Along the Centennial Trail in Riverside State Park. Photo: Derrick Knowles

Bowl and Pitcher, Riverside State Park (Spokane)

If you want a classic that feels like an actual “hike” without leaving town, start here. The Bowl and Pitcher loop is a short but scenic 2.1-mile route with river views, basalt outcroppings and the iconic footbridge over the Spokane River. A Discover Pass is required for parking. Tip for shoulder-season winter: if the trail is icy in the shade near the river, traction can make the walk immensely more safe and enjoyable. Learn more about trails around Riverside State Park here.

Dishman Hills Natural Area (Spokane Valley)

When the high country is socked in, the Dishman Hills can deliver quick forest strolls ponderosa pine forest and viewpoints that feel surprisingly wild for being on the edge of the city. Routes to destinations like Enchanted Ravine are short (2-miles round trip) and popular. Note that this natural area prioritizes wildlife and native plant preservation, and dogs must remain on a leash. This is one of the best places to catch a winter sunset on a clear day from a high point—just bring a headlamp for the hike back to your car.

When planning a winter hike, avoid muddy trails or trails transitioning between freezing and thawing when hikers can damage trails. Try hiking when trails are frozen or dry or choose trails with trails that drain better. Plan your Dishman Hills adventure here.

Saltese Uplands in late winter. Photo: Derrick Knowles

Saltese Uplands (Liberty Lake area)

Saltese is a strong winter pick when you want open views and a more “wide-sky” feel. The conservation area has more than 7 miles of trail exploring canyons and ridge tops, with views that can stretch toward Liberty Lake and Mount Spokane on clear days. Because it’s more exposed, it can dry out faster than shaded forest trails—but it can also be breezy, so layer up. Learn more about this Spokane County Conservation Futures area and trails here.

Slavin Conservation Area (southwest of Spokane)

For a mellow, low-elevation ramble with wetlands and a pine forest that attract many types of birds and waterfowl, Slavin is a great option. The Slavin Conservation Area is an expansive, rolling landscape with many trail options to create loops of varied length. It’s a nice option when you need to get out of the house in the winter and move your body in a beautiful place without committing to steep climbs and challenging trails. Find more info and a map here.

Post Falls Community Forest and Q’emiln Park (Post Falls)

Right across the Spokane River from Post Falls, this trail network offers lots of choose-your-own loops with river access, basalt rock features and a real “get out of town” feel without a long drive. This park and community forest is also a popular rock-climbing destination but come winter, hikers will generally have the trails to themselves. Find directions here.

Tubbs Hill (downtown Coeur d’Alene)

For a winter hike that pairs perfectly with coffee downtown, Tubbs Hill is hard to beat. It’s a 165-acre natural area owned and maintained by the City of Coeur d’Alene, with multiple access points and a trail around the perimeter. Enjoy views of downtown and Lake Coeur d’Alene on a loop around the hill or create your own extended hike incorporating other trails and loops. You can find a map of the trail system here.

Check out more winter hike recommendations around the region here or read up on the recommended essentials for winter hiking.

The post The Best Winter Hikes Near Spokane and Coeur d’Alene appeared first on Out There Venture.

Spokane County Parks, Recreation and Golf Department is seeking community input to shape the future of local parks through a countywide survey. The department is updating its Park, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan—revised every six years—to guide future funding and development decisions. The survey aims to gather diverse perspectives from county residents to ensure parks and facilities meet the community’s evolving needs. More than 700 responses have already been collected as of May 2025. 

After consulting with community leaders earlier in the spring to understand population-specific priorities, the department continues to seek public input with a 30-question survey focusing on user experiences. Topics include access barriers, usage patterns and desired facility improvements. Community organizations and residents are encouraged to share the survey through newsletters, websites, social media or email lists to maximize participation.  

This outreach is essential to creating a PROS Plan that accurately reflects residents’ needs and supports thoughtful, inclusive improvements to the county’s park system. The survey is accessible via QR code or through links on the Spokane County Parks website and social media channels. It will remain open through summer 2025.

The post Spokane County Seeks Input on the Future of Parks   appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Bradley Bleck 

Cover photo courtesy of Bradley Bleck

One reason gravel biking is popular is because it taps into the joy many cyclists felt when they first learned to fly on two wheels. This joy can be found along the nearly 1,200 miles of unpaved roads in Spokane County. This abundance of gravel is almost too much of a good thing for the uninitiated.  

To help with that, what follows are several rides, from beginner to advanced in order of difficulty, that can either be your gateway to gravel cycling or some new routes to explore. GPS information for your phone or cycling computer is provided for all but Saltese Flats. 

Palisades Park (Spokane)  

Close to the Spokane city center and a great place for novice gravel riders is Palisades Park. The essentially flat route, found by searching “Rimrock, Houston, Grove, Mission” on Ride with GPS, is 95 percent gravel if you ride it end to end. There are minor undulations and great views of the city and beyond. Parking is available at Greenwood and Basalt Roads or at Houston and Rimrock Roads, soon to be home to a new trailhead. There are six miles of mostly Category 1 gravel, making for up to 12 miles of out-and-back riding.  

Saltese Flats Wetland (East Spokane County) 

The Saltese Flats Wetlands offers 4.5 miles of trails around the wetlands, leaving from the trailhead on S. Henry Road, adjacent to the Saltese Uplands. Depending upon the time of year, you’ll be able to spy migrating waterfowl along with other birds and critters that make the area their home. The Category 1 gravel is largely flat, with two out-and-back routes.  

Slavin Conservation Area (South Spokane County) 

A step up in terms of difficulty starts and finishes at the Slavin Conservation Area. This 26-mile route has a little over 800 feet of climbing running through the meadowed plains, terraces and Ponderosa-lined buttes and scabland near Cheney. About 40 percent is unpaved. On Ride with GPS, search “Slavin Gravel” where you will find what is described here and both shorter and longer routes.  

Green Bluff (North Spokane County) 

A significant step up in terms of the challenge is the “Rotary Gravel Flamdangle” as found on Ride with GPS. The route’s 32 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing starts and ends at Big Barn Brewing on Green Bluff. With roughly 40 percent gravel, there are steep climbs, some over 13 percent (meaning 13 feet of elevation gain for every 100 feet traveled). This route showcases wide open fields, pastureland and forested dells. The surface is mostly Category 1 gravel. The steeper climbs will challenge all riders. It’s also one of the Lilac Century route options for this Rotary Club event held in May. 

Moran Prairie (Southeast Spokane County) 

On the Moran Prairie, there are countless gravel riding possibilities. If you search “Moran Prairie Valleyford” on Ride with GPS, you will find a 31-mile loop leaving from the Safeway at Regal and South 57th. This route is roughly 57 percent gravel, where you’ll tackle grades up to 15 percent. With nearly 3,400 feet of climbing, this is mostly Category 1 and 2 gravel, meaning washboards and loose gravel likely. Highlights include the Elder Road climb through the California Creek drainage and the Wood Memorial Cemetery, the final resting spot for many of Valleyford’s early settlers. Plan on it taking close to three hours if you are fit.  

Spangle (South Spokane County) 

One of my favorite gravel rides starts and finishes at the Harvester Restaurant in Spangle. Several routes can be found by searching “Spangle Gravel” on Ride with GPS. This description is a 36-mile option with 2,400 feet of climbing that is roughly 90 percent unpaved. This tough route will take at least three hours while traversing pastureland, creek drainages and rolling wheat fields. The longest sustained climb is just over a mile-and-a-half but the persistent and steep rollers will sap your legs. This is Category 2 gravel.  

Antoine Peak  

Another popular route is the “Antoine Peak Loop” on Ride with GPS. The route has about 3,200 feet of climbing over about 26 miles and is 70 percent gravel. The ride begins in the Antoine Peak parking area and the plains surrounding Mount Spokane before climbing the mountain’s forested flanks. There are three climbs over a mile long, the longest being 2.6 miles. A few paved miles along the Newman Lake shoreline provide some respite before the climb up Antoine Peak itself, which is single and doubletrack. Nothing is overly steep, but this is a more advanced ride. The gravel is Category 1 on summer and logging roads.  

Mount Spokane 

Next on the list of gravel challenges is “The Mount Spokane Gravel Loop” as found on Ride with GPS. Beginning and ending at Mount Spokane High School, this route covers 53 miles with over 6,000 feet of climbing. The route is roughly 50 percent gravel, some of it double-track (Category 3) through the shaded slopes of the lower mountain. You can bypass nearly 1,000 feet of climbing and a handful of miles if you skip the final paved miles to the summit. But do that and you’ll miss the views and the sense of satisfaction that comes with conquering the highest point around, along with the bathrooms and water at the top.  

Once you begin exploring the nearly limitless options for riding gravel around Spokane, you’ll see new opportunities for cycling around nearly every bend in the unpaved road. Keep in mind that with many gravel rides there will be no services along the way, so bring the necessary food and drink and have someone along who has mechanical skills and the necessary tools to get everyone home.  

Bradley Bleck last wrote about professional mountain biker Hannah Otto and the improving cycling scene in Spokane in the Spring Out There. He’ll be spending the summer riding one of his bikes in the Inland Northwest and beyond.  

The post Riding the Road Less Travelled  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Explorer Backpacks Free for Checkout

Spokane Conservation District is now offering Explorer Backpacks for checkout to local families with K-12 students. Each pack can be checked out for up to two weeks and includes educational materials on one of five different themes (trees, rocks and soil, water, pollinators, and snow).

This program can be paired with Spokane-area libraries’ Check Out Washington Pass, which includes a Discover Pass for free entry into Washington State Parks (and other state-managed lands). The library kits additionally include binoculars and field guides and the check-out period is seven days. Plan a family adventure!

NE Washington Forest Road Closures

The Sullivan/Newport Ranger District of the Colville National Forest will have some temporary closures for road improvement work this fall, impacting access to several popular hiking and backpacking destinations on the forest.

Both Highline Road and Sullivan Creek Road will be closed for several weeks, preventing vehicle access to trailheads for Sullivan Mountain and Crowell Ridge, Gypsy Meadows, Thunder Creek, Shedroof Cut-off, Salmo Mountain, and the Salmo Loop.

Hiker access to Crowell Ridge will need to start at the Red Bluff or Halliday Trail trailheads, and hiker access to the Shedroof Divide will only be available at Pass Creek Pass.

Parking Lot Work at Slavin

Improvement work for trailhead parking at Slavin Conservation Area southwest of Spokane began in September, with completion expected in early November.

Spokane County Parks will do their best to ensure the trails are still accessible during the majority of the work, but there may be times when access is temporarily closed to allow crews to complete crucial steps of the process. Be sure to check Spokane County Park’s website before a visit to Slavin this fall.

Saltese Uplands Expansion

By early October, Saltese Uplands Conservation Area near Liberty Lake, Wash., will grow by 10 percent! Spokane County Parks is expected to close soon on a 54.6-acre addition to the popular hiking, mountain biking, and trail running destination.

Fall Trail Projects Need Volunteers

Trail work and public lands stewardship projects continue to seek volunteer help across the region. Fall brings cooler temperatures and plenty of work to be done to keep trails in good shape after high summer use and prepare them for the upcoming ski, fat biking, and snowshoe season.

• Join the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness for a trail maintenance project at Napoleon Gulch in early September, or for their end-of-hiking-season trek up to the summit of Scotchman Peak in early October. Advance registration required.
• Pend Oreille Pedalers will host Thursday evening trail work events throughout the fall. Check their website for meeting locations.
• WTA has continuing projects at Mount Spokane State Park and within several Spokane County conservation areas, and will be hosting a National Public Lands Day project at Fishtrap Recreation Area.
• Pacific Northwest Trail Association’s season continues through the beginning of October, with several drop-in or backpack volunteer opportunities in northeast Washington.

Holly Weiler is a long-time contributor to Out There Venture and writes The Trailhead column for each issue.

Find more trail recommendations in the Hike of the Month column.

The post Inland NW Trail & Outdoor News: Fall 2022 appeared first on Out There Venture.

The Spokane area is blessed with many great places to hike and enjoy our wide array of wildflowers. Before you go out on your wildflower quest, it’s a good idea to pick up a wildflower book.

My favorite is one I have had in my backpack for a long time: “A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers.” The book has held together really well considering all the use it has had over the years.

Another really good book to have is “Plants of Southern BC and the Inland Northwest.” This book not only has good information on wildflowers but also on trees, shrubs, ferns, and lichen. It is one of my go-to books. It is a little heavy for the backpack but is worth its weight in gold.

As the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.” The month of May along with June can bring an explosion of beautiful wildflowers or in some dry years a very disappointing short season.

It is the middle of March as I write this article and I don’t have a crystal ball to tell what sort of wildflower season we will have this year. It could be great or it could be a bust.

All I can do is tell you about some of my favorite places that I have enjoyed during the 40-plus years I have lived in Spokane—and hope it doesn’t get too dry too early this year. Happy wildflower hunting!

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (Cheney, Wash.)

This area has probably the best variety of wildflowers in the Inland Northwest. There are many different hiking trails along with a 5-mile auto loop. In addition to all the waterfowl, this 20,000-acre natural area supports a large variety of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, coyotes, beaver, and moose.

Some of the wildflowers you might see are Bitterroot (state flower of Montana), sticky geranium, yellow bells, prairie smoke, camas, and death camas, along with a lot of balsamroot just to name a few. Be sure and check for ticks before you leave the refuge. You don’t want any little hitchhikers going home with you.

Spring wildflowers along hiking trails, including bitterroot (left) and sticky geranium (right). // Photos: Rich Leon

Iller Creek Conservation Area (Spokane Valley, Wash.)

This is one place you will want to bring your camera. Iller has some very unique wildflowers not found in other areas around Spokane. One is Clarkia (a member of the evening primrose family).

Clarkia was named after William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Other wildflowers include mountain lady slippers, clematis, monkshood, and honeysuckle.

Dishman Hills Natural Area (Spokane Valley, Wash.)

The picturesque cliffs and ravines not only make this place an interesting area to explore but also a wonderful place to find a variety of wildflowers. As you roam around the many trails within Dishman Hills Natural Area, you are likely to find glacier lilies, Rocky Mountain iris, fairy bells, balsamroot, and fireweed.

Mount Spokane State Park (Mead, Wash.)

This is one of my favorite places for wildflowers. I like all the different trails at Mount Spokane State Park for a variety of reasons but especially the Nordic ski trail area because of the beargrass. The area has beargrass every year, but these plants only produce a major bloom about once every seven years.

When a big bloom happens, it is a sight to behold. On the lower part of the mountain (especially trail 100), you can find trillium, mountain bluebells, two different coralroot, bunchberry, paintbrush, and fairy slipper orchids.

Kamiak Butte (Pullman, Wash.)

This spot is about a 60-mile drive south of Spokane but well worth it. Surrounded on all sides by the wheat fields of the Palouse, this 3,650-foot-tall island of pine, fir, and larch has some amazing views.

On a good wildflower year the hillsides can be covered in a sea of yellow from the balsamroot. It is a great place to bring the kids for a self-guided nature walk on the 3.5-mile Pine Loop Trail. Don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch.

Tubbs Hill and Mineral Ridge (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

Both of these popular North Idaho natural areas offer some great views, and there are also plenty of wildflowers to see.

Other Notable Inland NW Wildflower Hot Spots

Other areas you might want to visit are Slavin Conservation Area (Spokane), Antoine Peak (Spokane Valley), Little Spokane River (North Spokane), Riverside State Park (Spokane), and the Liberty Lake Conservation Area (Liberty Lake, Wash.)

Please be aware that some areas in Washington require a Discover Pass such as Mount Spokane and Riverside state parks. There is an entry fee for the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge, and other areas such as the Little Spokane River do not allow dogs; all other natural areas require dogs to be on a leash at all times.

The post Best Spring Wildflower Hikes in the Inland NW appeared first on Out There Venture.

Protecting land for its own sake—for the sake of the animals and plants that rely on it, for the sake of clean water and air, and for public enjoyment now and for future generations—rarely makes sense solely from a financial perspective. Thankfully, there are private land owner conservation champions who see former working forests and ranchlands as so much more than short-term dollar signs.

James T. Slavin Conservation Area, Spokane County, WA

“It went from a love/hate relationship, to more love than hate, and then once the county took over, now I can just love it,” says Jim Slavin, Jr., as he sidesteps a pile of skunk scat in the trail and points out memorable landmarks on the 628-acre conservation area that bears his family’s name.

Jim’s father, James T. Slavin, Sr., was the son of a hops farmer in the Yakima Valley who eagerly homesteaded his first 160 acres of farmland south of Spokane in 1965. Over the subsequent decades, he added to his spread when land became available, putting in a canal to channel water to hayfields and provide grazing land for cattle.

“This was his sanctuary,” Jim Jr. says of his father, who preferred to spend the day on this land with “a dog, a gallon of water, and a bag of apples,” over time at a country club or other public setting.

The Slavins’ four children and Joanne, the matriarch of the family, got used to driving old cars with doors prone to falling off since investing in their beautiful agricultural land was Jim Sr.’s top priority.

As the kids grew up, Jim Jr. was the only member of the family to live on the property, and he has many fond memories of coming home to his family’s own 600+ acre slice of heaven during his college and early career days.

“When he was in his 70s,” Jim Jr. says about his father, “it just became a lot to manage.”

In 1998, the land went up for sale and to be sure it didn’t turn into a subdivision or mobile home park, the family worked with Spokane County to protect it as a conservation area in perpetuity.

When the county purchased the land, they returned the water to its natural state, allowing a shallow, meandering wetland to host hundreds of waterfowl, migratory birds, eagles, coyotes, deer, and the occasional elk. In addition to working to put this land into conservation status, the Slavins contributed $100,000 in an endowment to help care for and maintain the area for years to come.

A striking part of the James T. Slavin Conservation Area story is how relationships with land change over the years. “I remember bucking hay bales and thinning trees,” Jim Jr. shares. “And that was hard work.”

Now, he leads tours of young people, community organizations, and friends who want to learn about the flora and fauna, the history of the land, or just enjoy watching flocks of geese and pelicans settle in during a Spokane summer sunset.

“This place is special, and he wanted to see it protected so the community could use it,” Jim says of his father, a stalwart farmer and lover of the land to his last breath.

Slavin Conservation Area is open year-round, with interesting seasonal changes: winter (top left); spring (top right) // Photos: Amy McCaffree; summer (bottom) // Photo: Lisa Laughlin.

Cabinet View Nature Area, Sanders County, MT

“I want to save little places where nature can prevail over human destruction,” says Judy Hutchins, daughter of environmental advocate Ruth Powell Hutchins. Much of her life has been dedicated to the business of real estate, just not for the usual reasons people get into real estate.

A wildlife biologist by training, after stints in New York City and Ann Arbor, Michigan, Judy Hutchins landed in Heron, Mont., and never looked back. “It felt like coming home,” she says of her first visit to Montana from her childhood home in western Colorado.

Western Montana beavers and other wildlife have Hutchins to thank for the 76-acre Cabinet View Nature Area, which is home to a thriving spring-fed beaver complex. Throughout her life, Hutchins has purchased or otherwise worked with land in Colorado and Montana in order to put lands in conservation easements, which are legal agreements that protect private land from future development.

Hutchins’ strategy of buying land, putting those acres into conservation easements, and then reselling the real estate, has protected 10 pieces of land including wildlife corridors, wetlands, and habitat, including the Cabinet View property.

While a board member of the Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT), Hutchins helped KLT transition to a community land trust model, and when she saw the need for public places in which to educate local residents about land and water, she knew she’d found the perfect buyer for this pristine wetland.

Thanks to funding through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and tireless work by KLT, the land was purchased in June of 2019 and opened to the public. Mindful of disturbing the animals living on the land, KLT put in a trail system and signage to encourage responsible use and enjoyment.

“Although somewhat off the beaten track,” says KLT’s conservation director Regan Plumb, “the Cabinet View Nature Area has served local junior high and high school students as an outdoor classroom for many years. The land also offers a location for quiet walks and wildlife viewing for area residents and provides high-quality habitat for diverse wildlife species.”

From extensive water-storing wetlands to healthy timber stands, wildlife habitat, and scenic trails, this property provides myriad benefits to the two-legged and four-legged (and feathered) residents of our community, says Plumb. “And it would never have been protected without the generosity and foresight of the previous landowner, who recognized many years ago that there was something very special here.”

As the natural world around us changes rapidly, “It’s comforting,” says Hutchins, “to look up at the mountains and realize they’re unchanged. Things will change, but rocks, rivers, mountains will survive.”

Hutchins’ investment in those special places, those pockets of nature, give us hope and a fighting chance for the beautiful lands and waters we all love.

Phillips Creek, Dishman Hills Conservation Area, Spokane County, WA

Hiking down a path littered with bones, where the wind howls at night, even when everything else is still, is a lure so powerful that teenagers can’t resist. This proved true for Andrew Phillips as he and childhood friends tramped around the property his grandfather homesteaded in 1904. Nights spent sleeping under the stars—or, more accurately, lying awake wondering what massive night monster was about to have dinner at his expense—helped Andrew get to know and fall in love with the Phillips Creek land in Spokane Valley.

Phillips Creek, adjacent to the Glenrose Unit of the Dishman Hills Conservation Area, with its basalt outcroppings, grassy hillsides, and overgrown orchards speaks to the agricultural history of the area, but it also tells a story of Welsh immigrants who moved to Spokane Valley to build a future for their family—a future founded on farming and ranching.

“My sons made a camping area out there,” Andrew says as he reminisces about memories made on the land throughout his youth and then as he raised his own family. Although Henry Lloyd Phillips, the second-generation owner of the Phillips Creek property, had planned to sell the land for development, he was unable to because of zoning regulations.

When Phillips passed away and the family was working to settle his estate, they decided its value as green, open space was higher than yet another housing development.

For years, neighbors had used the Phillips Creek area as if it was public and the family’s concerns over liability grew. They wanted friends and neighbors to enjoy the beautiful place as they had, but didn’t have the capacity or desire to maintain it for public use. And so they decided to work with the Dishman Hills Conservancy and Spokane County to put the 179-acre piece of land into public ownership and management in perpetuity in 2018.

“I enjoyed growing up there,” Andrew says, “and I wanted to keep it natural—to give others the chance to experience it as well.”

Like Jim Slavin, Jr., Andrew says his love/hate relationship with the family farm—loving the place but not having the time for the endless hard work—has turned only to love since he can now hike the trails, listen to the birds, and look out across the valley, knowing the land is cared for and protected forever for the good of the community.

If you or someone you know is interested in creating a lasting conservation legacy for an important piece of private land wildlife habitat here in the Inland Northwest, contact one of our region’s hard-working land trust organizations.

Originally published as “From Private To Public: Conservation Champions Protect Open Spaces From Development” in the September-October 2021 issue.

Carol Corbin lives, plays, and writes in the Inland Northwest. She also works for Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, one of many non-profit organizations working to protect natural spaces throughout the region for wildlife, clean air and water, and climate resilience.

The post Local Land Conservationists Protect Open Spaces appeared first on Out There Venture.

The recent round of nominations for Spokane County Park’s Conservation Futures program additions received eight applicants. A public meeting to present the nominations and discuss the process for determining which of the properties was held via Zoom on September 9th. Find updates, see survey results, and the latest news about Conservation Futures at Spokanecounty.org.

National Public Lands Day

Get outside and play (for free!) on National Public Lands Day, September 25! Discover Passes will not be required for day-use at Washington State Parks, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife lands, and Department of Natural Resources lands all day.

Sept. 25 is also a National Parks fee-free day and a good time to plan a road trip to Mount Rainier or Glacier National Park.

Public Comments Sought on Fees & Rec Site Changes

The Colville National Forest is considering some fee additions and increases at several recreation sites across the 1.1-million acre northeast Washington forest. The complete list of locations and public comment information is available through September 30 on the agency’s website.

Some notable highlights include a proposal to include the recently restored Salmo Mountain Fire Lookout on the cabin rental reservation system, as well as the Frater Lake warming cabin.

Run for the Woods

The Kaniksu Land Trust will be hosting a fall fundraiser trail run event at Pine Street Woods in Sandpoint on October 9. All of the event proceeds from this first Run for the Woods will benefit the trust, so come run for a good cause!  

Volunteer Trail Projects

Lend a hand on one of these upcoming trail projects. If you can’t make it, remember to check out these refurbished trails once they are finished:

• Idaho Trails Association will be hosting project days in North Idaho this fall, including at Parker Ridge and Chimney Rock (Idahotrailsassocation.org).
• Washington Trails Association will be continuing work on Mount Spokane projects through September, then transitioning to trail improvements within Spokane County Parks. Look for a fall grand opening to the new trailhead and trail at Etter Ranch at the south end of Antoine Peak. Other project sites include Hauser Conservation Area and Slavin Ranch (Wta.org).
• Friends of Scotchman Peak Wilderness will be hosting a National Public Lands Day project at Goat Mountain on September 25 (Scotchmanpeaks.org).
• Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance is continuing work on the new trail 290 at Mount Spokane with approximately 0.5 mile remaining. Once snow returns, the focus will turn to a reroute of one of the steepest sections of the Edith Hansen Trail at Liberty Lake Regional Park (Evergreeneast.org).
• Blue Mountains Land Trust will be hosting a weekend project at Camp Wooten State Park with camping and meals included for a nominal fee, September 24-26 (Bmlt.org).

Holly Weiler is a long-time contributor to Out There Venture who plans to spend her fall finding gold in the nearby hills (larch season!).

The post Trailhead News: Projects, Public Lands Day, & Volunteer Events appeared first on Out There Venture.

The Spokane County Conservation Futures program includes more than 40 protected properties for a total of 9,145 acres throughout the county that serve as open space, wildlife habitat, and places for trail user to hike, bike, run, and enjoy.

The 2021 Conservation Futures nominations round closed on July 31 for eight prospective proprieties proposed as additions and now there’s a virtual public meeting for comments on the nominations that you can participate in. Scheduled for September 9 starting at 5-7:30 p.m. via a Zoom webinar (meeting link), this meeting will also be a great chance to learn more about the Conservation Futures program.

Detailed instructions for how the public comment section of the public meeting will work will be provided at the meeting. Each nomination will have a 10-minute comment period maximum with two minutes maximum allocated per commenter. 

Zoom Webinar Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84923466415 | Phone: 1-877-853-5257 | Meeting ID: 849 2346 6415.

Fall is one of the best seasons of the year to explore the mostly low-elevation Conservation Futures properties around Spokane. There is likely one with trails near where you live that makes for an easy after-work or weekend hiking or mountain bike outing.

Visit the Conservation Futures homepage for information about each area, including trail info and directions.

For more stories about Spokane County Conservation Futures, visit the OTO archives.

[Feature photo by Todd Dunfield. // Mica Peak Conservation Area]

The post Explore Spokane County Conservation Futures Lands: Virtual Public Comments on Sept. 9 appeared first on Out There Venture.

In July and August, you’ll see native wildflowers flush the area with hues of white, blue, purple, and yellow. Look for yarrow, bachelor’s buttons, wavy-leaf thistles, goldenrod, and more this time of year.

This is a great place to stroll with kids or babies strapped to your back, as the elevation gain is mild and there are several out-and-back or short loop options. Dogs should remain on leash, since this area is home to waterfowl and songbirds that frequent the small lake at the center of this trail’s loop. Equestrian riders are also common.

What I enjoy most about this hike is its “best of both worlds” feeling. Half of the time I’m wandering through a singletrack wooded trail, looking close at the plants and flowers with a peek of the lake every now and then; the other half I’m strolling an open meadow, where the clouds take precedence and you can soak in the seasonal color palette at large. It’s a place that inspires deep breathing.

Take the full 3-mile loop around the lake to experience both trail types. Seasonal trail closure occurs in the northwest corner due to flooding. In upcoming months, grasses will turn taupe and gold for a beautiful morning or sunset hike.

Visit Spokanecounty.org for a trail map and list of the 121 species of birds that find habitat here.

To learn about some of the other best hiking trails and destinations throughout the Inland Northwest, visit the OTO archives.

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According to the Child Mind Institute, “In natural environments, we practice an effortless type of attention known as soft fascination that creates feelings of pleasure, not fatigue.” This is why hiking in a wild setting away from traffic and urban distractions works better to reduce stress and fatigue. (Learn more: “Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature“)

Try these Inland Northwest hikes that can be tailored for different hiking abilities. Explore a new trail and find some unplugged, wild serenity this spring. 

Spokane Area 

• McKenzie Conservation Area: Explore the 2-mile, self-guided Geology Walking Tour, which includes Turtle Rock, at this conservation area near Newman Lake. Spokanecounty.org. 
• James T. Slavin Conservation Area: Easy, flat trails here will inspire kids to run and explore this area southwest of the city, off Highway 195. Explore rolling pastures, grassy meadows and wetlands, lake and pond shorelines, and pine and fir forest. Look for wildflowers, waterfowl, and other wildlife. Spokanecounty.org. 
• High Drive Bluff: Located on the west edge of Spokane’s South Hill, this designated natural area features ponderosa pine forests and bunchgrass meadows. Three trails that are good for kids are Polly Judd, Murungu’s, and Ponderosa—each one traverses the steep hillside without too much elevation loss and gain. All are accessible from the trailhead at S. Cedar Street & 29^th Ave. There are another five trailheads, including Polly Judd Park which has a playground. Use the map from Friendsofthebluff.org. 
• Dishman Hills: Pond Loop Trail and Deep Ravine Loop Trail are two easy hiking routes, recommended by Spokane mom and OTO contributor Carol Corbin. Basalt rock and water features will engage kids’ interest and curiosity. Start from Camp Caro, where there is a kiosk trail map, restrooms, and playground. Dishmanhills.org. 

Coeur d’Alene 

• Blue Creek Recreation Site: Located within Wallace Forest Conservation Area, this site is managed by U.S. Bureau of Land Management and has nearly 5 miles of trails with two trailheads. For hiking with young children, start from the day use/picnic area to hike out and back along the Blue Trail. Or start hiking on the Blue Trail from the trailhead on Yellowstone Trail Road. Some trails may still be closed in March 2021 because of an ongoing forest management project. Blm.gov. 
• Fernan Lake Natural Area: Hiking trails on Potlatch Hill are still a work-in-progress, but so far there are three short loops. More info at Cdaid.org.  

Sandpoint 

• Pend d’ Oreille Bay Trail: Recommended by Sandpoint mom and OTO contributor Ammi Midstokke, this flat, out-and-back 3-mile trail—simply called Bay Trail by locals—travels along Lake Pend Oreille from City Beach. Pobtrail.org. 

• Mineral Point Trail: Midstokke also recommends this popular national forest trail south of Sandpoint for scenic views of Lake Pend Oreille. The point-to-point Mineral Point Trail #82 is 2.1 miles with the southern trailhead at Green Bay Campground. Fs.usda.gov. 

Want to learn about more recommended hiking destinations for kids and families? Check out these stories from our archives.

• Best Hiking Trails for Kids & Strollers (April 2018)
• 5 Favorite Family Hikes for Lakeside Fun Near Spokane (April 2019)
• Hiking with Dogs & Family Pets (June 2018)
• Hiking for Huckleberries with Kids (April 2020)
• Downtown Spokane’s Urban Wildlife Hikes (May 2017)
• Family Trail Adventures Along the Spokane River (May 2016)

[Feature Photo: Hiking at Slavin Conservation Area. Photo: Amy McCaffree]

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