History: The Sun Lakes area actually consists of nine different lakes and sits along the path of Highway 17. The area’s dramatic landscape was formed by Ice Age floods that swept through the area 15,000 years ago. As the tremendous force of over 400 trillion gallons of water tore through the Pacific Northwest over and over again, valleys and basins were carved into the Columbia Plateau.

Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park is a 4,027-acre park with 73,640 feet of freshwater shoreline at the foot of Dry Falls. Dry Falls is one of the great geological wonders of North America. Carved by Ice Age floods that long ago disappeared, the former waterfall is now a stark cliff, 400 feet high and 3.5 miles wide. Back then, the waterfall was ten times the size of Niagara Falls. Today it overlooks a desert oasis filled with lakes and abundant wildlife. The park and the interesting exhibits at Dry Falls Visitor Center offer many opportunities for people to learn about this unusual landscape.

The Lake Lenore Caves are another point of interest where you can enjoy these majestic sights. Hundreds of years ago, nomadic natives huddled together in these natural shelters, probably during seasonal migration periods. Now their historical "tracks" are left for us to see. If you hike far enough along the path, you can view petroglyphs carved into stone by those ancient tribes. But even if you opt for just a short hike, you will be amazed by the beauty and history of the caves.

Highway 17, leading past Sun Lakes from the Othello area to Grand Coulee is a National Scenic Highway.

Summer Weather: Sun Lakes gets a lot of sun each year! The average high temperature for July and August is 86 degrees. Mid-to-late June has an average high temperature of 79 degrees. The weather is usually stays very nice well into September staying sunny and around 80 degrees until almost the end of the month. September is often overlooked as a time to visit Sun Lakes.