Moses Lake, Washington
Moses Lake is a city of 26,083 people in Grant County, Washington, founded in 1938.
Why visit Moses Lake
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 38 parks and trails, 54 places to eat, 29 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Fairchild Cinemas and Moses Lake Museum & Art Center.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; December lows average 24°F.
Weather in Moses Lake
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Moses Lake
Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,146 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 26,969 in 2024. Moses Lake is the most populous city in Grant County. The city anchors the Moses Lake Micropolitan area, which includes all of Grant County and is part of the Moses Lake–Othello combined statistical area.
From the Wikipedia article Moses Lake, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Moses Lake Museum & Art Center
Museum
401 South Balsam Street, Moses Lake
Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-16:00; PH off
Parks, trails and playgrounds38
26 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes54
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.0 mi
1035 North Stratford Road, Moses Lake
Mo-Sa 10:30-12:00; Su 10:30-23:00
Dutch Bros. Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop
121 N. Stratford, Moses Lake
Mo-Th 05:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 05:00-23:00; Su 05:00-22:00
Michael's on the Lake
Restaurant · Burger, Fish And Chips, Seafood, Steak House · 0.6 mi
910 West Broadway Avenue
Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Sumo's
Restaurant · Sushi · 0.9 mi
Mo-Th 11:30-21:25; Fr 11:30-22:25; Sa 00:30-22:25; Su 00:30-12:30
Super China Buffet 2
Restaurant · Asian · 0.7 mi
711 North Stratford Road, Moses Lake
42 more on the map.
History
Before the construction of Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in 1941 and Moses Lake Army Air Base in 1942 the area was largely barren. Native Americans knew the area as Houaph, which meant willow. Chief Moses was leader of the Sinkiuse tribe from 1859 to 1899, and was forced to negotiate with white settlers who began to settle in the area in the 1880s. Under pressure from the government, Chief Moses traded the Columbia Basin land for a reservation that stretched from Lake Chelan north to the Canada–US border. The government later traded again for what is now the Colville Indian Reservation.
The new settlers named the lake in honor of Chief Moses. The city was originally named Neppel. The first settlers established fisheries and farms — some of the first exported items were carp, jackrabbits and fruit — but irrigation attempts failed and settlers left at about the same rate as they came. When the town was incorporated and renamed Moses Lake in 1938, the population was estimated at 302 people.
The arrival of the air base in 1942 and irrigation water pumped from Grand Coulee Dam in 1955 offered newcomers a reason and a way to settle in an area that previously had little to offer other than good fishing and a place to water sheep and cattle. Moses Lake was quickly transformed into a hub for a vast region where transportation, agriculture and recreation came together.
From the History section of Moses Lake, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay29
SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western - Moses Lake
Motel and hotel · 2.4 mi
1819 Kittleson Road, Moses Lake
Churches and places of worship16
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter Day Saints · 1.7 mi
351 Yonezawa Boulevard, Moses Lake
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter Day Saints · 1.3 mi
Shopping19
Gas and EV charging18
Schools, colleges and libraries36
Healthcare8
Samaritan Healthcare Clinic - Pioneer
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.3 mi
1550 South Pioneer Way, Moses Lake
Map of Moses Lake
221 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 24°F | 1.0 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 27°F | 0.7 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 32°F | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 37°F | 0.7 in |
| May | 74°F | 45°F | 0.7 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 52°F | 0.7 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 57°F | 0.3 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 56°F | 0.1 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 47°F | 0.3 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 37°F | 0.7 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 29°F | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 24°F | 1.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Moses Lake Grant Co Ap (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Grant County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2023-07-11: Baird Springs Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-08-12: Grass Valley Fire (Fire)
- 2018-07-20: Buckshot Fire (Fire)
- 2017-04-21: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Grant County International Airport (MWH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Cascade Valley 3 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Moses Lake North 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Marine View 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Warden 15 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Ephrata 18 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
- Lakeview 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Soap Lake 21 mi northwest, about 33 min by car
- Othello 22 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Royal City 23 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- East Wenatchee 51 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Moses Lake downtown, ECTran71, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Corner view of the Moses Lake Washington Temple, Bobjgalindo, CC BY-SA 4.0
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