Seth Marlin - Spokane: 30 Spectacular Hikes in the Inland Northwest

Five-Star Trails: Spokane

Copyright 2020 by Seth Marlin

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

Published by Menasha Ridge Press

Distributed by Publishers Group West

First edition, first printing

Project editor: Amber Kaye Henderson

Cover design and cartography: Scott McGrew

Text design: Annie Long

Photos: Seth Marlin except as noted on page

Copy editor: Ritchey Halphen

Proofreader: Emily Beaumont

Indexer: Rich Carlson

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Marlin, Seth, 1983 author.

Title: Five-star trails, Spokane : 30 spectacular hikes in the inland Northwest / Seth Marlin.

Description: First edition. | Birmingham, Alabama : Menasha Ridge Press, 2020. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019057543 (pbk.) | LCCN 2019057544 (ebook) | ISBN 978-1-63404-134-8 (pbk.) | ISBN 978-1-63404-135-5 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: HikingWashington (State)Spokane RegionGuidebooks | TrailsWashington (State)Spokane RegionGuidebooks | Spokane Region (Wash.)Guidebooks.

Classification: LCC GV199.42.W22 S646 2020 (pbk.) | LCC GV199.42.W22 (ebook) | DDC 796.5109797/772dc23

LC record available at lccn.loc.gov/2019057543

LC ebook record available at lccn.loc.gov/2019057544

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Frontispiece: Indian Painted Rocks Trail ( see )

Cover photos: (front) Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail ( see )

SAFETY NOTICE Though the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book is accurate at press time, they are not responsible for any loss, damage, injury, or inconvenience that may occur while using this bookyou are responsible for your own safety and health on the trail. The fact that a hike is described in this book does not mean that it will be safe for you. Always check local conditions (which can change from day to day), know your own limitations, and consult a map.

For the latest information about places in this book that have been affected by the coronavirus, please consult the Contacts and Nearby Attractions listings in the hike profiles, as well as .

Overview Map Key

Table of Contents

Dedication

For my son, David, and my daughter, Catherine. I love you with all my heart.

Acknowledgments

THANKS FIRST OF ALL TO MENASHA RIDGE PRESS for the opportunity to work together on producing this guide; special credit goes to Brett Ortler and Tim Jackson for all their hard work and editorial support. Additional thanks goes to Holly Weiler for her insights into Washington state park trails and to Ellie Kozlowski for her guidance on the writing and submissions process. All creative ventures are ultimately collaborative, and Ive been lucky enough to rely on some truly amazing people.

Additional mention goes to Washington State Parks for its tireless work in keeping the Evergreen State beautiful. Likewise, Spokane County Parks, Recreation & Golf has done great work in making the Lilac City a prime place to hike and explore. Thanks as well to the Idaho Department of Natural Resourcestheir hard work is reflected in the stunning beauty of the trails throughout the Idaho panhandle. I feel that we dont show enough appreciation for the rangers and volunteers who maintain our public lands, and I cant express my thanks enough.

I would be remiss, of course, in not mentioning the amazing education and mentorship Ive received. To that end, I wish to thank the English Department at Boise State University and the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Eastern Washington University. Particular thanks goes to Alan Heathcock and Sam Ligon for their encouragement.

Finally, I have so many people in my personal life to thank for their support. My parents, Richard and Patricia, have always encouraged me in my dreams of being a writer. I also owe a shout-out to Elizabeth for her patience and understanding. And last of all, Id like to thank Jane Mayes, whose love and friendship helped guide me down this path in the first place.

Seth Marlin

Preface

WELCOME TO THIS FIVE-STAR TRAILS GUIDE to day hikes in and around Spokane! While perhaps not as well known as some areas west of the Cascades, the Inland Northwest possesses a charm and an ecology all its own. Ive lived here for close to a decade now, and I enjoy it so much that I chose to start a family here.

My love of hiking was instilled from an early agewhen I was growing up in my native Michigan, long walks through the woods with my father were a major part of my upbringing. This proximity to nature proved formative for me, and it has given me an appreciation of the outdoors that remains with me to this day. After moving to Spokane in 2011 to pursue graduate studies at Eastern Washington University, I found a few kindred spirits within the English department there. Over the years that followed, my fellow grad-school buddies and I would meet up every few months to hike nearby trails in the area. Our treks ranged far and wide, from Lakeview Ranch out near Odessa to Bead Lake and Farragut State Park along the WashingtonIdaho border. While not every one of these hikes would be ideal for a family outing, I learned quickly about all that this amazing region has to offer.

Contrasted with the temperate forests and snowcapped ranges of the Cascades, Eastern Washington might be easy to dismiss as relatively bleak and flat if youre unfamiliar with the area. But nothing could be further from the truth: the Inland Northwest possesses remarkable variety in both geography and biodiversity, so whether you prefer well-kept trails close to town or mountain solitude far from fellow humans, youre sure to find something to love just a short drive away.

As the second-largest city in Washington State, Spokane rests in the center of a broad valley, at the intersection of several distinct biomes. To the north lie the Selkirk Mountains, cool and heavily forested; to the east, the Rocky Mountain foothills; to the south, the rolling prairies of the Palouse; and to the west, the high scrublands of the Columbia River Basin.

To the casual observer, a survey of local history evokes images of Lewis and Clark, of pioneer gumption and the settlers who tamed an untamable wilderness. In reality, the history of human settlement in the region stretches back thousands of years, to a time when Columbian mammoths and giant ground sloths foraged along the banks of the Spokane River. Indigenous tribes, including the Coeur dAlene, Kalispel, Kootenai, Nez Perce, and Spokane, have lived here since well before European explorers arrived. These tribes varied histories and traditions have all left their mark upon the region, both in terms of art and culture as well as respect for the land and its wildlife. As much as cities like Seattle or Portland value their history and connections to nature, so too does Spokane.