Odessa: Crater Trails and History

Odessa, Washington, combines a history of Germans from Russia with geological destinations in the surrounding area. When planning your trip, it helps to understand the differences between the trails, the cultural and historical points of interest, and a specific golf offering. This can help you decide whether crater formations, local history, or a recreational activity matters most when choosing a hotel in Odessa. The trails differ both in length and in where they lead.

Trails to Craters and Basalt

The 12.5-mile Odessa to Pacific Lake Trail connects Odessa with the Pacific Lake Recreation Site. The Odessa Craters Loop Trail is a 1.5-mile loop, located 6.6 miles north of town, with views of several geological crater formations. The Cache Crater Accessible Trail is located 7.1 miles north: this 1/6-mile paved, wheelchair-accessible trail leads to a viewpoint overlooking the geological formation.

If you want views of several crater formations, you can think of the Odessa Craters Loop Trail as a loop. The Cache Crater Accessible Trail differs in its shorter length and in leading to a specific viewpoint. The Odessa to Pacific Lake Trail, in turn, connects Odessa with the recreation site. This makes it easy to distinguish the routes by their specific destinations without confusing their different lengths.

The Pacific Lake Recreation Site offers views of columnar basalt formations on the opposite shore of the lake, as well as three picnic or camping sites. In 2022, Pacific Lake was dry. If you plan to visit the recreation site, it is therefore advisable to check the lake’s current condition before your visit.

History of Germans from Russia

The settlement history gives Odessa’s culture a specific connection: 80 percent of the immigrants who settled in Odessa were Germans from Russia. The Odessa Historical Museum was founded in April 1971. The Deutschesfest is organized by local descendants of those Germans from Russia who settled in Odessa at the beginning of the 20th century. This history is reflected both in the town’s history and in a festival tradition carried on by descendants.

St. Matthew’s Congregational Church was built in 1916 and preserves records of the Big Bend American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. Together with the museum and the Deutschesfest, this historical collection points to different aspects of the subject: institutional history, community tradition, and preserved records. For travelers interested in cultural history, these details offer several specific points of connection rather than reducing local history to a single date.

More to Help Plan Your Stay

Odessa Golf has a 9-hole golf course with a par of 36. This is a distinct focus alongside the crater trails and cultural history if you also want to plan your trip around a sporting activity. State Routes SR 21 and SR 28 also help with orientation: Odessa is located at their intersection. The town also has a municipal airport with a 3,000-foot runway.

You can choose a destination based on different interests: geological formations, the history of Germans from Russia, or the golf course. If you’re looking for hotels in Odessa, these clearly defined themes can help you decide what kind of stay you want.

Discover more destinations: Davenport

For the main travel overview: Lincoln County.