Cover photo courtesy of Nicole Aguado

Their first trip together was a life-changing experience.

Nicole and Lydia had never met before they climbed into Lydia’s old van with her daughter Naomi and headed east, deep into the Montana forest, chasing what would quickly become a truly epic and unforgettable adventure. There was no careful buildup or cautious first meeting. Just two women who admired each other’s hiking posts online, trusting a shared love for the outdoors enough to say yes and see what happened on the trail.

They met through the Spokane/North Idaho Hikers Facebook group, the community Nicole started as a place for herself and others to catalog hikes, collaborate with other outdoor lovers, and swap trail ideas. What began as a small local group quietly grew into a network of more than forty thousand members across the Northwest. Nicole and Lydia noticed each other there, drawn to each other’s adventure posts. Two seemingly very different women who admired one another’s solo adventures from afar until admiration turned into conversation.

When Lydia mentioned an upcoming trip and invited Nicole along, Nicole did not hesitate.

That trip brought many firsts.

It was not only Nicole’s first adventure with Lydia. It was her first night roughing it in a Forest Service cabin. The cabin Lydia chose was perched on the banks of Lake Como. The cabin was sparsely decorated and oversized, its big, cold rooms filled with bunk beds and empty space, lit only by oil lanterns that had to be ignited by hand. There was no electricity, no running water, no familiar comforts to lean on. Water had to be hauled from the lake and boiled. Meals were cooked on the hot coals of the wood fireplace. As their first evening together settled in, the cabin creaked from the wind whipping across the cool, early May water of Lake Como. With no modern distractions, conversation was plentiful. What could have felt awkward instead felt natural, two very different people finding common ground over a shared love for adventuring in the great outdoors.

The next morning delivered another first. Midway through a hike around the lake, the weather turned without warning. The light dimmed. Wind rushed hard through the trees. Thunder rolled in fast and close, followed by sheets of rain that soaked everything within minutes, including Nicole and Lydia. With no clear place to hide, they pressed into the forest together and waited it out, cold, uncomfortable, and alert. Fear has a way of stripping things down to what matters. In those minutes under the trees, small talk disappeared, and a deep trust was quickly born.

When the storm finally passed, they finished the hike changed, not by the hike itself, but by what they had endured side by side.

That night, back at the cabin, they warmed themselves by the wood fire. Smoke clung to their clothes. Boots steamed as they dried near the heat. Exhaustion softened everything. By then, the weekend had already done its quiet work. The firsts had piled up, and somewhere inside them, a lasting friendship had taken hold.

What began as a leap of faith with a stranger became the first of many adventures together.

It also became a living example of what Nicole had unknowingly built.

Nicole did not grow up outdoorsy. The mountains were something she admired from a distance, not something she felt called into. That changed later in life, after a friend introduced her to fishing, camping, and the quiet clarity that comes from spending time outside. Hiking followed, first as an outlet, then as a necessity. When life felt heavy, the trail made it lighter. When things fell apart, movement helped put them back together.

In 2018, in the aftermath of a breakup and searching for something that felt grounding, Nicole started a Facebook group. It was meant to be simple. A place for a few friends to share hikes around Spokane and North Idaho. A few friends joined at first. They posted photos. They traded trail names. They encouraged one another to get outside.

Then the group grew.

Slowly at first, then rapidly.

Today, Spokane/North Idaho Hikers includes more than forty thousand members. It has become the largest online hiking community in the region, a living, breathing network of people who ask questions, share knowledge, plan trips, and sometimes find the courage to try something they never thought they would. Nicole never planned to be a community leader. She became one because the need and the desire for connection in the outdoor community were undeniable.

The scale of the group became impossible to ignore during what many members still refer to simply as “the Jeff situation.” A local story involving a man named Jeff inviting ladies to join him for a hike unexpectedly went viral, and almost overnight, Spokane/North Idaho Hikers found itself at the center of the internet’s attention. Membership requests surged into the hundreds per day. People from well outside the region flooded in, many with no interest in hiking at all, but eager to follow the story as it spread across social media and local news.

For Nicole, it was a crash course in just how visible the group had become. Moderation turned into triage. She worked to protect the integrity of the community, filtering out noise while trying to keep the group focused on its original purpose. At the height of the attention, it was clear that Spokane/North Idaho Hikers was no longer just a casual online gathering. It had become a public-facing platform with real reach and real responsibility.

Through it all, Nicole stayed focused on why the group existed.

Connection.

People message her often to say the group helped them hike for the first time. Others say it pulled them out of isolation or gave them confidence to explore alone. Some meet friends. Some meet partners. A few, like Nicole and Lydia, meet people who change their lives entirely.

Nicole often hikes alone. She likes the quiet, the space to think, the way the forest strips life down to its essentials. She plans carefully, checks trail conditions, pays attention to the weather, and trusts her instincts. The wilderness does not scare her. It demands respect, and she gives it fully.

Photography has become part of her process, too. She shoots with her phone, capturing alpine lakes, mountain goats, and ridgelines wrapped in clouds. She does not chase perfection. She chases moments. Her photos are not about proving where she has been. They are about inviting others to imagine themselves there.

Her passion for adventure has taken her far beyond the Inland Northwest. Nicole recently embarked on a solo trip to New Zealand, a trip that confirmed something she already suspected: that she is capable of more than she once believed. She has jumped out of planes, backpacked into hot springs, and adventured across the world, and continues to say yes to experiences that stretch her comfort zone.

Through it all, Lydia remains one of her closest adventure partners. They travel easily together, balancing each other’s differences. They plan trips, improvise when plans fall apart, and laugh at the absurdity that sometimes comes with chasing epic experiences. Their friendship began with trust, was cemented by discomfort, and continues because it just works.

Nicole’s life is now shaped by the outdoors and the people she meets because of it. She dreams of future trips to Iceland, Patagonia, the Swiss Alps, and deeper into the places where cell service fades, and the noise disappears.

Looking back, it is easy to trace the line.

A Facebook group.
A message.
A van headed east.
A cabin.
A storm.
A life-long friendship.

Somewhere between carrying water from a lake and waiting out thunder under the trees, Nicole learned what she had been building all along. Not a hiking group. Not following. A doorway.

People join Spokane/North Idaho Hikers for all kinds of reasons. Some are looking for trail recommendations or current conditions. Others want to learn more about the outdoors, build confidence, or find people to hike with. Many simply want to feel less alone in their curiosity about the natural spaces around them. What they find, often unexpectedly, is a vibrant community, one built on shared experience, mutual respect, and the simple willingness to show up for one another, on the trail and beyond.

Nicole knows that feeling well. Over the past decade, she has evolved from a city girl to a true backwoods adventurer.

——

If you’re looking for some new adventure ideas or some new outdoor-loving friends, join the Spokane/North Idaho Hikers community on Facebook and see where it leads you!

The post How Spokane/North Idaho Hikers Became a Gateway to Adventure and Community appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Holly Weiler 

Cover photo courtesy of Lara Gricar

Outdoor Reminders 

• Winter conditions can impact access to high-elevation trailheads, so it’s time to double-check your vehicle’s emergency kit to make sure it contains helpful extras for snowy conditions (for instance, a folding snow shovel). It is also a transition time to winter parking permit season, when some high-elevation parking lots have snow removal funded through the purchase of seasonal parking passes. In Washington, Sno-Park season begins Dec. 1 and lasts through March, with over 100 Sno-Park locations across the state, including popular spots like Mount Spokane State Park and Sherman Pass. In North Idaho, a Park N’ Ski permit is required for access to seven maintained winter trailheads, including those at Priest Lake and Fourth of July Pass. Oregon maintains its own Sno-Park system as well but has a reciprocal agreement with Idaho. Purchase a permit for the state you visit the most. 

Free Outdoor-themed Entertainment 

• Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT) is hosting an outdoor clothing and gear exchange Dec. 13 from noon to 3 p.m. (location TBD; check the website). This is a free event; no registration required. Please bring clean, functional outdoor clothing and gear to swap. Those who would like to donate without attending the swap may drop off equipment at the CDLT office during the week before the event. It is not necessary to bring trade items in order to participate the day of the event; if you need outdoor gear, please attend.  

• Additionally, Chelan-Douglas Land Trust is hosting a Winter Solstice Walk at Castle Rock in Wenatchee’s Lower Castle Rock Natural Area Dec. 20 from 7 to 9 a.m. Advance registration is required to join this 2-mile round-trip hike. 

• Fee-free days at Washington State Parks are scheduled for Jan. 1 and Jan. 20. Additionally, a variety of free First Day Hikes will be offered at Washington State Parks on New Year’s Day (advance registration is required). Please note that Mount Spokane State Park does not fall under fee-free days during Sno-Park season. If you don’t have a Sno-Park permit, watch for the offerings at Riverside State Park and Columbia Plateau State Park Trail instead, where no Discover Pass will be necessary on the holiday. 

• Free Idaho Park N’ Ski Day is Jan. 3, with a chance to visit Idaho’s Nordic and snowshoeing trails without the usual parking fee. Several areas mark this event with activities, including free lessons and guided snowshoe hikes at Indian Creek State Park near Priest Lake and the Idaho Panhandle Nordic Club’s annual Best Hand Poker XC-Ski and Snowshoe fundraiser. There is a nominal fee to enter the poker competition, because it’s a fundraiser to help support grooming efforts at the Fourth of July Pass trail system; sometimes there are nearly as many raffle prizes as participants! 

• Methow Trails’ Backyard Ski Day is Jan. 30, with free winter trail access across the valley’s vast trail system. There will be free group beginner ski lessons for both classic and skate skiing, free fat bike demos and a free ski wax clinic. A few local businesses are even offering a limited number of free ski rentals for the day. 
  
  

Fundraisers, Contests and Events 

• Inland Northwest Land Conservancy will host its Common Ground annual meeting at CenterPlace Regional Event Center Dec. 9. Registration is required and space is limited. 

• Have you visited a National Recreation Trail this year? It’s time for American Trails’ annual photo contest. Photographers can submit up to 10 photos per trail under categories like trail use, trail management, trail features and artistic merit. Be sure to check the database of National Recreation Trails in our region to ensure the trail you visited qualifies. Photos are due Dec. 15, and winners will be announced in February. 

• The Backcountry Film Festival – Winter Wildlands Alliance offers several regional screenings of festival films highlighting human-powered winter recreation. Each showing serves as a fundraiser for the host organization. Catch it in Spokane Dec. 6, hosted by the Spokane Mountaineers. SOLE will host the film festival in Sandpoint Jan. 9. The University of Idaho Outdoor Program will bring the show to Moscow Jan. 28. On Feb. 3 the film festival will be shown in Whitefish, hosted by Wild Montana. Chewelah Valley Land Trust, Montana Backcountry Alliance (Missoula) and El Sendero Backcountry Ski and Snowshoe Club (Wenatchee) also plan to host the film festival this winter (check online for dates). 

• The Wenatchee River Institute will be the beneficiary of “Benevolent Night” at München House in Leavenworth Jan. 6, with 25% of sales donated to support the nonprofit. The event will run from 4 to 8 p.m.  

• Banff Mountain Film Festival returns to Spokane Jan. 9-11. Saturday night’s VIP ticket sales will benefit the nonprofit of your choice among several worthy local organizations. This event sells out every year, so don’t procrastinate! 

• Spokane Nordic will host Winterfest Jan. 18, featuring $10 Nordic ski lessons for both adults and children, plus a scavenger hunt for kids and a skijor clinic at Selkirk Lodge at Mount Spokane State Park. Additional not-to-be-missed events include the annual Langlauf Nordic ski race Jan. 25 and the BarkerBeiner Skijor Race, tentatively scheduled for Feb. 22. 

Stewardship, Conservation, and Volunteer Opportunities 

• Many of our region’s stewardship and conservation organizations take a short break during the winter season, but those looking for an opportunity to do some winter trail maintenance should watch for offerings from Washington Trails Association. Most of WTA’s winter projects are on snowshoe trails, snow depth permitting. Watch for opportunities within Mount Spokane State Park and on Spokane County Parks’ Conservation Futures properties. A limited number of snowshoes are available to borrow. Contact the crew leader if you’d like to try a project but need to borrow snowshoes. Check the WTA website for the full schedule. 

• Spokane Nordic hosts multiple events throughout the winter and is always seeking volunteer assistance to make those events run smoothly. Tasks may range from helping visitors park safely and efficiently to assisting with event check-in or serving as an on-course race marshal (typically on skis). Check out the Spokane Nordic website for opportunities. 

The post Winter Trail Access, Free Ski Days, Gear Swaps and Inland NW Outdoor Events appeared first on Out There Venture.

Cover photo courtesy of Jean Arthur

Sunrise promises a sparkling midsummer morning at 6,644 feet elevation at the summit of Going-to-the-Sun Road at Logan Pass. A dozen vehicles snug into parking spots on an August morning as hikers lace boots for early starts on Glacier National Park’s famous Highline Trail. My family plans to hike another popular trail from the parking lot at Logan Pass, the Hidden Lake Trail to Hidden Lake Overlook, a 2.7-mile climb among wildflowers, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, ermine and the occasional grizzly bear. 

We know from experience that the parking lot—all 236 spots—fills by 8 a.m. on July and August mornings. Until about 7 p.m., drivers will troll the parking lot to find a spot, testing patience and pleasantries. Occasionally arguments break out and rangers must intervene.  

The bustle begs the question: Are we loving our national parks to death? Between resource depletion, crushing roadway overuse, damaging pollution, and resource defilement due to garbage, trampling and theft, park lovers are demanding changes. 

Rangers and park staff can barely keep pace. Since the beginning of 2025, permanent park staff positions decreased by 24% for all parks according to the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association. In Grand Teton National Park, the Trump administration’s budget cuts eliminated 16 of the park’s 17 supervisory positions. 

Glacier, which is America’s 10^th national park and spans 1.2 million acres in northwest Montana, has experienced explosive visitor numbers in the past decade, as have other public lands, challenging the resources, park staff and visitor restraint. 

I have frequented Glacier National Park for five decades. My group and I hit the park early to try to beat the new summer crowds. Tailgate coffee, locally grown fruit and prebaked muffins entice our sleepy crew out of warm vehicles to our truck where my husband cranks up the camp stove and makes a couple of bistro’s worth of coffee. To my family, this morning is reminiscent of two decades ago when there was available parking, room to hike without crowding and lots of wildlife.  

We lock up leftovers and head up the paved trail that climbs to a boardwalk, then dirt, and then a snow-covered route with just a few other humans. Brilliant pink heather hugs the ground. The higher we climb, the more glacier lilies—yellow sprites of the high country—shiver in the breeze. A sizable herd of bighorn sheep skitter across rocks then settle for naps with their lambs.  

With so few boots on turf this morning, it’s hard to imagine the significant increase in visitation that Glacier has endured. In 2024, more than 3.2 million people entered Glacier, its third-highest visitation year ever and an increase of 300,000 visitors from 2023.  

Glacier’s 40 percent increase in visitation from 2012 to 2024 is not an anomaly. According to Zion National Park Superintendent, Jeff Bradybaugh, in a letter to Congress, “There are 423 park units in the National Park System encompassing over 85 million acres across our nation, but visitation trends among the individual parks greatly vary. In 2020, overall visitation dropped to a 40-year low due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.” And then spiked. 

In his statement titled, “Lessons from the Field: Overcrowding in National Parks,” Bradybaugh notes that a third of the national parks saw record visitation during the pandemic as people sought outdoor spaces. In 2021, visitation across all NPS units reached 297 million recreation visits, a year when Utah’s Zion National Park alone saw 5 million visitors for the first time in its history and double the number from 2010. Some mitigation efforts are working. Several parks now use timed entry and ticket systems, including Glacier, which piloted vehicle reservation systems for summer months. Because my crew and I visit Glacier often, we know to use Recreation.gov to purchase a park pass and a Going-to-the-Sun Road ticket.  

On our glorious August morning, the road remained quiet at predawn; we only encountered a pair of motorcyclists who cruised the Sun Road to Logan Pass. But by the time we hiked up to the Hidden Lake Overlook, snapped a few photos and walked back, the parking lot was full and the trail overworked.  

“Pack your patience and plan ahead,” reads Glacier National Park’s webpage, “Tips for Dealing with Crowds.” We’ve also packed out other people’s candy wrappers, broken sunglasses and bad attitudes—a visitor aggressively urged us to rush so they could have our parking spot. We left feeling squeezed and a bit Grinchy about sharing our favorite park.  

For national park gateway communities, the tourism boils down to dollars. According to economists at the University of Montana in Missoula, annual nonresident spending in the state totaled $5.82 billion, a two-year average for annual spending. The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research found that the region surrounding Glacier saw $2 billion in revenue, while the region surrounding Yellowstone averaged $1.3 billion. Yellowstone’s borders also include Idaho and Wyoming. The two Montana regions collectively saw 57% of nonresident travel spending.  

Oregon park visitor Barbara Nelson and her husband encountered long waits when they entered the park’s west gate at West Glacier this summer, even though they had booked tickets for the road and activities in advance. This was not their first park visit, and they’ve witnessed growing wait times at entrance stations, parking lots, trail heads and concession restaurants. 

“We got stopped in the hot sun and felt crowded,” Nelson recalls. “That morning, we started about 9 or 10 a.m. from West Glacier. A busy, August day. Getting behind those red buses is annoying. We got stopped at [the] top of [the] pass and there was still snow. So we had a snowball fight as we were waiting in traffic.” 

The Red Busses offer interpretive tours on Going-to-the-Sun Road. Free shuttles between Apgar near the west entrance and St. Mary at the east entrance alleviate some vehicle traffic, but hour-long standstills still occur, and not always where snowball fights can ensue. There are just many people who want the Glacier experience—including my crew. The park is on pace for another record-breaking summer as of early August 2025, with early counts showing a sizeable increase of more than 12 percent over 2024.  

Overtourism is defined as the phenomenon whereby certain places of interest are visited by excessive numbers of tourists, causing undesirable effects for the places visited. The global nonprofit Responsible Tourism offers a platform for change, helping travelers and communities take responsibility for making tourism more sustainable.  

Locals grasp at reasons for overtourism: short-term rentals alluring and available which push out long-term renters, post-pandemic need for healthy outdoor travel, alluring Instagram images sans mega throbs of tourists, and the Yellowstone Effect, in which people watch Kevin Costner’s television drama “Yellowstone” and visit Montana, Wyoming and Idaho believing a fictional tale of the American West—and wanting a piece of it.  

The “Yellowstone Effect” brought 2.1 million visitors to Montana in 2021, according to the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Fans spent $730 million, yet caused some locals to channel Beth Dutton and mean-mug away visitors—it didn’t work. 

The Tourons of Yellowstone Instagram page, dedicated to documenting bad behavior and egregious offenses, stir up locals’ ire too. The Tourons videos often involve humans (and sometimes their pets) getting too close to wildlife in parks or illegally traipsing near Yellowstone’s extremely hot and fragile hot spring features—and sometimes not surviving. 

Thoughtless visitors trample delicate flora, leave trash and feces, and cause congestion and environmental degradation also felt in housing and infrastructure. Instagrammers sometimes position themselves in precariously dangerous spots for the glory, monetizing the public places. My family witnessed a woman who waded through a swift stream below a waterfall for her ego-driven photo taken by an accomplice. Other visitors, who had to wait 20 minutes for an Instagrammer-free view, did not wish her well.  

The organization Responsible Tourism writes on their website that tourism has breached a tipping point: Hosts and guests are often dissatisfied. “The challenge is to make all destinations sustainable and to avoid spreading the problem. For local government and protected area managers, the key question is: Will the destination use tourism or be used by it?” 

Gateway communities are trying to help visitors find their inner angels. In Jackson, Wyoming, the tourism board adopted a “selfie control” campaign after many tourists got too close to wildlife. Jackson’s “Take care of what takes your breath away” includes signage, advertising and smiling reminders from locals. Bozeman, Montana’s “Becoming Outside Kind” campaign encourages trail etiquette by educating new and longtime residents about how to behave outside. Whitefish, Montana created the “Be a Friend of The Fish” campaign to promote visitor stewardship.  

As Responsible Tourism notes, a global backlash to overtourism and bad behavior has resulted in violence. Protestors in Barcelona, Spain attacked tourists with water guns and called for visitor-accommodation restrictions. Protests against mass tourism and gentrification in Mexico City turned violent, damaging storefronts. Venice banned cruise ships from the city center and instituted a tourist tax. Some cities and attractions now limit the number of visitors, such as Bruges, Belgium, which capped the number of cruise ship arrivals and instead encouraged daytrippers. Solutions remain elusive. 

Summer 2025 saw particularly challenging crowding in Glacier, in part because the much-loved Many Glacier Valley, with its lodge, lakes, campgrounds and trails, underwent extensive utilities reconstruction. Limited parking forced limited access.  

The reward for patience, however, includes spectacular views, cool evenings with remarkable sunsets, and incomparable trails. My crew will wait to camp and hike during the slower season, late September, to avoid the crowds and try to be good stewards of our favorite park. 

Jean Arthur hikes and bikes and boats on public lands and waterways with family, friends and dogs. This fall, she’s picking huckleberries after the early frost sweetens up the hucks and the hues of the backcountry.  

The post Loving a Place to Death: How Overcrowding is Transforming Glacier National Park appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Jon Jonckers

Across Spokane County, so many regional parks and trailheads underwent dramatic upgrades and improvements that it’s impossible to pick a favorite in 2025. Beginning last May, Liberty Lake Regional Park received an expanded and paved parking lot with 88 regular and three accessible parking spaces, new lighting, and improved stormwater management, all connected via a new sidewalk to the beach area. Zephyr Road, leading into the park, was widened, repaved and improved to accommodate RVs and buses.  

Located in north Spokane County, Bear Lake Regional Park received an entire facelift. Shorelines were improved for launching kayaks and paddleboards, and the county added three 10footwide fishing docks with lowered-rail design to improve safety and usability. The main restroom facilities were also fully upgraded, and a new lakeside picnic shelter was built on the site of the former caretaker’s house. 

The addition of a trailhead at the popular Knothead Loop hike is a major boost for Riverside State Park. Not too far from the Little Spokane River, the new trailhead features a gravel lot with roughly 38 regular and two accessible parking spots, a vault toilet, a kiosk and overnight gates about 300 yards north of Indian Painted Rocks on Rutter Parkway. This radically improves the parking problems at the Painted Rocks trailhead. 

The Liberty Lake community also gained an improved launchpad for running, walking or cycling at the Harvard Road Trailhead for the Centennial Trail. The fresh design for this trailhead includes ADA access, improved parking, two EV charging stations, a vault toilet, as well as a new water station for people and pets.  

Last but certainly not least, construction began at Pines Road and Trent Avenue for a new roundabout. This is part of a larger project involving BNSF Railway and the adjacent intersection. This project will take up to two years, but the endgame includes a new Centennial Trail trailhead and adds sidewalks and shared-use paths for the safety of pedestrians, schoolchildren and cyclists. (Jon Jonckers)   

The post Spokane County Parks See Major 2025 Upgrades with New Trailheads and Accessibility Improvements appeared first on Out There Venture.

Phase 1 of the work will extend Fish Lake Trail from the Milton Street Trailhead to 5th Avenue, with intersection improvements at Sunset Highway and Government Way. The trail currently runs from West Spokane toward Fish Lake near Cheney, Wash., stopping short of the lake until necessary trail improvements can be completed. Expansion plans include protected left-turn phasing, expanded crosswalks, a new paved path from Thorpe Road to the Fish Lake Trail, and upgrades to the BNSF tunnel with lighting and warning systems. 

Phase 2 of the project will continue the extension from Government Way to the Centennial Trail spur at the Sandifur Bridge over the Spokane River. This stage will add a paved segment with lighting, further enhancing trail safety and connectivity. Funding is possible from a mix of federal Transportation Alternatives Program and County Road Program grants, local arterial street funds, and impact fees.  

The post Fish Lake Trail to Centennial Trail Connection Set for 2026  appeared first on Out There Venture.

There was a time in a previous life when I traveled to faraway places, because my only real responsibility was a basil plant I could easily replace. The wide, wild world of Patagonia and the Himalayas and the Alps awaited me, and Greta Thunberg hadn’t yet dismantled the guiltless glamor of air travel.  

Then I became a parent and I had to have a real job and live in the same place like a grown-up. I hear the nomad life is en vogue again among parents, but it wasn’t an option for me (single mom and all that). I needed to find a place where I could meet the needs of my wild-wilderness heart and still show up for work on Monday.  

Having grown up off-grid and bordering state land in North Idaho, I was remotely aware of the abundance of public lands here. We harvested moss to stuff between the logs in our cabin and picked enough thimble berries to make pies so sour, only cups of sugar could help. Our creek water was “clean” because no one lived above us to contaminate it—although I just assume we got immune to giardia as the thing dried out every summer and we never filtered a drop of it. 

It was not until I returned to North Idaho as an adult that I had the opportunity to explore a backyard as rugged, majestic, challenging, humbling, and untamed as any other place in the world I had been. Only now, these places were accessible within a few minutes’ drive to a trailhead.  

As a working parent on a budget, the country to which my child and I had access allowed us the most fantastic family adventures I could have hoped for. We traipsed to Harrison Lake for alpine scenery when my kid’s legs were too short for long distance. We hiked into Caribou Lake when it was frozen over and camped in the snow. We summited peaks together, splashed in crisp lakes, saw fish and bears and mountain goats and a world of wonder that shaped our lives and healed unthinkable wounds.  

We went hunting for mushrooms and huckleberries, learned how to orienteer with map and compass, and explored the streams and lakes of the Panhandle National Forest until our two-person family grew to four and we just got a bigger tent. The foundation of our new family was built on stewardship of the lands and resources we use, and a recognition that we are of and reliant upon nature. 

The memories made through the connection to these places remain the silken strands in the tapestry of our family. They are the stories we share at the dinner table. Accessibility to and preservation of these lands is how we cultivated our values of conservation and our reverence for the wild places. Which is exactly why a framed map of the Kaniksu National Forest, replete with pins in the places we’ve been, still adorns our dining room wall.  

Ammi Midstokke is the Literation columnist at Out There Venture. She considers public lands her backyard. She hopes you do, too. 

The post Lands of Wildness  appeared first on Out There Venture.

A short drive north from the Spokane area, Colville is a captivating small town that blends natural beauty, rich history and vibrant community spirit. Tucked in the heart of the Colville Valley, it’s surrounded by lush forests, rolling hills, and rugged mountains—an ideal setting for all types of outdoor pursuits. Hiking, mountain and road biking, fishing, camping, hunting and birdwatching are just a few of the fall adventures that draw visitors to this corner of the Inland Northwest. 

One of the biggest highlights is the nearby Colville National Forest. Spanning more than 1.1 million acres, the forest offers incredible scenery, diverse wildlife and the kind of solitude that’s hard to come by in busier destinations. Trails wind through mountains and forests for hikers and bikers, while quiet lakes invite fishing, paddling or a peaceful picnic. Scenic day trips include three waterfalls within a short drive of town and the Selkirk Loop, a world-class international driving route. 

Colville also offers a strong sense of history and culture. The Stevens County Historical Society Museum highlights the area’s Native heritage and pioneer past, while annual events bring the community together in celebration. Visitors can join the fun at the Northeast Washington Fair, enjoy live music and art at the Yep Kanum Celebration, or take in the sounds of the FarmJam music festival. 

A fall road trip through the Colville area is the perfect escape for anyone craving outdoor adventure, relaxation and authentic small-town charm. With its uncrowded lakes and trails, stunning landscapes, and welcoming community, Colville stands out as an off-the-beaten-path gem in the Inland Northwest. Learn more at ColvilleChamberofCommerce.com. 

Sponsored

The post Colville, Washington: Outdoor Adventure and Small-Town Charm  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Many have lost their heart to the peacefulness and beauty of autumn in Montana. Dark greens and rustic browns transform into a rich palette of gold, orange, and red. The air becomes crisper, and sounds become richer. Experience fall in Whitefish, Mont., and be swept off your feet.  

Glacier National Park 

During fall, Glacier National Park offers visitors the opportunity to drive, hike, or bike amid majestic peaks, pristine waters, and magnificent wildlife without the hurried flow of summer tourists. Additionally, while you still need a park pass to enter, vehicle reservations are no longer required after Sept. 28, 2025.  

The Whitefish Trail 

Over 47 miles of natural-surface trail and 15 trailheads offer a variety of easy-to-locate and easy-to-navigate recreation opportunities on public and private lands. The trail is perfect for surrounding yourself in color while you bike, hike, or explore by horseback.  

Fish Trails 

Hop on a cruiser bike and explore Whitefish on two wheels. Paved bike and pedestrian trails meander throughout town. A segment of the trail runs along the river between various parks and to City Beach, making it an ideal route to enjoy the fall foliage. 

Paddle 

There’s no better way to take in the brilliant fall colors than from the water. Glide across the calm surface of Whitefish Lake in a canoe, where golden aspens reflect in the glassy surface, or paddleboard with the gentle flow of the Whitefish River surrounded by vibrant foliage. 

Fishing  

Autumn fly fishing yields some of the best action of the year. Sparse fishing pressure, cooler temps, and a slew of fall hatches make for happy fish and happier anglers! Guides are available on Whitefish Lake as well as surrounding lakes and rivers.  

Sky Tours 

Take to the skies with Backcountry Flying Experience. An autumn floatplane tour over Northwest Montana offers once-in-a-lifetime views! Tours run through mid-October and depart from the docks at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake.  

Downtown Whitefish 

Fall’s cooler temps mean fewer crowds—the perfect time to enjoy Whitefish’s mountain town scene. Downtown offers boutique shops, art galleries, restaurants, bars, and more.  

Fall Events 

Fall events enhance the season with fun and festivities. Check out the Whitefish Songwriter Festival, Sept. 19-21, two weekends of the Great Northwest Oktoberfest, Oct. 2-4 and Oct. 9-11, or Halloween and the return of the Whitefish costume contest, Oct. 31.  

There’s no shortage of ways to savor autumn’s beauty—whether from the trails, the water, or the sky. After a day of exploration, retreat to the comfort of the Whitefish Riverfront Hotel, where cozy riverside accommodations place you amid the colors and charm of fall. Here, relaxation meets Montana’s natural beauty, making it the perfect place to fall in love with the season all over again. 

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Free Outdoor-Themed Entertainment 

• There are several fee-free days coming up for Washington State Parks (as well as lands managed by Washington Fish and Wildlife and Washington Department of Natural Resources): Sept. 27 marks National Public Lands Day, Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day, and Veterans Day is Nov. 11. Visit Washington parks without a Discover Pass for each of these. 

• Chelan-Douglas Land Trust continues to host monthly guided “Hike for Health” events, with hikes planned on Sept. 13 at Cashmere Canyons Preserve and the final hike of the year on Oct. 11 at Saddle Rock Natural Area. Additionally, the group will partner with the Wenatchee Valley Astronomy Club (supplying telescopes at the event!) for a guided night hike on Sept. 23. 

• Join Inland Northwest Land Conservancy for a free guided hike at Glen Tana in the Little Spokane River Valley on Sept. 13. This recent conservation acquisition is not yet open to the public, so joining one of INLC’s guided hikes is the only way to get a sneak peek.  

Fundraisers, Contests, and Events 

• Dishman Hills Conservancy will host its annual Wild at Heart fundraiser dinner on Sept. 27 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets for the event are available through the DHC website. 

• Join Wenatchee River Institute for its fourth Annual Sunset & S’mores fundraiser on Oct. 1, from 5-7:30 p.m. in Leavenworth. While the event is fee-based, the organization offers “pay what you can” pricing for those wishing to attend. Tickets include dinner, drinks, and organized activities for a family-friendly event. Advance registration required. 

• MedWAR Challenge is coming to Mount Spokane State Park on Oct. 4. Teams of four will tackle an approximately 10-mile course while solving medical scenarios, in an event that is most similar to a Spartan race meeting a wilderness first aid course. A successful team will have a member with a bit of a medical background along with a member who knows a little map and compass (no GPS allowed). Registration of $250 per team includes event t-shirts, post-race dinner, and on-site camping. 

• Washington State photographers, take note. The annual Washington Trails Association photo contest is currently open, with a deadline of Oct. 6. Photographers can submit multiple photographs in each available category for a chance to win fun prizes. There are several main categories, along with a bonus category depicting random acts of kindness captured on trail. See Wta.org for full contest rules and to submit your entries. 

• Have a photo of a National Recreation Trail? American Trails hosts an annual photo contest for photos taken on a designated National Recreation Trail. That deadline is Dec. 15, which gives photographers plenty of time to capture fantastic fall color shots from our region’s trails. 
  
  

Stewardship, Conservation, & Volunteer Opportunities 

• The Idaho chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers will be partnering with OnX for a Public Lands Packout along the lakeshore of the Pend Oreille Wildlife Management Area on Sept. 13. Hike from the Clark Fork Drift Yard Boat Launch, or bring your own boat to explore and lend a hand to clean up the shoreline. The event will start at 9 a.m. and conclude at 1 p.m., followed by a barbecue. 

• Chelan Douglas Land Trust will mark “Make a Difference Day” with a day of maintenance work at Saddle Rock on Oct. 25. 

• Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is hosting Larch Fest on the Kettle Crest, Oct. 2-5. There are multiple days of riding and socializing, with a trail maintenance project planned for Oct. 4. 

• Friends of Palisades will host its annual fall cleanup event on Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon at Palisades Park west of downtown Spokane. Plan to arrive a little early to enjoy coffee, hot cider, and cookies ahead of the event. 

• Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will celebrate National Public Lands Day on Sept. 27 with a maintenance project on East Fork Trail #563 followed by a fun cook-out event at the trailhead. The last project of the season will occur on Oct. 1 on the Star Gulch Trail. Advance registration required. 

• Great Burn Conservation Alliance is offering a noble reason to make the trek to Weir Creek Hot Spring on Sept. 20, as they are hosting a beginner-friendly site cleanup activity to mark World Cleanup Day. The group will meet at the Lochsa Lodge to enjoy breakfast, followed by spending a couple hours devoted to the site cleanup, and then participants may choose to stick around for an optional soak in the spring. 

• Idaho Trails Association will celebrate National Public Lands Day on a project with fantastic views. Join them on Sept. 27 for maintenance work on the Chimney Rock Trail. 

• Join members of the Northeast Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society for a series of fall cleanup events. The group will start on Sept. 5 at Underhill Park in Spokane. On Sept. 13 the focus turns to Polly Judd Park, and on Sept. 19 a project is planned for the Fearn Conservation Area at Riverfront Park. The work will include a general cleanup of each park, along with a main focus of removing invasive plant species in order to replant with native plants. Advance registration is requested. 

• Spokane Nordic will be hosting a series of trail maintenance days, aimed at preparing the Mount Spokane State Park Nordic Trails for early grooming as soon as snow returns to the mountain. Lend a hand Sept. 6, 7, and 27, as well as Oct. 11 and 12. 

• Washington Trails Association will be gradually moving from the mountains toward the valley as the fall progresses, with fall projects planned at Fishtrap for National Public Lands Day on Sept. 27 along with multiple project days at Mount Spokane and Mica Peak throughout September. By October, the work will move to lower areas to provide some fall maintenance for the trails before winter. 

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Explore this desert lake east of Spokane on a paddleboard or kayak with a self-guided tour of popular shoreline sites and hidden inlets.

Launch from Blue Heron Park or Connelly Park and cruise along the lake shore keeping an eye out for birds and other wildlife. Both parks also offer shoreline fishing access, or you can try your luck from your paddle craft casting for bass, trout or panfish. 

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