Kite spot on water · United States

Perch Point at Potholes Reservoir

Name: Perch Point at Potholes Reservoir
Address: US

Riders have kited it in SW.

Show on the map46.9976, -119.2817

Works in: SW
Nearest airport: PSCTri Cities Airport, 82 km

Forecast and webcams

Before you go

Forecasts often disagree. When Windguru, ALADIN and Windy agree, it is worth going.

Tips for this spot

Offshore wind carries you away from land. Do not ride it without a rescue boat.
When a storm is coming, get out of the water and land the kite at once. Gusts before a storm are violent and a kite overhead is the highest point around.
New spot: ask locals about shallows, currents and where people launch.

On site

Wind and riding area

worksno reports

Direction the wind blows from. Based on riders' experience, not a forecast.

riding area

From riders

What you need to know

Watch out for

Fist-sized rocks on the shore at Perch Point.community map

Where to launch

Easy water access at Perch Point, a long deserted shoreline of sand and fist-sized cobbles.community map

Getting there

Boat or dune vehicle required to reach the NW lagoon area from the dunes south of Moses Lake.community map
Easy access at Perch Point.community map

Conditions

Water level is high in June; by late summer it drops by about 15 ft, exposing a wide sandy strip around the lagoons and islets.community map
Not windy very often, but when it blows, it is typically a fairly steady SW wind for a 12m kite.community map
The NW part of the lake has plenty of flatwater lagoons with a shallow sandy bottom.community map

Riders' tips

The Weather.com sensor reads slightly high, WSU sensors read significantly low, and actual wind is usually in between; Grant County Airport is 10 miles north.community map

In riders' own words

„when it does blow it is typically SW and pretty steady 12m conditions.“
„easy access to Potholes Reservoir at Perch Point, with a long deserted coastline of sand and fist size rocks.“
„There is easy access to Potholes Reservoir at Perch Point“
„you really need a boat to access this area (or a sand dune capable vehicle and come in from the sand dune area south of moses lake.)“
„with a long deserted coastline of sand and fist size rocks.“
„The NW area of the lake has tons of flatwater lagoons and shallow sandy bottom“
„water level is high right now (June) and is generally 15ft lower by the end of the summer, when there is a wide sandy border“
„Not an unusually windy place but when it does blow it is typically SW and pretty steady 12m conditions.“
„The sensor seems to read a little high. WSU sensors here ([odkaz] These usually read much lower than the first link. The truth is probably somewhere in-between.“

Photos from the area

ISS047-E-10499 - View of Earth · 1409 m from the spot
Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

ISS047-E-10500 - View of Earth · 1409 m from the spot
Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

ISS047-E-10501 - View of Earth · 1409 m from the spot
Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Wind by month

When it blows

Average wind speed 10 m above ground from NASA POWER (MERRA-2, 2001–2025). The model works on a grid of roughly 50 km; on hills and by the water the wind is often stronger and gustier.

6.6Jan3.4

7.1Feb3.7

7.6Mar3.9

7.3Apr3.8

6.8May3.5

7.0Jun3.6

6.6Jul3.4

6.3Aug3.2

6.4Sep3.3

6.7Oct3.4

6.8Nov3.5

6.5Dec3.3

windiest monthsaverage wind in knots, NASA POWER; below the month in m/s

Values by month

January	6.6 knots · 3.4 m/s
February	7.1 knots · 3.7 m/s
March	7.6 knots · 3.9 m/s
April	7.3 knots · 3.8 m/s
May	6.8 knots · 3.5 m/s
June	7.0 knots · 3.6 m/s
July	6.6 knots · 3.4 m/s
August	6.3 knots · 3.2 m/s
September	6.4 knots · 3.3 m/s
October	6.7 knots · 3.4 m/s
November	6.8 knots · 3.5 m/s
December	6.5 knots · 3.3 m/s

Been there?

Add what you know

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Sources: Community map “USA NW Kite Spots” (Google My Maps). Wind NASA POWER, airports OurAirports, photos Wikimedia Commons (author and licence with each photo). As of 17 October 2026. These are riders' reports; local rules change, so look around before you ride and follow local signs.