MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake is officially the top four-wheeling destination in the Northwest.

Thousands of voters selected the Moses Lake Mud Flats and Sand Dunes ORV Park as their favorite place to go four wheeling in King 5 Evening Magazine's "Best of the Northwest Escapes" contest. Moses Lake beat the Sand Lake Recreation Area in Tillamook, Ore. and the Liberty Forest Trails in Cle Elum in the contest's outdoor adventures/four wheeling category.

The contest was held on-line in March and April, John Phillips, of Gannett Seattle, said. More than 44,000 people voted in the contest's various categories this year, he said.

Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbie Doran-Martinez said the sand dunes attracted many people from the west side of the state for many years.

"A lot of those people are repeat visitors to the area who make it an annual thing to come out here to play in our sand dunes because it is so great for people who like to recreate that way," she said. "It's just a great destination."

Thousands of people visited the dunes this Memorial Day weekend, according to a previous Columbia Basin Herald article. Over the week prior, during and after Memorial Weekend, about 7,700 people camped in the area.

Close to 4,000 day users came out to boat, fish and hang out. Road counters showed that more than 1,400 vehicles entered the sand dunes as well.

Doran-Martinez said winning the award is great for Moses Lake. This is the first time Moses Lake has won something in this specific contest to her knowledge, she said.

"I think we live in a great place with lots of outdoor activities, and it's great to see the West side recognize our area and appreciate it for what it is," she said. "We appreciate what we have in our backyard and I'm glad people from out of town do as well."