Five things
#1. This rails-to-trails project follows part of the route of the Spokane Portland & Seattle Railway, built in the early 20th century by railroad magnate James J. Hill. The route, which followed the north side of the Columbia River before turning northeast toward Spokane, allowed his Northern Pacific and Great Northern Railways to more directly reach Portland, at the time the largest city in the the Pacific Northwest, and thus cement Hill’s railroad dominance in Washington. The first section, from Vancouver to Pasco, was finished in 1908, and the Pasco-to-Spokane section—which now forms the state park trail—opened in 1909. In 1970, the SP&S merged into the Burlington Northern, which abandoned the Pasco-to-Spokane section in 1987, clearing the way for the conversion to recreational trail under the aegis of State Parks in 1992.
#2. At either end this is a developed recreational trail. It starts at Fish Lake County Park northeast of Cheney, and trailheads there and at Cheney proper have toilets and sheltered picnic areas. Starting at Fish Lake, enjoy the 3.75 miles of paved trail, because that’s all there is for the rest of the 130-mile route. Take your road bike or rollerblades for a 7.5 mile round-trip along this section, maybe stopping for lunch or ice cream in Cheney.
#3. The rest of the 130-mile route is unpaved and mostly undeveloped, and you’ll want a fat tire bike or a burly mountain bike unless you’re walking. You’ll also want a tire repair kit. The fact that the trail map indicates not only mileage between trailheads but how close to each trailhead users can find a water station attests to the way-out-there nature of the trail. Be prepared, because you’re on your own. We elected to drive between trailheads, doing short walks on the trail’s northern section, including at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest in the state. The trail transitions from the plateau pine forest near Spokane to the ecotone between the channeled scablands and the Columbia Plateau, making for a spectacular geology lesson. Even from the car we were wowed by the exceptionally beautiful landscape in the southern reaches of the northern trail.
#4. At Martin Road near Sprague, the trail is thick, chunky gravel (remember, fat-tire bike) and was completely deserted when we stopped. The trail just kind of ends above the road, and although I’m sure there’s a crossing, we couldn’t find it. Three large boulders blocked vehicle access, beyond them some lupine, some grasses, and Highway 23. If there’s more of the trail—and there is, because the map shows it and the parks website talks about navigating beyond the developed trailheads—we couldn’t see it. Much of the middle section of the trail, about 100 miles long, awaits further development, making this an adventure for those with the equipment and skills to attempt it. Don’t expect cell service if you get into trouble, either.
#5. At the southern end, outside Tri-Cities, the trail feel is much the same but there are definitely more people around. The North Shore Recreation Area trailhead is at the boat launch for Lake Sacajawea behind Ice Harbor Dam, and it was packed. Plenty of cars, plenty of boats, and no one on the trail except us. The gravel is a bit smaller here, too, so a mountain bike could probably navigate no problem. Further up the lake, the Levey Road trail crossing had a couple of cars parked. The views here are gorgeous. I’m sure it’s a popular dog-walking site. At the Snake River Junction trailhead, a few women were meeting for a group walk. This is some of the most beautiful country in the state, for my money, a mix of agricultural and steppe shrub landscapes.
Fast Facts about Columbia Plateau State Park Trail
- 3,876-acre, 130-mile day-use park, open year-round
- this park’s facilities include: picnic tables, picnic shelters, restrooms—bring plenty of water!
- on land: hiking, mountain biking, birding, wildlife viewing, horseback riding
- Discover Pass required, $10 daily or, for a very reasonable $30, purchase an annual pass
- park brochure
- park map – northern section
- park map – southern section
Land Acknowledgment
Columbia Plateau State Park Trail occupies the traditional lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Spokane, Yakama, and Ktunaxa ?amak?is peoples, who have lived and travelled here since time immemorial.