gorge Sunland Vacation Rentals using Placer.ai, local surveys, and other tracking methods to document and fine tune results. Implication Survey respondents gave high ratings to monitoring results (3.55) and moderate ratings to updating lodging tax grant criteria (3.29). Would you like more 'Information on the Grant County Tourism Master Plan? Answered: 585- Skipped: 19 No Maybe Yes Environmental (eco- 36% 31% 3 3 % tourism) actions Heritage tourism actions 40% 29% 32% Agriculture (agri-tourism) 36% 29% 35% actions Recreation tourism 27% 24% 49% actions Culture tourism actions 35% 30% 35% Branding actions 43% 3 2 % 2 5 % Implementation actions 36% 28% 37% Implication Survey respondents indicated they may and would like to have additional information on recreation tourism (73% maybe and yes), cultural tourism (65%), implementation (65%), environmental tourism (64%), agriculture tourism (64%), heritage tourism (6 1%), and branding (5 7%). Would you like to be entered into the drawing for a $250 gift certificate for participating in this survey? Answered: 542- Skipped: 62 Conclusions - survey respondent priorities E Geotourism - high -highest agreement with geotourism (3.67) agreement. Environmental - moderate -high ratings to marketing Ice Age Flood tours (3.26) and wildlife and bird watching tours (3.35). N Heritage - moderate -high ratings to promote historic districts, barns, and landmarks (3.55) and Native American culture (3.48) but moderate ratings to promoting Hispanic -Latino cultural events and activities (3.08). E Agriculture - highest ratings to promoting farmers' markets (4.06), winery and tasting tours (3.64), and high ratings to developing farm stays (3.57). In Recreation - highest ratings to expanding water trails (3.89), developing bike, hike, and horse trails on abandoned BNSF railroad (3.76), promoting regional sports tournaments (3.36), and high ratings to developing hike, bike, and horse trails on the clifftops from 1-90 to Trinidad (3.47), promoting Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dunes (3.46), and moderate -high ratings to promoting Beezley Hills Trails and Beezley Burn (3.34), and developing on -road bike route and events on the Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) from Grand Coulee to Moses Lake (3-31). a Culture - highest ratings to promoting festivals (3.87), promoting Grant County Fairgrounds (3.75), and high ratings to promoting performing arts events (3.57), supporting the Gorge Amphitheater (3.53), and promoting fine arts (3.36). a Bra - high -highest ratings to consolidating content and message (3.66), placing content and message on regional promotional outlets (3.60), and developing new tourism promotional content and message (3.58). v Implementation - high ratings to monitoring results (3.55) and moderate ratings to updating lodging tax grant criteria (3.29). 0 More information - indicated they may and would like to have additional information on What tourism program, service, and facility recreation tourism (73% maybe and yes), cultural attractions would you like to see identified tourism (65%), implementation (65%), and/or developed in Grant County in addition environmental tourism (64%), agriculture tourism to those outlined in this survey? (64%), heritage tourism (6 1%), and branding (5 7%). Answered, 24-9- Skipped: 355) Detail listing provided in the Appendix. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 99 Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) 100 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan State of Washington Tourism (SWT) State of Washington Tourism (SWT) is the official Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO) for the State of Washington. SWT is a membership -based nonprofit that was established after the closure of the Washington State Tourism Office in 2011 (formerly Washington Tourism Alliance - WTA. SWT's markets Washington to visitors and serves as a leader in statewide destination management and stewardship. A key SWT component is supporting rural and underserved communities. SWT programs, from destination development to marketing, create jobs and stimulate earnings in the tourism sector. The SWT Board of Directors represent industry stakeholders who have invested in past statewide tourism marketing and industry advocacy efforts and may also have direct investment in, or concern for, Washington State tourism programs. SWT provides the following information and materials: a Visitors' Guide & Map Request - a one -stop source for Washington State travelers with photography, detailed , maps, and insider information on must -see attractions that highlights each of the state's diverse travel regions. The Washington State Visitors' Guide is published by SWT and the Washington Hospitality Association (WHA). The Guide is free, and businesses can request a bulk shipment with shipping paid for by the requestor. In SWT Press Room - provides an image library, story ideas, press releases, and Destination Press Room with website links and background on arts and culture, Native American heritage, food and beverage, urban escapes, and outdoor recreation. As the official destination marketing and management organization (DMMO) for Washington, SWT is responsible for advocating, promoting, developing, and sustaining destination tourism for the state. 0 Tourism Advocacy - SWT serves as a critical catalyst for economic growth, community development, visitation management, and stewardship programs. In the past 5 years, SWT has completely rebuilt the statewide tourism program and helped tourism industry businesses recover from the global pandernic. SWT's website (www.stateofWAtourism.com) is organized around the following topics: E Thing to do - outdoor activities, food and drink, arts and culture, family fun, and road trip organized by interest topic with an interactive map with links to towns and cities. E Places to go - SWT regions, national parks, and scenic byways with links to towns and cities. Events - major annual events, seafood fe stivals, and a calendar organized by art, cultural and heritage, fairs and festivals, family, food and drink, holiday, music performances, outdoor and nature, sports, and search interest by place. a Plan your trip - trip ideas, responsible travel, climate and seasons, and getting there. SWT Grant Programs SWT offers multiple grant opportunities for tourism stakeholders. In 2024, SWT awarded more than $1,800,000 in Tourism Development Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 101 and Planning grants that funded 82 projects in all the state's tourism regions. In addition to recurring grant programs such as Tourism Sustainability and Rural Tourism Support, SWT also administered funds for the following 2025 programs made possible by a $3,500,000 in an Economic Development Administration (EDA) block grant fund from the Washington State Department of Commerce (DOC). N Rural Tourism Marketing and Production - help create the assets to promote destinations to travelers to generate overnight stays and stimulate visitor spending. The grant supports rural and underserved communities. Tourism stakeholders may request up to $50,000 in grant funding for content creation for blog posts and articles, as well as the production of video and image assets. Assets may include photos, videos, and written content, as well as usage rights for the applicant and SWT. a Sports Incentivization - helps nonprofit entities incentivize sports tournaments or competitions that will bring overnight visitors to a destination to spur economic activity. Successful applicants will be able to reserve dollars from a pool to help pay down room nights or provide amenities pending a successful bid. If a bid is ultimately unsuccessful, those dollars will go back into the pool and be available to other applicants according to a ranked waitlist. The maximum grant ask is $30,000. a Rural Tourism Research and Data - is to discover and share critical information that can improve the efficiency, sustainability, and overall economic impact of the local tourism industry. It may also aim to support projects that analyze tourism trends, visitor behavior, cultural exchange, environmental impacts, and other topics that help inform policy decisions and support tourism growth in a region. Tourism stakeholders may request up to $25,000. E Arts and Culture - for the promotion and management of art shows, concerts, festivals, and events, as well as museums, historic sites, and cultural institutes that drive overnight stays and visitor spending in destination communities. The grants aim to attract overnight visitors who are interested in experiencing the artistic and cultural offerings of a people and a place while mitigating any negative impacts on residents, social services, and public infrastructure. The maximum grant is $30,000. E Indigenous Tourism Marketing and Production - helps tribal communities create assets to promote destinations to travelers to generate overnight stays and stimulate visitor spending. Tribal entities Indigenous to Washington State may request up to $50,000 in grant funding for content creation including photos, video, and written content for digital and print channels. a Rural Tourism Support Program (RTS) - focuses on long-term, sustainable destination development for underserved communities. It implements a community tourism approach that includes stakeholder surveys, community workshops, priority projects, and strategic planning from a steering committee. Upon completion of the program, stakeholders are encouraged to apply for financial assistance from SWT and other funding sources to support priority projects. a Technical Assistance - subsidizes the cost of industry -specific expertise for tourism - related projects that stimulate economic development for destination communities. Eligible projects for grant funding may include design plans for tourism infrastructure, marketing expertise, workforce training programs, and other consulting services for tourism pursuits. Washington -based tourism stakeholders may request up to $15,000 in grant funding based on project eligibility. N Tourism Regeneration - fosters safer, more inclusive, and sustainable visitor experiences across the state and drives overnight visitation to rural and underserved communities. Project eligibility for Tourism Regeneration Grants ranges from visitor education campaigns to disaster and climate adaptation planning. Tourism stakeholders may request up to $50,000 in grant funding for projects that include but are not limited to tourism infrastructure, outdoor recreation, festivals and events, and training programs for 102 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan visitor/customer services. 10 Indigenous Tourism Support Program ITS - focuses on a long-term, community - driven, and culturally respectful approach to tourism planning and policy. The program is intended for Tribal entities Indigenous to Washington State for communities seeking to develop or manage tourism assets outside of gaming, including - but not limited - to festivals and events, cultural heritage, outdoor recreation, and agritourism. a Tourism Sustaina - is a recurring grant offered by SWT to foster safer, more inclusive, and sustainable visitor experiences in Washington. Applicants may request up to $30,000 in grant funding based on project eligibility. Project eligibility may include capital projects, new festivals and events, outdoor recreation, and wayfinding improvements. SWTIs True to Nature SWT's "'True to Nature"' campaign was designed to promote the state as a travel destination by showcasing diverse natural landscapes and encouraging visitors to engage in authentic, transformative experiences. The campaign emphasized outdoor activities, local culture, and responsible tourism to attract travel enthusiasts seeking both urban and rural adventures. SWT launched the "True to Nature" campaign in January 2022 after an exhaustive stakeholder process that included every state region, industry business segments, diverse peoples and cultures, and rural, urban, and underserved communities. -- ------------------------------------ ------------- - - - ------- - - --- ----- ------------ ---- ----- --------------------------------- --------------------- ------- ------------ - - - ------- Incremental Travel to Washington State 16.4% Key brand distinguishers, • Washington is the states official name and offers a clear sense of place. • Engaging photos invite visitors to immerse, honor, and preserve. • Vibrant colors, rooted in nature, reflect optimism and creative culture. • Diversity and inclusivity are at the core of the brand. • 'Travel to Washington offers shared value and understanding in progress. SWT produced and hosted a series of #,TrueToNature YouTube videos from 0.60 to 2.48 minutes in duration highlighting different activity interests in places throughout the state. The True to Nature campaign videos won a 2024 Adrian Awards Bronze Winner in the "Digital - Video Multiple Channels" category. SWT's values -based True to Nature consumer marketing campaign highlighted the brand with stories designed to promote responsible visitation with a focus on diverse perspectives. The brand platform is available to the statewide industry for individual promotion or in partnership with SWT. The latest phase of the campaign ran from January through December 2024. The integrated campaign included social, digital, and sponsored content in addition to broadcast/connected tv. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 103 Rather, the level of travel among unaware Un- --------------------- ------- - ----------------------------------------- -------_----------- -------------- -- ------------- ------- ------ ......... ------------- - ------ ------ ----- ------- _ ---------------------------------- 11 ----------- ........ ....... - .......... ................ .- --------------------- __ --- ------------- ----------------- Average Nights on Trip Average # of Trip Activifies, Average Trip Spend 167 4A4 Aware Unaware Incremental travel Campaign results from April 2023 through March 2024 showed: Aware Unaware 36% awareness for 2,400,000 households. Campaign influenced approximately 77,000 incremental Washington trips. • Advertising influenced $103,500,000 visitor spending with average trip spending of $1,343 per travel party. • Advertising generated $184 in visitor spending for each $1 invested in paid media. ® Ad -aware visitors spent $403 more per trip and participated in more activities compared to unaware visitors. SWT partnered with SMARInsights to measure the effectiveness of the state's advertising campaign. The research evaluated the return on investment (ROI) and other impacts of the fiscal year campaign that ran April 2023 through March 2024. The campaign marked the first year that SWT advertised year-round. Data collection occurred following the end of the campaign, measuring travel that was influenced during the campaign. The research quantified the incremental travel that can be attributed to the campaign, and the resulting economic benefits to the State of Washington. The impact of destination advertising is measured by establishing a base rate of travel that would occur even without any paid advertising. Thus, not all visitation, or even visitation by ad -aware households, is attributed to the ads. Unaware households is considered the baseline that would occur without advertising. Any travel above that baseline by ad -aware households is what is considered influenced, or incremental. The campaign generated a travel increment of 3.2%. meaning 16.4% of ad -aware consumers traveled to Washington State from April 2023 through March 2024, compared to 13.2% of unaware consumers. Advertising influenced Washington State travel including the decision to visit the state, but also effectively showcased the state 's tourism product, leading to longer, more active trips with higher average visitor spending. Awareness Awareness differs by demographic subgroup with the highest awareness among Gen Z (52%)9 Millennials (42%), and families with children (46%). Demographic Aware Generation Gen Z 52% Millennials 42% Gen X 31% Boomers 24% Marital status Married/former 34% married Single/never 38% married Families Kids in household 46% No kids 31% Education Some/no college 38% College grads+ 34% Income Less than $60,000 28% $60,000+ 29% Gender Female 35% 104 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Male 3 5 Source: SWT True to Nature Campaign Conclusion Quality marketing materials are key to generating incremental increases in visitation, length of stays, expenditures, and satisfaction as well as long-term awareness. Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) America's Byways are a collection of scenic and culturally significant roads, highways, and routes in the US. These designated routes, known as National Scenic Byways and All - American Roads, have been chosen for exceptional scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archeological, or recreational value by the US Secretary of Transportation since 1996. There are 184 routes designated as America's Byways. L ~ i ne t-ouiee k.orriaor CP National Scenic Byway (NSB) is a 150-mile route on parts of SR-17 (from Othello to Coulee City), US 2 (in Coulee City), and SR-15 5 (Coulee City to Omak) that URRIDDOfollows the path of the Ice Age floods. The route showcases unique landscapes carved by floods and lava, significant opportunities for birdwatching, and stops at attractions like Grand Coulee Dam, Steamboat Rock State Park, and Dry Falls State Park. Additional loops and spurs have been added that cover Connell, Warden, Ephrata, Wilson Creek, Almira, Hartline, Omak Lake, Kahlotus, Washtucna, Hooper, Benge, Ralston, Lind, Palouse Falls, Lower Monumental Dam, and Lyons Ferry. There are 21 towns represented and numerous points in between which have places to explore, an assortment of unique recreational opportunities, geology, and cultural events. There are lots of Ice Age activities conducted in the represented counties of Adams, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln, and Okanogan. Scenic driving is highly popular and provides a way for people to immerse in the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the area. Some of the reasons why the Coulee Corridor NSB is popular include: ■ Spectacular landscape - documents the geological impact of the Ice Age floods. ■ Accessibility - the route is well -maintained and easily accessible, making it suitable for a wide range of travelers, including families, seniors, and individuals with varying levels of mobility. ■ Recreational opportunities - passing through or near state parks, wildlife refuges, and other protected areas, providing opportunities for hiking, camping, picnicking, and wildlife watching. ■ Cultural and historical significance - with opportunities to explore historic towns, landmarks, and cultural heritage sites. ■ Photography - for amateur and professional with ever -changing landscapes, from sunrise to Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 10S sunset and season to season, with stunning images. E Tourism and economic impact - passing through or near towns and communities that benefit from tourism with revenue from accommodations, dining, shopping, and local attractions. Coulee Corridor Consortium. (CCC), The NSB is overseen by the National Scenic Byway Association (NSBA), a nonprofit supported through membership, program fees, sponsors, donors, and the Coulee Corridor Consortium (CCC), a coalition of the towns and cities along the corridor. The Coulee Corridor Consortium's (CCC) used a National Scenic Byways grant to establish kiosks in small towns along the NSB in Grant and Adams Counties. The kiosks have panels secured to basalt columns with one side dedicated to a general description of the Coulee Corridor NSB while the other side concentrates on town history, events, and activities. The kiosks were installed in Grand Coulee, Coulee City, Soap Lake, Warden, and Othello and 20 more Trail Blazer signs between Coulee Dam and Omak on SR-155, between Ephrata and Soap Lake and Moses Lake on SR-17, SR-28, and SR-282,on H SE in Grant County and along McManamon Road in Adams County. More trail blazer signs are planned on 5R-262 and SR- 17 including 9 more signs in Othello. A trailblazer sign was installed by the City of Coulee Dam on the bridge crossing the Columbia River at Coulee Dam in February 2025. The CCC hosts a website with information on the NSB including brochures, newsletters, events, lodging, travel guides, history, a trip planner, and an interactive map linking attractions in each of the 21 towns www.couleecorridor.com. Tourism Advisory Committee (TAQ The Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee (TAQ was established by the Board of County Commissioners in 1989 to provide recommendations on tourism -related matters. TAC members are appointed by the Board to serve in an advisory capacity and to represent various interests related to tourism ensuring input from stakeholders who are directly involved in or affected by tourism activities in the county. TAC works in a related but distinct role from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (L TIAQ that is a state -mandated committee (per RCW 67.28) specifically designed to review applications for lodging tax funding (generated by overnight stays) and recommends how those funds should be allocated to support tourism. TAC's website - is shared with the County at www.grantcountywagoov providing information on: a Outdoor recreation - including information on boating, water sports, bird watching, fishing, hunting, golfing, hiking, rock climbing, off -roading, and watchable wildlife in each town and city, park or refuge. 2 Attractions - of activities, buildings, parks, and trails linked to 11 town and city websites, 0 Accommodations - linked to every hotel, motel, and campground in 8 towns and cities. Trends ' - TAC, working with Eastern Washington University's (EW, U) Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis, assembles and publishes Grant County Trends data available in 9 areas: (www. grant c ountytre n d s. org): * People • Agriculture • Economic vitality • Education • Environmental/land use • Health • Housing/transportation • Public safety • Recreation/tourism The data provided on TAC's website uses state and federal databases to provide neutral information to: 0 Collect and share a broad spectrum of information to support informed decision making by individual community members, governmental policy makers, non -governmental organizations, businesses, researchers, and the 106 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan press. ■ Benchmark Grant County Trends against Washington State trends or other comparable communities. • Enable analysis of these trends. TAC's blog webpage provides a list of updated information on an annual basis for more than 150 indicators. Recreation and tourism information includes annual and historical trend estimates of visitors to Steamboat Rock and Dry Falls State Parks, and traffic volumes on SR- 17, SR- 15 5, and US 2 collected from: • Coulee Corridor Consortium (CCC) • Ephrata Parks & Recreation • Grant County Tourism • Moses Lake Parks & Recreation • Quincy Parks & Recreation • Soap Lake Recreation • The Gorge Amphitheater Asp - was recently initiated by TAC to provide: • Guides to attractions, dining, and lodging. • Real-time updates on events and activities. • Interactive maps to navigate the area. Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) V Grant County W A S H 1 N G T 0 N Cities and counties may levy lodging taxes on all charges related to furnishing lodging at hotels, motels, short-term rentals, and recreational vehicle (RV) parks for stays of less than 30 days. The purpose of the funds is to promote tourism by attracting individuals traveling over 50 miles away and encouraging overnight stays. Revenues received from these taxes are restricted to the following uses: Tourism marketing, Marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists, Operations and capital expenditures of tourism -related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or public facilities district, and Operations of tourism -related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations (but nor capital expenditures). The RCW does not explicitly prohibit for - profit entities from applying for lodging tax funds. The Grant County Lodging Tax Fund is the primary source of county funding for activities, operations, and expenditures designed to increase tourism. The county may use the funds directly, or indirectly through a convention and visitor's bureau or Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). Any overnight stays within rural Grant County (i.e., Mardon Resort, Sun Lakes, Grant County PUD parks, and other non -city entities) generate lodging tax funds for the Grant County LTAC to disperse. The more overnight stays that locate within rural Grant County, the more the Grant County LTAC funds received, and the more Grant County LTAC grants dispersed. Note - most major, incorporated cities within Grant County have imposed a lodging tax for overnight stays within the city that generate revenues for those city LTACs to disperse. The Grant County Commissioners created the Grant County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) to advise the Commissioners on the expenditure of lodging tax revenues. The LTAC membership is made up of representatives who are considered ratepayers (collectors of the tax), recipients (organizations that may qualify for and use the tax), and an elected member of the Board of County Commissioners. There is an equal representation of both ratepayers and recipients as well as the County Commissioner who serves as the Chair of the Committee. All grant applications must include estimates of how funding the activity will result in increases in the number of people staying overnight, traveling 50 miles or more, or coming from another state or country. There is no requirement that priority for funding is given to applicants expected to Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 107 generate the largest number of tourists, and phase. lodging tax revenue may still be awarded to recipients who provide services that indirectly The total amount funded for the 2025 LTAC increase tourism such as Destination Marketing grants was $974,574 for the following: oOganizations (DMOs). The county intends to maintain a reserve in the Fund and assess on an annual basis how much of the Fund to appropriate to expand each year. However, service providers are not limited or prohibited from making annual requests of the same nature or subsequent organization Sponsor Amount Year-round promotion Ephrata Chamber of Commerce Tourism Promotion $359000 Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Tourism Promotion $30,1000 Commerce Grant County Lodging Tax Advisory Administrative Costs $369324 Committee Grant County Tourism Tourism Promotion $300s000 Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Tourism Promotion $25,000 Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce Tourism Promotion $309000 Marketing and promotion Grant County Lodging Tax Advisory Destination Marketing RFP $100,000 Committee Strengthening the Heart of Our Tourism Promotion $2,000 Community Event Best of Barrels Only, LLC Producers Gone Wild $5S000 Best of Barrels Only, LLC Sand Cup Futurity $10,9000 Best of Barrels Only, LLC Spring Warm Up $ 59000 Best of Barrels Only, LLC Team Challenge = ABC Finals $5,000 Central Basin Community Concert Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra $2,000 Association Central Basin Community Concert The Hall Sisters $21000 Association Central Basin Community Concert Undecided Concert Fall #1 $29000 Association Central Basin Community Concert Undecided Concert Fall #2 $2,000 Association Columbia Basin Allied Arts A Room With A View $1,750 Columbia Basin Allied Arts Premier Series Fall Performance #2 $3,000 Columbia Basin Allied Arts UMANI $6,000 Columbia Basin Allied Arts Sphinx Virtusoi $1,750 Columbia Basin Allied Arts Premier Series Fall Performance #1 $19750 Columbia Basin Rodeo Association Moses Lake Roundup and Demo $40,000 Coulee City Rodeo Association Coulee City PRCA Last Stand Rodeo $109000 Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival $5,000 Grant County Fairgrounds 90's Flannel Fest $209000 Grant County Fairgrounds Grant County Fair $909000 Grant County Fairgrounds Moravida Festival $15,000 108 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Greater Crescent Bar Association Opening Day of Boating Parade $5,000 Masquers, Theater of Grant County Clue: On Stage $3,000 Masquers Theater of Grant County Firebringer $37000 Masquers Theater of Grant County The Fall Musical $79000 Masquers Theater of Grant County The Holiday Show $4,000 Masquers Theater of Grant County The Revlon Girl $3,000 Moses Lake Airshow Moses Lake Airshow $ 3 5,000 Moses Lake Spring Festival Moses Lake Spring Festival $50,000 Othello Sandhill Crane Festival Othello San dhill Crane Festival $10,000 Ridge Rider Saddle Club Cleatis Lacy Memorial Bull Event $53000 Ridge Rider Saddle Club Colorama Pro Rodeo $20,1000 Ridge Rider Saddle Club Ridge Riders Jr. Rodeo $5,000 Royal City Summerfest Royal City Summerfest $6j000 Soap Labe Police Department Soap Lake Soap Box Race $109000 Sun Lakes Park Resort Inc. Cinco De Mayo Festival $5,000 Sun Lakes Park Resort Inc. Decades of Distinction Car Show $ 59000 Sun Lakes Park Resort Inc. Fall Festival $89000 Sun Lakes Park Resort Inc. Family Fun Days $5"000 Columbia Basin Allied Arts Art on Third Denied D"Vines Professional Basketball Group Denied Greater Crescent Bar Association Fourth of July Fireworks and Concert Denied Greater Crescent Bar Association Labor Day Concert Denied Reel Recreation Triple Fish Challenge Denied Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 109 Lake Lenore State Park Heritage Site 110 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Based on the preceding analysis, the following actions need to be accomplished if Grant County is to realize its tourism potentials. The following tasks, including the participation of the identified agents, participants, resources, and performance measures are vital to seeing Grant County's tourism plan's successful implementation. While the Tourism Master Plan (TMP) has been developed and will be overseen by the TAC, each action must be initiated by the agencies who are directly affected and have the interest and resources necessary for effective accomplishment using LTAC grants as well as the agent's own funds. There are no consolidated hierarchical priorities between actions as each action is critically important to each geotourism sector with a corresponding impact on tourism overall. Rather, priorities are dependent on the agencies involved and benefitted by each proposed action and the agencies' interest in seeing the action accomplished. Action 1: Market Ice Age tours - expanding on the Ellensburg Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute's (IAFI) Ice Age Tours of the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail with wayfinding signage and interpretive exhibits in the Coulee Corridor at: ® Washington State Park's Dry falls Visitor, Center, Potholes, Steamboat Rock, and Sun Lakes -Dry Falls, ■ WDFW's Ancient Lake Trailhead and Frenchman Coulee Trailhead, • Chelan County PUD s Wanapum Dam Viewpoint & Interpretive Center, ■ Grant County's Mud Flats and Sand Dunes, ■ Soap Lake's James Cultural Center, and ■ Moses Lake's Museum. Package Ice Age Tours - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), Ellensburg Chapter of the Ice Age Flood institute (IAFA),, and CWU Geology Department Participants/resources Washington State Parks, Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Chelan County PUD, Coulee City, Soap Lake, Moses Lake Performance measures @ date Ice Age Flood wayfinding signage and interpretive exhibits installed in Coulee Corridor # tours coordinated by Ellensburg Chapter of the Ice Age Flood Institute and CWU # people who participate in the tours # rooms rented by Ice Age Tour participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to Ice Age Tours $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 2: Market bird and wildlife watching tours - expanding on the Great Washington State Birding Trail of the Coulee Corridor and wildlife watching tours with wayfinding signage and interpretive exhibits in wildlife refuges at: E BOR's Banks Lake, • USFWS's Columbia National Wildlife and Hanford Reach National Monument, • WDFW`s Banks, Billy Clapp, Gloyd Seeps, Lower Crab Creek, Priest Rapids, Seep Lakes, Sun Lakes, Winchester Reservoir, Potholes Reservoir, Quincy (Ancient) Lakes, Frenchman Coulee, Beezley Hills, Uplands Restoration, ■ DNR9s Lower Crab Creek, • State Parks Northrup Canyon, Steamboat Rock State Park, Lake Lenore Caves, and Sun Lakes - Dry Falls State Park Package wildlife watching tours - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), Central Basin Audubon Society (CBAS), BOR, USFWS, WDFW, DNR, and State Parks Grant County Tourism Master Plan I 111 Participants/resources Inland Northwest Birders, Washington Ornithological Society (WOS), Washington Crossing Audubon Performance measures @ date bird and wildlife wayfinding signage and interpretive exhibits installed at wildlife refuges # tours coordinated with BOR, USFWS, WDFW, DR, and State Parks # people who participate in the tours # rooms rented by tour participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to tours $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 3: Promote Native American culture - expanding on the histories, artworks, gathering sites, and interpretive facilities of tribes who reside in or adjacent to Grant County with tours of: • Lake Lenore State Park Heritage Site, • Wanapum Heritage Center, • Colville Tribal Museum, • For Okanogan Interpretive Center. Package Native American tours - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Wanapum, Yakama, Colville, and other tribes Participants/re sources Washington State Historical Society (WSHS), Association of Washington Archaeology (AWA), Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP Performance measures @ date Native American wayfinding signage and interpretive exhibits installed # tours coordinated with Wanapum, Yakama, Colville, and other tribes # people who participate in the tours # rooms rented by tour participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to tours increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 4: Promote Hispanic -Latino cultural events and activities - including Cinco de Mayo, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and El Grito (Mexican Independence Day) with food vendors at major gathering places including the Grant County Fairground that are linked with schools, churches, and other community organizations. Package Hispanic -Latino events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Unidos Nueva Alianza (DNA) Foundation, and Latino Civic Alliance Participants /resources Latino Civic Alliance (LCA), Latino Community Fund of Washington (LCF), El Centro de la Raza, Casa Latina, La Casa Hogar, Nuestra Casa Performance measures # events Hispanic -Latino events conducted # vendors participate in the events # people who participate in the events # rooms rented by event participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to Hispanic -Latino events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 5: Promote historic districts, barns, and landmarks - including Coulee City, Ephrata, Hartline, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Soap Lake, Stratford, Warden, and Wilson Creek. Package historic tours - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Coulee City, Ephrata, Hartline, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Soap Lake, Stratford, Warden, and Wilson Creek Participants/resources Downtown Moses Lake Association, Grant County Historical Society Museum & Village, Quincy Valley Historical Society, Wanapum. Heritage Center, Washington Rural Heritage, Washington Heritage Barn Register 112 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Performance measures # historic buildings, barns, and landmarks listed # downtown main street/historic districts formed # people who participate in historic tours # rooms rented by historic tour participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to historic tours and events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 6: Develop winery and brewery tasting tour - promoting the developing vineyard and winery businesses and microbrews in Grant County. Package winery and brewery tours - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Burke Vineyard Winery, Winchester Estate Winery, Beaumont Cellars Tasting Room, Cave B Winery, Chris Daniel Winery, Errant Cellars, Jones of Washington, White Heron Cellars, Camas Cove Cellars, Cascade Cellars, Gingko Forest Winery, Foxy Roxy, Ten Pin Brewing Company, and Moore Brewing Participants/re sources Washington State Wine Commission, Washington Winegrowers Association, Washington Wine Industry Association, Washington State Grape Society Performance measures # winery and brewery tasting rooms on tour # people who participate in winery and brewery tours # rooms rented by winery and brewery tour participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to winery and brewery tours and events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 7: Promote farmers' markets and farm stands - including existing and potential famers' markets and stands in Moses Lake, Quincy, and Mattawa. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Moses Lake Farmers' Market, Quincy Public Market, Quincy B Street Market, Mattawa Flea & Farmers' Market, Cloudview Farm, Faw & Sons Produce, Jones Produce, Verhey's Peaches and Royal Canning Company, and White Russia Produce Participants/resources Washington State Farmers' Market Association (WSFMA), Neighborhood Farmers' Markets, Northeast Washington Farmers' Markets Performance measures # farmers' markets and farm stands # vendors who participate in farmers' markets # people who frequent farmers' markets # rooms rented by farmers' market and farm stand participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to farmers" markets and farm stands $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 8: Develop farm sfays - promoting cooking, baking, butchering, brewing, farm crop picking, and other farm stay business opportunities in Grant County. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Basin Farmworks in Othello, Cloudview Farm in Ephrata Participants/resources, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Eat Local First Performance measures # farm stays operating and listed ,# people who participate in farm stays # rooms rented by farm stay participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to farm stays and events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 9: Expand water trails - designating handcarry (kayak, canoe) trails the extent of the Columbia River, Sun Lake, and Moses Lake with overnight campsites at National Park Service (NPS), WA State Parks, Grant County PUD, WA Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Moses Lake, and Moses Lake Irrigation District. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 113 Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) and National Park Service (PS), WA State Parks, Washington Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Grant County PUD, Moses Lake, and Moses Lake Irrigation District Participants/resources Greater Columbia Water Trail (GCWT) Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA), Washington Kayak Club, Seattle NW Kayaking Community, North West Whitewater Association, Paddle Trails Canoe Club, Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club, American Whitewater, Washington Recreational River Runners Performance measures - @) marketing and promotion campaign initiated # water trail campsites designated # water trail events conducted # people who participate in the events # rooms rented by water trail participants businesses indicate increase in sales related to water trails $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 10: Develop on -road bike route and events on the Coulee Corridor Scenic Bywav, from Grand Coulee to Moses Lake - designating shoulder lanes, where possible, and shared on - road route from Grand Coulee to Moses Lake promoting racing and other group ride events on the route. Designate overnight campsites at: • Steamboat Rock State Park, • Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park, • Lake Lenore Caves State Park Heritage Site, • Connelly Park - Moses Lake Irrigation District. Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), WSDOT, WA State Parks, and Moses Lake Irrigation District Participants /resources Cascade Bicycle Club, Washington State Bicycle Association (WSBA), Washington Bikes, Revolution Racing, Spokeswoman Racing, Badlands Cycling Performance measures • marketing and promotion campaign initiated • roadway and wayfinding signage installed # bike route campsites designated # bike route events conducted # people who participate in the events # rooms rented by bike route participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to bike route $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 11: Promote Beezley HUN Trails and Beezley Burn - expanding mountain bike and trail runner user events at Beezley Hills and other locations in Ephrata. Packa,ve events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) and Ephrata Parks Department Participants/resources Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance (EMBA), Central Washington Chapter EMBA, Washington Student Cycling League, Washington Trail Runners, Cowgill Trail Collective, Northwest Trail Runs, Run Wenatchee, Evergreen Trails, Washington Trails Association Performance measures @ marketing and promotion campaign initiated # events conducted at Beezley Hills # people who participate in the events # rooms rented by Beezley Hills participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to Beezley Hills $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 1 2 : Develop hike, bike, and horse trail on abandoned BNSF Railway from Moses Lake to Coulee City - designating where possible an equestrian trail on the abandoned railroad bed through private property and/or adjacent WA Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) and WA 114 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from Moses Lake to Coulee City and the historic wagon train crossing promoting group ride events on the trail with trailheads at: • Connelly Park in NIoses Lake/Road G Northeast • Dry Coulee Road Northeast, • Corsair Trailhead in Coulee City Campground, • Corsair Trail at Banks Lake Public Access. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with WDFW, DR, and Coulee City Participants/resources Ridge Riders, Backcountry Horsemen of Washington (BCHW), Washington Trail Riders Association (WTRA), Washington State Horsemen (WTH), North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC), American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA), Equestrian Trails Performance measures • marketing and promotion campaign initiated • trail designation and signage installed # horse trailheads designated # horse trail events conducted # people Who participate in the events % businesses indicate increase in sales related to bike route $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 13: Designate hike, bike, and horse clifftop trail on WDFW land from 1-90 to Trinidad - developing a trailhead at Serenity Beach Boat Launch on Vantage Road Southwest north across Sunland Road and under the Gorge Amphitheater to Ancient Lakes Trailhead and to a trailhead at SR-28 near Trinidad. Promote group events on the trail. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with WDFW Participants/resources Washington Trails Association (WTA), Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance (EMBA), Central Washington Chapter EMBA, Washington Trail Runners, Cascade Bicycle Club, Washington State Bicycle Association (WSBA), Ridge Riders, Backcountry Horsemen of Washington (BCHW), Washington Trail Riders Association (WTRA), Washington State Horsemen (WTH) Performance measures • marketing and promotion campaign initiated • trail designation and signage installed # trailheads designated # trail events conducted # people who participate in the events % businesses indicate increase in sales related to trail $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 14: Promote Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dunes, Beverly Dunes Recreation and West Saddle Mountain OHV - expanding existing motorized off -road and off -highway vehicle (ORV/OHV) events at Moses Lake, Beverly Dunes, and WestSaddle Mountain. Package events- with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. t:? Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with WA DR, BLM, and Sand Scorpions Particlipan, ts/resources Washington Off Highway Vehicle Alliance (WOHVA), Northwest Motorcycle Association (MA), Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association (PNW4WDA), Washington ATV Association (WAA,'TVA) Performance measures @ marketing and promotion campaign initiated # events conducted at Mud Flats & Sand Dunes, Beverly Dunes Recreation Area, and West Saddle Mountain OHV # people who participate in the events # rooms rented by ORV participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to ORV and OHV $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action IS: Promote regional sport tournaments - conducting RFPs for Quincy's Lauzier Park/Q- Plex with facilities in Moses Lake, Ephrata, Big Bend Community College, and Royal City and Warden School Districts for baseball, soccer, cricket 3x3 basketball, pickleball, etc. Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 115 County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) and Quincy, Moses Lake, Ephrata, Big Bend Community College, and Royal City and Warden School Districts Participants/resources Washington Association of Sports Commissions (WASC), Washington Youth Soccer, Northwest Volleyball Foundation, FCA Baseball, Washington Athletics Baseball, USA Softball of Washington, Washington State Amateur Softball Association (WASA), US Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), Washington Interscholastic Basketball Association (WIBA), Washington State Basketball Association, International Basketball Foundation (FIBA), US Senior Pickleball (USSP), USA Pickleball, National Women's Pickleball Foundation (NWPF), DiscNW - Northwest Ultimate Association Performance measures @ marketing and promotion campaign initiated # athletic fields, courts, facilities designated tournament events conducted teams who participate in the tournaments # people who participate in the tournaments # rooms rented by tournament participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to tournaments $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 16: Promote Grant County Fairgrounds and Moses Lake Roundup - promoting involvement by more fair and rodeo organizations and increasing prize monies to increase attendance during the annual August Fair & Rodeo and events and activities the rest of the year including equestrian. Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Grant County Fairgrounds and Moses Lake Roundup Participants/resources Washington State Fairs Association, International Association of Fairs & Expos, Northwest Professional Rodeo Association (NPRA), Washington State High School Rodeo Association (WSHSRA), Northwest Junior Rodeo Association (NJRA), Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA), United Rodeo Association (URA), Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR), Black Rodeo USA, Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, Washington State Horsemen, Washington State Hunter Jumper Association (WSHJA), Equestrians Institute (EI), Washington Ladies Riding Club Association, Native Horsemanship Youth Program Performance measures @ marketing and promotion campaign initiated # people who attend the annual Fair and Rodeo # events conducted rest of the year including equestrian # people who participate in rest of year events # rooms rented by Fair activity participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to annual and rest of year Fairground events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 17: Support The Gorge Amphitheater - adopting a master plan for the site and facility and supporting infrastructure including roads, sewer, water, and telecommunications services. Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds in and near George, Quincy, and Moses Lake including the Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with George and Live Nation Participants/resources Live Nation Performance measures - annual achievements @ master plan and infrastructure package adopted # events conducted at the Gorge # people who attend Gorge events # rooms rented by Gorge participants 116 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan '20 businesses indicate increase in sales related to Gorge events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Cultural Center (JCC), Soap Lake Quilt Retreats, Quincy Valley Allied Arts, Washington State Arts Collections - Artists of Central Washington Participants/resources Action 18: Promote performing arts events - ArtsWA (Washington State Arts Commission), promoting and expanding Grant County Washington State Arts Alliance, Washington performing arts facilities and programs with local State Arts Alliance Foundation, Artist Trust, and regional performing arts organizations. Centro Cultural Americana Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Masquers Theater, Quincy High Drama Club and School Theater, Quincy Community Theater (QCT), Wallenstein Theater Big Bend College, Moses Lake Summer Concerts, Quincy Valley Allied Arts, Columbia Basin Allied Arts (CBAA), and Central Basin Community Events (CBCCA) Participants/Resources Washington State Community Theatre Association (WSCTA), Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), Theatre Puget Sound (TPS), Washington State Thespians, Numerica Performing Arts Center, Music Theater of Wenatchee Performance measures @ marketing and promotion campaign initiated # events conducted at Grant County venues # people who attend performing arts events ,# rooms rented by performing arts participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to performing arts events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 19: Promote fine arts events -promoting and expanding Grant County fine arts galleries, facilities, and programs involving local and regional artists.. Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Moses Lake Museum & Arts Center, James Performance measures @ marketing and promotion campaign initiated # events conducted at Grant County studios and galleries # people who attend fine arts events # rooms rented by fine arts participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to fine arts events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 20: Promote festivals - promoting and expanding Grant County festivals and special events with local and regional attendees and advertising. Package events - with accommodations including motels, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV campground to provide integrated marketing packages. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Soap Lake Food & Festival, Moses Lake Air Show Moses Lake Umani & Harvest Festival, Moses Lake Spring Festival, Moravida Festibal, Columbia Basin Allied Arts Participants/resources Washington Festivals & Events Association (WFEA), Washington State Tourism (WST) Performance measures - annual achievements @ marketing and promotion campaign initiated # events conducted of Grant County festivals # people who attend festival events # rooms rented by festival participants % businesses indicate increase in sales related to festival events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 2 1: Develop new tourism promotional content and message - including digitals, videos, interactive maps, and print materials that Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 117 include and highlight Grant County geotourism assets and destinations of the 1) Environment (ecotourism), 2) heritage, 3) agriculture (agritourism), 4) recreation, and 5) culture on Grant County and SWT websites and materials. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Coulee City, Ephrata, Grant Coulee City, Moses Lake, Quincy Valley, Soap Lake, and South Grant County Chambers of Commerce, Grant County PUD, Mar Don Resort, Sun Lake Resort, Gorge Sunland Vacation Rentals Participants/resources Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO), Washington State Tourism (WST), State of Washington Tourism (SWT), Washington State Marketing Authority, Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA), Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO) Performance measures @ updated tourism materials completed Action 22,: Consolidate content and message - into a centrally accessible website linked with all promotional websites with digital, videos, interactive maps and print materials shared by Grant County jurisdictions and state agencies focused on activities and destinations. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) with Coulee City, Ephrata, Grant Coulee City, Moses Lake, Quincy Valley, Soap Lake, and South Grant County Chambers of Commerce, Grant County PUD, Mar Don Resort, Sun Lake Resort, Gorge Sunland Vacation Rentals Participants/resources Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO), Washington State Tourism (WST), State of Washington Tourism (SWT), Washington State Marketing Authority, Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA), Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO) Performance measures @ consolidated website completed # Grant County tourism websites linked # visitors who view website traffic # visitors who download website information % businesses indicate increase in sales related to "aware visitors" $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 23: Post content and message with regional and state tourism promotional outlets including WST, WSDMO, SWT, WSMA, and WTA. Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) Participants/resources Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO), Washington State Tourism (WST), State of Washington 'Tourism (SWT), Washington State Marketing Authority (WSMA), Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA), Performance measures @ new materials strategically installed # Grant County tourism materials installed on state websites and brochures # visitors who view Grant County materials on regional and state website traffic # visitors who download Grant County information % businesses indicate increase in sales related to "aware visitors" increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 24: Update Lodging Tay grant criteria - to reflect the Tourism Master Plan (TMP) action tasks including: • Implementation of TMP environment, heritage, agriculture, recreation, or culture strategies • Shovel -ready proposals with clear goals, budgets, schedules., participants, and performance measures Projected number of visitors from beyond 50 miles of the event including origin Projected number of paid overnight stays Projected direct and indirect economic impacts of the project or event for accommodations, food, gas, clothing, gifts, • joint funding/participation with other city or lodging, tax revenue recipients • Joint funding/participation with other nonprofit or for -profit partners • Sustainable likelihood after grant expenditure • Compliance with state -mandated reporting requirements of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) 118 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), and County Commissioners Part iclipant s/resours es City and Chamber of Commerce of Coulee City, Ephrata, Hartline, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Soap Lake, Stratford, Warden, and Wilson Creek Performance measures @ updated criteria adopted # applications submitted that reflect updated criteria # additional tourists generated by lodging tax grant projects and events % businesses indicate increase in sales related to "'aware visitors" attracted by lodging tax grant projects and events $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 25: Track results - with a comprehensive and consistent network of Placer.ai sites located at key destinations throughout the county on a continuous basis including: a Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center N Steamboat Rock State Park a Coulee City Campground a Sun Lakes -Dry Falls State Park E Sun Lakes Resort a Lake Lenore Caves Heritage Site E Soap Lakes Smokiarn Park M Beezley Hills Preserve N Ephrata Oasis RV Park ® Quincy Lauzier Park a Crescent Bar Recreation Area a Bishop Recreation Area/Ancient Lakes ® The Gorge Amphitheater a Grant County Fairground & Moses Lake Roundup a Moses Lake Connelly Park a Moses Lake Cascade Park a Moses Lake Historical Museum N Moses Lake Blue Heron Park M Moses Lake Mud Flats & Sand Dunes N Potholes State Park N Mardon Resort a Palouse to Cascade Trail Beverly Bridge N Mattawa ORV Off -Road Park 0 Wanapum Heritage Center 0 Palouse to Cascade Trail at Warden Lead agents Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), Washington State Parks, Participants/resources Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO), Washington State Tourism (WST), State of Washington Tourism (SWT), Washington State Marketing Authority, Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA), Washington State Destination Marketing Organizations (WSDMO) Performance measures @ new materials strategically installed # Grant County tourism materials installed on state websites and brochures # visitors who view Grant County materials on regional and state website traffic # visitors who download Grant County information % businesses indicate increase in sales related to "aware visitors" $ increase in county retail sales and lodging tax Action 26: Coordinate tourism agents and agencies - to provide consistent, stable, reliable, and innovative messaging and the most efficient use of limited and shared resources. Update the Tourism Marketing Manager position to identify the Manager's authority and responsibility for implementing the actions defined in this Tourism Master Plan along with measurable performance measures with which to measure progress and fine-tune, when necessary, objectives, schedules, budgets, and other particulars. Make the Marketing Manager a central coordinator for all tourism agents and agencies in the county for tourism programs. Lead agent Board of County Commissioners Participants/resources Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), Lodging Tax Advisory Commission (LTAC), Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce, Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce, Grand Coulee Chamber of Commerce, Ephrata Chamber of Commerce, Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce, South Grant County Chamber of Commerce, Grant County PUD, Colville Indian Tribe, Washington State Parks, Washington Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) Performance measures • Marketing Manager position updated • updated LTAC grant criteria adopted • Placer.ai tracking instituted and reported • tourism materials coordinated, installed on state and local websites, brochures, etc. Grant County Tourism Master Plan 1 119 % tourism agents and agencies confirm progress Voter priorities survey - as outlined in Chapter 6, an online survey was conducted asking Grant County residents their priorities for each of the action tasks that was completed by 604 voter households. Survey results were collated and ranked on a scale of 1-5 where I was the lowest and 5 the highest priority. The results were multiplied by the number of responses for each 1-5 score and divided by the total number of respondents. A weighted score of 2.5 or less is a low to lowest priority, 3.0 is moderate, and 3.5 or more a high to highest priority. Voting households rated all the action tasks 3.0+ or moderate and most 3.5+ high to highest including promoting farmers" markets at 4.06. 1, Action task Rating ® Agree with geotourism approach. 3.67 Environment eco-tourism) a Market Ice Age Flood tours 31.26 M Wildlife and bird watching tours. 3.35 Heritage • Promote historic districts, barns, 3.55 • Native American culture, 3.48 ® Hispanic -Latino cultural events. 3.08 Agriculture • Promote farmers markets, 4.06 ® Winery and tasting tours, 3.64 ® Develop farm stays. 3.57 Recreation • Expand water trails, 3.89 ® Develop bike, hike, and horse 3.76 trails on abandoned BNSF railroad, • Promote regional sports 3.36 tournaments, 3.47 • Develop hike, bike, and horse trails on the clifftops from 1-90 to 3.46 Trinidad, • Promote Moses Lake Mud Flats & 3.34 Sand Dunes, • Promote Beezley Hills Trails and 3.31 Beezley Burn, • Develop on -road bike route and events on the Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway (NSB) from Grand Coulee to Moses Lake. Culture 0 Promote festivals, 3.87 Promote Grant County 3.75 Fairgrounds, 3.57 • Promote performing arts events, 3.53 Supporting the Gorge 3.36 Amphitheater ■ Promoting fine arts. Branding • Consolidate content and message, 3.66 • Place content and message on 3.60 regional promotional outlets, • Develop new tourism promotional 3.S8 content and message. Implementation • Monitor results, 3.55 • Update lodging tax grant criteria. 3.29 120 1 Grant County Tourism Master Plan