Author: jake idaho

I am retiring after working forty years in the parks and recreation field. I have lived and played in the Inland Pacific Northwest for the past 18 years and would like to share some of the best outdoor experiences I have discovered and hopefully many more ones in the near future.

West Branch Oak Creek, Day Five of my Southwest Road Trip

After a quick day exploring the Grand Canyon, I continued to Flagstaff Arizona to spend the night. The next morning at the crack of dawn I was on the road towards Sedona. I didn’t really have a plan but research showed that all of the trailheads didn’t open until 8:00 AM. I’m glad that was inaccurate. Just over the pass I came across the trailhead for the West Branch of Oak Creek Trail. The reviews I read the night before spoke very highly of this hike.

So I drove to the small gatehouse and asked the guy manning it what the deal was. He told me that because the place had been so busy the previous week he came in an hour early to open up. Said there was a twelve dollar fee. Apparently this site is operated by a concessionaire. I asked if it was worth it and he said it was one of the top ten hikes in the United States and voted best in Arizona, so I ponied up and took my chances.

He went on to tell me that the experience of walking up the canyon was “mystical” and that there were thirteen stream crossings. That sounded good to me so I parked my car at 7:00 AM. I was the fourth vehicle to park in the lot and took off.

Just past the trailhead I came to the remnants of an old ranch. Interpretive signage told the story of a man who gained the nickname of Bear because he killed so many of them after one mauled his friend to death.

The collection of old buildings made for a great back drop for the scenery at the head of the canyon.

Right after the old ranch the trail crossed the main channel of Oak Creek on the one and only bridge along the route. At a rail fence I saw a collection of walking sticks leaning against a post. Experience has told me that if you find a bunch of walking sticks left by previous hikers that it is a good idea to take one.

Soon I was walking up a beautiful little canyon with the last fall colors in the leaves of the hardwood trees. On one side of the canyon were the red rock cliffs the area is so famous for.

The mixed hardwood forest had an east coast feel to it. In my home area all of the forest are almost exclusively made up of evergreen trees and the sights and smells are totally different.

The walking stick I barrowed came in very handy during the numerous stream crossings. This late in the season the creek had dwindled to the point it was possible to rock hop across all of the fords. In the spring and early summer I’m sure you would have had to get wet making the same crossings. Turns out this is one of the big draws for this hike as getting wet in the summer in Arizona helps keep hikers from over heating.

Early in the morning and in the deep shade of the canyon walls, it was kind of chilly. As the day progressed and the sun rose higher I was sweating by the time I finished the hike.

The canyon bottom was as the ticket guy said “mystical”. When you start as early as I did the few folks you come across on the trail are uniformly awesome. They’re out here for the same thing as you are.

The hike turned out to be right at a seven mile round trip. It was nice to stretch my legs after covering so many miles sitting in a car the day before. The previous days drive from Moab through the Grand Canyon and on to Flagstaff was tiring.

The stream alternated between flowing at the base of the cliffs to the southeast and the northwest. At each transition the trail crossed the creek. The walking stick I used helped with balancing on the logs and rocks at all of these crossings keeping my shoes nice and dry.

I took my time and enjoyed all of the views, both big and small.

At the end of the trail a small deep pool filled the narrow canyon and blocked further easy access and this was the official turn around point. I met nice people here and along the trail to share stories and pictures with.

As I made my way back I encounter a lot more people. This is one of the most popular trails in the area and on most days the parking lot fills up early. I was glad I was one of the first ones on it on this beautiful Veterans Day morning.

One of the only downsides to the hike was that I passed a couple of hikers who decided to share the pungent aroma of their drug dependency. Smoking pot on a hike is no better than lighting a nasty cigar or spilling a bunch of beer. Just stay home if you can’t refrain for a couple of hours.

The canyon walls provided a wonderful background for the fall foliage. It made for a nice combination of colors.

Near the end of the hike the scenery was still amazing but the trail did get a little crowded with louder and less considerate late comers.

At the end of the trail I notice that all of the walking sticks were now gone, presumably being used by other hikers. I left mine were I found it and a hiker immediately picked it up to use on his hike. It made me wonder how many times this one sturdy tree branch had made the trip up the canyon. Recycling at it’s best.

By the time I made it to the old ranch and the trailhead the parking lot was completely full and cars were waiting outside the gate for a spot to become available. I have to say it was one of the best twelve dollars I ever spent.

So I hit the road to Sedona and took a couple of photos on the way. Sedona was very beautiful but I was turned off by the crowds and the traffic. There are tons of additional trails in the area many of which require a Red Rock Pass to use.

My detour to the West Branch of Oak Creek was very worth while. The site is in and managed by Coconino National Forest.

I ended up hiking seven mostly level miles in a beautiful canyon and was refreshed for the four or five hour drive to Tucson. I wouldn’t call this gem of a hike hidden in any way shape or form but it was still a wonderful experience.

The Grand Canyon, Day Four of my Southwest Road Trip.

After spending the day exploring Arches National Park and spending a second night in Moab it was back on the road well before dawn. My next goal was Grand Canyon National Park. On the way I drove through some fascinating scenery, at least it looked like it after the sun finally came up.

On the way the road was long and lonely. Much of the drive was through the Navajo Nation.

Just before I hit the Arizona state line I got my views of Monument Valley including this shot from “Forest Gump Hill”. Fans of that movie will remember the scene.

Time was of the essence so I snapped a couple of quick photos from the turnouts and headed to my real destination.

I rarely take photos of the entrance signs to the various parks I visit. Usually there’s a crowd of tourist posing in front of them so I skip it. Coming in the east entrance of Grand Canyon National Park, I was surprised that the turnout was empty so I said what the hell, why not.

Once I used my America the Beautiful pass to enter the park I stopped at what is called First View. Here at the bottom of the canyon is the mighty Colorado River. In much of the rest of the canyon the river is not visible from the rim.

The collection of tourist facilities at the east end of the park is called Desert View. The National Park Service has constructed some very interesting buildings in the southwest style including this watch tower. As to be expected the place was very busy and it took some creative camera angles to get shots without tourist milling all around. I used the facilities and headed west on Desert View Road to find less crowded views.

The first few turnouts had lots of folks checking the views. It took a little jockeying to get a parking spot in a couple of them. The views were nice though.

Looking across the canyon I believe the formation that looks like a small volcanic cone is Cedar Mountain.

Heading west the canyon gets deeper and the rim becomes less desert like.

To be honest the views all start to look a lot a like after two of three stops. The Grand Canyon is impressive but I was looking for a little more solitude.

At one of the turn outs, I had a nice view towards the south away from the canyon. In the distance are the highest mountains in Arizona near Flagstaff including the tallest peak in the state, Humphrey’s Peak.

At Navajo, Lipan and Moran Points, spur roads lead to parking areas. Away from the main park road, I was able to walk off trail along the rim to a few view points without company and enjoy the views unbothered.

The harsh conditions on the South Rim causes the vegetation to become stunted and twisted. Most of the trees are either pinion pines of junipers.

When I walked away from the turnouts and found my own views the only company I had was of the avian variety.

A couple of scenic turnouts had trailheads for hikes that lead down in to the canyon. I wasn’t interested. Climbing a mountain is one thing. The hardest part comes first and then you have the reward of a commanding view. Going down in to a big hole and then having to climb back out to where you were anyway to enjoy the view seems like a waste of effort and time.

Heading west the park road passes through a very beautiful open pine forest. I came across a herd of elk being harassed by dozens of turons. I refused to take part in the circus. and instead continues to Grandview and Shoshone Points.

It was a nice day to enjoy the views. I was glad I wasn’t the only one doing so.

Nearing the park headquarters I parked at the Pipe Creek Vista and walked on the Rim Trail to the Kaibab Trailhead where another trail leads down in to the canyon. The road to the trailhead is closed to private vehicles and access is either by hiking of the park shuttle buses.

I returned to the Pipe Creek Vista and followed the Rim Trail to Mathers Point. It was the nicest walk I came across in my short visit. It is amazing how few people will walk more than a couple hundred feet from their cars.

Part of the trail passed through an area that experienced a wildfire a couple of decades ago. Forest recover very slowly in this type of environment. The habitat looked very much like scrublands I was familiar with in Central Florida.

At Mather Point which is right next to the visitor center I encountered hoards of tourist again so I turned around and enjoyed the one and a half mile hike back to my car. On the way I noticed this rock feature. Kind of looks like the head of a griffin to me.

The shadows were starting to lengthen and I still had a long drive to Flagstaff.

After taking one last picture from the canyon rim, I drove through Grand Canyon Village before I left the park. I was not impressed. It was over built and crowded.

The Grand Canyon is a very beautiful place and has always been on my bucket list. The views are outstanding and the scenic drive is amazing. However like most national parks there are always crowds. I’m very glad I finally saw the place but truth be told I’d rather find another hidden gem to explore than to return here.

All together I probably walked less than five miles in the park. If I do go back again I would definitely take advantage of the efficient mass transit system in the park in order to have time for a longer one way hike. The Rim Trail between Kaibab and Mather Points was the highlight.

I made the last hour of my drive to Flagstaff in complete darkness including going over an eight thousand foot pass at the base of Humphrey’s Peak with my low fuel light glowing. I was very relieved to get back to civilization. Driving through Flagstaff I was surprised how dark the city was. Outdoor lighting was minimal. I later learned this is because of the close proximity of Lowell Observatory.

Arches National Park, Day three of my Southwest Road Trip

After spending half a day at Canyonlands National Park I continued a few miles down the road and got a room in Moab. The next morning I was up well before dawn. When I arrived at the entrance station to Arches National Park it was still pitch dark and the place was unstaffed.

I drove through the park in almost total darkness. By the time I arrived at the Wilson Ranch Trailhead, it was just starting to get light enough to see. This trailhead is the starting point for the hike to Delicate Arch.

Just past the historic cabin a short spur trail lead to some interesting Native American pictographs. Both of these photos were taking on the way back from Delicate Arch as it was still too dark on the way in.

The trail to Delicate Arch is only about a three mile round trip with just over a five hundred foot elevation gain. Much of the trail is on a bare rock slope.

The last part of this trail is on a cut in solid rock. I only passed a couple of people going in the mile and a half. Some folks got there even earlier than me and made the trip in the dark.

After rounding one last bend there was the arch. A small crowd was already there to watch the colors change in the sunrise. The folks who got there this early were very respectful and quiet. Later in the day that changes.

This is the kind of place one can linger for hours. The views are different from every angle. Folks would occasionally walk to the base to take photos but would walk back up as soon as they were done so others could enjoy the view.

I wonder what happens when an arch sees its shadow. Hopefully not six more weeks of scorching temps.

I had to share one more photo of this most iconic arch before I left. Now it was time to check out some other hikes.

This was the view on the way down looking across a small canyon west of Delicate Arch.

Delicate Arch isn’t the only opening along the trail. The scenery was pretty awesome. By the time I was heading down the people I passed who were on their way up were much louder. I was glad I made it to the Delicate Arch first thing. It was only going to get more crowded as the day progressed.

Next I drove to the Delicate Arch View trailhead. It is not possible to hike to the arch from here as a deep canyon blocks the way. However short walks allow less fit people to see the arch from about a mile away.

I walked to the further of the two overlooks and then continued off trail up this bare rock ridge. The views got better and better and I was the only person around.

From this high lonely solid rock ridge, I had unimpeded views of the surrounding park. In the distance again were the La Sal Mountains.

This turned out to be my favorite hike of the day. I believe it was a little over a three mile round trip with well over five hundred feet of elevation gain. At the end I was noticeably higher than the people at the base of Delicate Arch across the deep canyon.

From the ridge I got some nice shots of Delicate Arch with full blue skies behind it, something not possible from the base of the arch. I also used the sparse vegetation to screen out the hordes of people at the base of the arch.

Now it was time to hit the scenic drives and explore the rest of the park. There was all the red rocks and blue skies one could ask for.

Some of the rock formations to me resembled what I pictured the Outback of Australia to look like.

These rocks are massive. Now it was time to go arch hunting.

Sand Dune Arch was a small arch hidden in a deep narrow passage the floor of which was covered by red sand. This one was almost next to a parking lot so there were lots of people including loud youths.

From the same parking lot a half mile trail led to Broken Arch. It was amazing how few people made the effort to walk to this gem.

This one was probably my favorite due to the lack of crowds and the fact that the trail goes through it and continues another mile to a campground.

It was kind of cool looking straight up under this enormous slab of rock. The park does advise visitors not to linger under the arches as you never know when a chunk might break off.

There were a lot of different angles from which to appreciate this rock formation.

Next I drove to Devil’s Garden to check out a few more arches. This trailhead is at the end of one of the park roads and is very busy.

My first stop here was Pine Tree Arch at the end of a short spur trail.

You could walk directly under this one too.

On the way back to the main trail another short spur bought me to a view point for Tunnel Arch. That is one big hole in a wall.

The trail continued to this amazing feature, Landscape Arch. This is the longest arch in the park. Looking at it I couldn’t see how it was supporting itself.

Words and pictures don’t do justice to this incredible graceful sliver of a rock arch.

Within view of Landscape Arch another arch, Navajo Arch was plainly visible.

Next up was a brief stop at Skyline Arch just off the park road.

At Skyline Arch there are beautiful views of red rock spires and the La Sal Mountains.

After checking out the main park road and the spur to Delicate Arch it was time to head up to The Windows. On the way I passed this collection of rocks, The Garden of Eden. This is a popular place for rock climbers.

A large trailhead at the end of the road provided access to Double Arch to the northwest and The Windows to the southeast.

The Windows are a collection of three arches in the same rock wall. This is the North Window Arch.

Here you have a view of both the North Window and the Center Window. The South Window is around a corner and in the longer shadows of the late afternoon was not as photogenic.

Just southwest of The Windows is another amazing arch, Turret Arch. There is a second opening next to the main arch.

You can also walk through Turret Arch and this is the view looking back to The Windows. One oblivious man camped out at the bottom of this arch preventing many disappointed people from getting photos of themselves here. It is important to consider other people when visiting a park like this.

In the late afternoon the setting sun really lit up the red rocks and the moon made a cameo.

And here it is looking through the North Window.

After spending an hour or so exploring the Windows and Turret Arch, I crossed the trailhead and headed to Double Arch.

By now the rocks were on fire from the rays of the setting sun.

On the way back to the trailhead from Double Arch I was treated to this shadow of what looked like an elephant.

As I passed Balanced Rock on the way out of the park I got this shot in the failing light. By the time I got back to the park entrance it was completely dark. I ended up spending every bit of the daylight I had available on this early November day exploring this most amazing place.

A short drive later and I was once again in Moab. I had time to walk the main drag and check out a local watering hole before I called it an evening, but the main reason I came to this town was to check out a couple of America’s premire national park’s. I’d love to go back some day but for now it was time to hit the road to the next great place.

Canyonlands National Park, The Island in the Sky. Day Two of my Southwest Road Trip.

On day two of my southwest America tour, I visited Canyonlands National Park. Day one of the trip was all about making time. I left North Idaho two hours before dawn and arrived in Orem Utah after sunset.

The next morning I headed towards Moab. After driving three and a half hours I passed by the turn off for Canyonlands. I planned to spend all of my extra time on my two night stay in Moab exploring Arches National Park. I made a last minute decision to turn around and spend the rest of the day checking out the “Island in the Sky” instead.

The twenty two mile long road leading in to the park was a treat with numerous turnouts and nice views of the red rock buttes and cliffs.

Along the way was this nice view of two mesas towering hundreds of feet above the desert floor.

At the entrance station I used my America the Beautiful pass to cover the admission. Across the roadway from the visitor center the view to the east was amazing.

Island in the Sky is a mesa that towers over a thousand feet above the surrounding terrain. A paved road connects multiple scenic overlooks with trailheads through out the site.

The habitat on the mesa is dominated by pinion pines and juniper trees. It is typical of high elevation deserts in the area.

Soon I came across the trailhead for Mesa Arch. I planned on visiting many arch formations the next day at Arches National Park so this was just a warm up. This was the only place in the park that I would call crowded.

The arch is only about a hundred foot walk over a small ridge from the parking lot.

At the arch, I met a nice couple from Europe. They asked me if everything in America was “big”. I hesitated for a second before I replied “that in the western U.S., yes it is”.

Numerous turnouts provided easy access to unique red sandstone rock formations.

As I drove south I crossed a narrow bridge of high ground called the Neck that connected the north half of the mesa to the southern part. Below were expansive views of the canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers towards the southeast.

At another overlook were views to the west. The Island in the Sky is only one to two miles wide in most places and there are view points are on both sides of the mesa.

Here is a closer view of a most impressive butte.

Another turnout, another view of the canyons.

At the south end of the park road there was a parking area for the Grand View Overlook. I one mile well made trail led to high point over looking the junction canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers.

And here is the view.

Along this trail there were plenty of small views. The sandstone has eroded into fantastic patterns over the centuries.

On the way back to the trailhead the view was of another section of Canyonlands National Park, The Needles. I would have loved to explore this area too, but it didn’t fit into my time budget.

At the visitor center I asked what they would recommend as the best short hike in the park. Murphy Point was the answer. I was down to a couple of hours of daylight and considered skipping it. I’m glad I didn’t.

Unlike most of the other overlooks in the park, Murphy Point was a decent hike from the parking lot. It was about two and a half miles each way. At the other view points I had plenty of company. Here I passed one man while hiking in and met two ladies at the point itself. One of them took about the best photo of me in years. At places like this it is common to ask strangers to trade taking photos of each other. I did return the favor.

I caught the moon on the way in.

I spent the rest of my time savoring the view from the end of the point.

And here’s the view to the northwest.

Walking back to the trailhead I enjoyed the view of what I found out were the LaSal Mountains east of Arches National Park. Pretty impressive mountains for a range I’ve never heard of.

Apparently these mountains were hidden by low clouds on my way in to the park. One my way out they stole the show.

Just before I left Canyonlands I stopped at this view point overlooking Shafer Road. It turns out this dirt road is popular with four wheel drive enthusiast. I like my vehicles too much to subject them to an ordeal like this.

My final view of the park was a good one. This is just across the road from the visitor center.

As I was driving down the road towards Moab the setting sun created this blow torch effect.

The Island in the Sky unit of Canyonlands National Park exceeded my expectations. Adding my short hikes to overlooks with the five mile hike to to and back from Murphy Point I was in for maybe eight miles. Most of the hiking was pretty flat. I imagine I gained less than five hundred feet in total. After setting in the drivers seat for a day and a half that was a welcomed respite. I just wish I had time to explore the Needles District. Maybe next time.

Fernan Lake Natural Area

Today I completed a short late season hike on Coeur d’Alene’s Fernan Lake Natural Area. This 54 acre preserve is located on the south shore of Fernan Lake on the eastern edge of the city of Coeur d’Alene. It is accessed through a trailhead located on Potlatch Hill Road.

The trailhead overlooks Interstate 90 and the older parts of the city. That’s Rathdrum Mountain in the far background, a great place to hike.

Looking back towards the west from the small gravel parking area you have a view of the north end of Lake Coeur d’Alene with Tubbs Hill just beyond the golf course.

Soon after starting the hike you will pass through a ravine with cedars, hemlocks and ferns. I helped make this trail about twelve years ago.

This short section of trail is shady and damp.

They’re are three distinct ridges that the hiking trail traverses. The first is at the trailhead and the last is at the high point. This is the middle one and the shortest of the three. The hike to this point is mostly downhill.

This natural area at 54 acres is relatively small but as it is on a steep slope with over a four hundred foot elevation difference from the ridge lines to the lake there is probably over two miles of trails on it. The main trail connects the high points and two other loops descend all the way to the shore line.

Between the shorter ridge and the high point the trail crosses two mostly seasonal creeks. As it is fall they were almost completely dry. One of them has a small bridge over it.

The last part of the trail to the high point passes through an open pine forest.

The main trail ends at a power easement with open views across the small lake. That’s Canfield Mountain across the way, a place some people like to hike. The power lines are part of one of the oldest long distance transmission lines in the country. This line was built to connect the Post Falls Dam to the mines in the Silver Valley well over a hundred years ago.

The end of the main trail is a nice place to linger and enjoy the views.

On the way back I took the loop trail down to the lake shore. Fernan Lake is a small water body that has been degraded by excess nutrients over the last couple of decades. It is a nice place to kayak in the spring but suffers from algae blooms in the hot months.

An organization, The Fernan Lake Recreation and Conservation Association, works to bring awareness to the challenges this body of water faces and promoted projects to mitigate the causes of the algae blooms while repairing the damage already done.

Here is a view of the Fernan Lake Natural Area cross the lake from Kootenai County’s boat ramp in Fernan Village.

While not an epic hike by any means, the Fernan Lake Conservation Area is a nice place to stretch your legs for an hour or so. It is right on the edge of Coeur d’Alene, very easy to access and you usually have the place to yourself. Another little hidden gem in Kootenai County.

Coeur d’Alene Bicycle Trails

Today I rode the Prairie Trail, The Centennial Trail and along the Spokane River on the trail in Atlas Park through the City of Coeur d’Alene.

I started my ride in Atlas Park, a City of Coeur d’Alene riverfront park that in addition to having restrooms, a playground, swimming beach and waterfront dog park also has over a mile of riverfront with a paved bike trail on it.

This riverfront trail is on the old easement for the BNSF railroad line that used to serve several lumber mills along the river. The last couple of mills have been replaced by mixed use development. This riverfront trail is planned to continue to Mill River Park and on into Post Falls in the near future.

I thought this spruce tree next to the trail and the Spokane River with extensive Virginia creeper vines wrapped around it looked like a preview for the Christmas season.

Near Atlas Park the North Idaho Centennial Trail splits off from the Prairie Trail just before the old railroad bridge under Interstate 90. In addition to the twin highway bridges, the trail passes under Seltice Boulevard and Appleway Street making for four bridge crossings in a short section of trail.

Under the Seltice bridge is some really nice artwork.

The four miles of the Prairie Trail to Huetter Road was open to the public sixteen years ago. The last mile or so was completed two years ago. This five mile spur links extensive newer residential development in the northwest area of the city to the riverfront and ultimately to downtown Coeur d’Alene.

Beyond the Interstate overpass, the Prairie Trail passes next to the Kroc Center, a large community recreation center operated by the Salvation Army and then borders Ramsey Park, one of the city’s largest sports complexes with five softball fields, a baseball field, two playgrounds, tennis courts and picnic shelters. Across the park there is a nice view of Canfield Mountain on the eastern edge of the city.

After leaving Ramsey Park the trail crosses Kathleen Avenue at a signalized crossing and passes right next to Woodland Middle School. Across the road is a Forest Service nursery that specializes in growing blister rust resistant Western White Pine seedlings. Through their efforts more and more forest areas are having Western White Pines reintroduced in to them. This species was once the most common tree in North Idaho.

Beyond Kathleen Avenue the Prairie Trail cuts a path through the city diagonally from the southeast to the northwest. After crossing Atlas Road at another signalized crossing the trail runs through a large area of recently developed and still under construction residential neighborhoods.

At Huetter Road their is a small trailhead. Beyond this roadway the trail leaves the city limits but is still managed by Coeur d’Alene’s Parks and Recreation. The last mile or so of the trail on the Rathdrum Prairie has a much more rural feel. In the background is Rathdrum Mountain, a great place to hike.

At Meyer Road the trail comes to an end, at least for now. Soon it will be extended State Road 41 and connect to the bike trail recently built on the east side of that highway creating a continouse bikeway from downtown Coeur d’Alene into the rapidly growing suburb of Rathdrum.

Now it was time to turn around and enjoy slightly different views on the way back. That’s Canfield Mountain in the distance.

Between the Forest Service nursery and Ramsey Park there is a nice railroad cut followed by an impressive berm that allows the rider to look into the back yards of some of our neighbors.

South of the Interstate and the junction with the west branch of the Centennial Trail along that highway, the trail is officially part of the North Idaho Centennial Trail. Approaching Atlas Park the trail curves to the southeast again and the high ground in the distance is Blackwell Hill across the river from the city.

From Atlas Park the trail follows along the Spokane River into downtown but first you get to ride through this little gem. Riverstone Park is adjacent to Atlas Park but was built and opened to the public seventeen years ago. It is centered around a five acre manmade pond with several water features, It has a stage for live music, a playground, a picnic area and lots of artwork.

Here’s one of the pieces.

Seventeen years is enough time for the trees to achieve decent size. Oh and the autumn foliage in this park is some of the best around.

Leaving Riverstone Park the trail parallels the river through some high end residential development.

Before passing underneath the U.S. 95 bridge, the trail easement widens out and a public park is being created here with sports fields and other amenities.

This area also has some dirt cycling trails, a tunnel where another rail line crossed under this one and city owned docks that support commercial activety such as boat rentals.

After passing by the building that houses the Lewis and Clark State College annex, the trail continues along the river towards North Idaho College.

Right where the trail turns into a road shoulder on Rosenberry Drive a one way road also known as Dike Road that loops around the college this impressive piece of art stands guard. The site of North Idaho College was once the principal village of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the people who the lake and city are named after. .

The stretch of the North Idaho Centennial Trail that is located on this road shoulder is both one of the most scenic spots on the ride and one of the worst, especially in regards to safety. This roadway is extremely busy in the summer and since there is a bike lane only on one side many people ride against the traffic flow. I only ride with the traffic and use an alternative route on my return.

The shoreline on the river and the lake is public property and in the summer this stretch of sand is packed with swimmers and sunbathers. The side of the road opposite the bike lane is all parallel parking causing a lot of pedestrian traffic crossing the road and bike lane.

After North Idaho College and it’s pubic beaches, the trail continues east into and through City Park. City Park is the site of many large events including concerts and festivals. The park has two swim beaches, a large playground, a bandshell, sports courts, a softball field with a historic grandstand and a skate park.

After leaving City park, the trail passes by the Coeur d’Alene Resort through a plaza between the resort shops and the hotel tower and under the walkway that connects them. If you go straight east instead of through the plaza you will be on Sherman Avenue, the city’s main historic business district.

Next up is McEuen Park located on the lake and next to Tubbs Hill and downtown. This park also hosts concerts and festivals.

At the east end of the park is the Coeur d’Alene Library, City Hall and the new site of the Museum of North Idaho.

The paved bike trail ends after McEuen Park and to continue you have the option of taking the Young Street bicycle boulevard (recommended) or using the older route along Mullan Street again with a bike lane only on one side of the road. When I take Mullan, I ride with traffic on the way back to aviod oncoming cars, cyclist and pedestrians. The traffic flow is light and usually slow.

The on street portion of the trail is about a mile long and ends on Lake Coeur d’Alene Drive where it becomes a paved trail again. Most of this part of the trail is managed by Idaho State Parks as the Coeur d’Alene Parkway and was created when the main highway east of town was moved from old U.S. 10 to Interstate 90.

There are several parking areas with picnic tables and other amenities scattered over the course of parkway and really nice views of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

I turned around at Bennet Bay right before I 90’s Veterans Centennial Memorial Bridge. This is what happens when you let a committee name something. The Trail continues about another three miles to it’s end point at Higgin’s Point.

On the way back I enjoyed the view across the lake of Mica Peak and Blossom Mountain.

Finally I took my alternate route on the way back to avoid riding the wrong way on Rosenberry. A commuter trail heads north from City Park and you get to enjoy more civic art along the way. After the skate park this trail ends at Hubbard Street and a short jog on a quiet road gets the rider back to the Centennial Trail close to the U.S. 95 Bridge over the Spokane River.

There was a lot of fall colors along the way.

The total distance of this leisurely ride was twenty four miles. The Centennial Trail does continue west into Post Falls and eventually all the way to Washington where it becomes the Spokane River Centennial Trail. Currently parts of the trail in Post Falls are being impacted by major roadway improvements and I’ll wait until these are completed in a couple of years to revisit these areas.

Canfield Mountain, Nettleton Gulch to the Summit.

Yesterday I revisited Canfield Mountain on the edge of Coeur d’Alene for the first time in over a decade.

Canfield Mountain or as it’s sometimes called Canfield Butte, is a prominent landmark right on the eastern edge of the City of Coeur d’Alene. The city owns and maintains a natural area near the base of the mountain. My starting point was at the Nettleton Gulch Trailhead at the end of the road of the same name.

The trail to the top is a service road for the communication towers located on the summit. It isn’t the most scenic trail around and it is heavily used by ATV’s, dirt bikes and mountain bikers.

Since the last time I hiked this route, the Forest Service has completed several fuel reduction projects resulting in areas of thinner open woodlands. Their aren’t really any exceptionally large trees on this mountain.

As the landscape is mostly is forested the views off of the trail are limited. About halfway up their are a couple of openings overlooking the city and it’s namesake lake.

Nearing the summit you have the option of walking the last section on a single track that wraps around the north side of the mountain. Here the woods are much thicker.

Even though Canfield Mountain looms over Hayden lake this is the best view of that body of water. A fleeting view at best. The ridge on the far side is Chilco Mountain, the site of a much more scenic hike I enjoyed just over a week ago.

Eventually I made it to the very tip of the mountain to enjoy the view. Basically there is no view from the summit. All is not lost though.

If you continue down the west face a couple of hundred yards you will pass by the communication towers and find a open rocky slope with a view.

Here you will find the best view of Coeur d’Alene and Lake Coeur d’Alene anywhere this side of an airplane. In my opinion this is the only reason to slog up this mountain other than just to burn a few calories.

On the way down using the service road this time there are a couple of decent views to the east as well.

In a nutshell this hike doesn’t have any interesting rock formations or cliffs. It doesn’t have any streams, ponds or waterfalls. There aren’t any exceptionally large trees or unique habitats and the views on the way are few and far between. It does have that one great view near the top and it does have a tedious uphill walk on a rough road with lots of ATV’s and dirt bikes to keep you company.

As I said it’s been over a decade since I walked to the top of Canfield Mountain and it will probably be at least another before I do it again.

Other than the view the best thing about the hike was burning maybe a thousand calories walking nearly six miles and gaining 1600 feet of elevation. It is a surprisingly tough hike and the payoff in my opinion isn’t worth the effort.

Liberty Lake Loop Trail

I wrapped up the weekend by returning to Liberty Lake Regional Park for the first time this year. The park has been undergoing an extensive renovation and has been closed for the season.

When I arrived I discovered that the park was still closed. However signage at the entrance directed hikers to an alternative connection to the extensive trail system at the parks equestrian trailhead down the road about a mile. I should have checked this out sooner. The connecting trail was a gem I’ve never hiked before called the Zephyr Connector.

This trail meandered through an open pine forest for about a mile as it descended a couple of hundred feet to the main train along Liberty Creek. There were some open views of Liberty Lake and of Mica Peak on the way down.

South of the lake there are open meadows and wetlands on the floor of the valley.

At the bottom the scenery looked a lot like places I’ve hiked in central Florida. You just have to avoid seeing the mountains the other three directions.

As you head upstream the small valley closes in and you are soon walking through a thick forest. Being early October there wasn’t much water left.

This small ravine stays relatively moist throughout the year creating conditions that promote lots of moss and ferns. The track is in excellent shape and you slowly gain elevation as you follow the creek.

About two miles in from the equestrian trailhead you come to the cedar grove. There is a bench and interpretive signage here and the trail crosses the stream on a foot bridge. Immediately after the bridge, the trail climbs up the west slope of the ravine on a series of short steep switchbacks. This is were you gain most of the elevation on the hike.

At the end of the final switchback their is a nice open view back down to Liberty lake. The mountain across the Spokane Valley is Antione Peak, a place I hike and have posted about. Both the Antione Peak Conservation Area and Liberty Lake Regional Park are owned and managed by Spokane County.

After climbing out of the steep valley the trail travels along the west side and heads north and then northwest through a mature forest with large second growth trees.

At a couple of open areas high above the creek you can see across the ravine and have a view of Cable Peak on the Idaho side of the state line. The Idaho Department of Lands owns a block of land down slope that I enjoy hiking on.

As it is getting late in the season it was kind of chilly in the dense forest and even at midday the shadows are much longer than in summer. The trail ends up crossing one of the small creeks that flow together to create Liberty Creek on a small footbridge.

I almost had the place to myself. This trail is a loop trail, but I usually return the same way I came. If you take the full loop it is over a eight mile hike and the final descent to the creek is extremely steep.

After the steam crossing you continue up hill towards the waterfalls on a couple of questionable boardwalk sections. It look’s like these gems are due for a rebuild.

Then I finally make it to the roaring waterfall. What did you expect, after all it is October.

So here’s the same fall, the lower fall in spring. Much better. If you want to see waterfalls in this part of the country and really most any place in the United States, it’s best to go just after the snow melts off the trail.

Here’s the upper fall also in the spring time. This point is right at three miles in and a nice place to turn around.

On the way back I was treated to this sight. That is a bunch of lady bugs.

I also got to step over this little guy trying to soak up a little solar radiation on one of the last somewhat warm days of the year.

The entire hike worked out to be a little over six miles. The alternate trailhead added a little distance and elevation as I had to regain a couple of hundred feet right at the end of my journey. All together this made for about a twelve hundred foot elevation gain.

Liberty Lake Park is a great place to stretch my legs and its only fifteen minutes from my house. Give me Liberty or Give me Death.

I probably have made this hike over a dozen times since I moved to the Inland Northwest. There is a connector trail that traverses the north side of Mica Peak Washington and joins up with the trail system on the Mica Peak Conservation Area, yet another excellent Spokane County amenity.

Chilco Mountain, the north peak.

Today I checked out one of my favorite local hikes, North Chilco Peak in the Panhandle National Forest only an hour from my house.

Chilco Mountain is a prominent ridge that frames the eastern edge of the valley I live in. This valley, sometimes called the Rathdrum Prairie is where most of the population of North Idaho lives. The knob in the center of the photograph is North Chilco Peak. From the valley it looks pretty unremarkable. In reality it is the highest point right next to our valley at a little over 5600 feet.

The trailhead for this hike is pretty easy to get to. Bunco Road is a major roadway north of Coeur d’Alene and has an exit off of US-95. Get off there and drive about ten to twelve miles east. The last six miles or so are on a gravel US Forest Service road.

I’ve hiked this trail maybe eight times since I moved to Idaho in 2006. I wanted to make this one of the first posts on my blog after retiring but the trail was closed most of last summer due to “fire damage”.

This is a fairly short hike, especially given the elevation to the summit. The first mile and a half is a steep climb on a series switchbacks that eventually gain a ridge top. Towards the ridge, the forest is dominated by Western Larch trees and they were about a week short of turning gold like they do every year. They still had a hint of yellow in the color of the needles making it feel like fall is here.

When the trail finally reaches the ridge top there are open views to the west. Rocky scree slopes are below you but this is not the summit. Looking west you can see Silverwood, the largest theme park in the Pacific Northwest and Athol, the town with the second worst name in Idaho.

Just past the open ridge top views you will come to a trail junction. I’ve never done the traverse hike but have summitted the south peak from Forest Service Road #406 many years ago. The view from the south peak wasn’t as good.

Just after the trail junction the trail breaks out in to the open and you can see, kind of, your destination. It’s still a little further than it looks.

The rocky knob at the top has extensive boulder fields but the trail is well maintained and safe to walk with a minimum of caution.

As you climb the last few feet up the mountain you are treated to amazing views of Lake Pend Oreille behind you. Lake Pend Oreille is the largest lake in Idaho and a great place to kayak.

The last couple of hundred yards of the hike seem almost alpine with stunted trees and boulder fields. Being October with a stiff wind out of the west and temps in the high 30’s, it got a little uncomfortable at the top. I was able to hang for about thirty minutes to enjoy the views.

At the very top there are remnants of an old Forest Service fire lookout. From what I have read this tower was abandoned before I was born and that was a long time ago.

Looking towards the southwest there’s a nice view back towards where I live. It’s hard to believe that the prairie in the distance is the center of “urban North Idaho”. The mountain on the top left is Mica Peak and close to my house.

Looking southeast towards the St. Joe Mountains kind of looks like some pictures I’ve seen of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina.

Looking northeast you can appreciate the Cabinet Mountains. The prominent peak on the left is Packsaddle. I always wanted to hike to the top but the getting to the trailhead is an all day ordeal. Just right of it is Scotchman Peak across the Clark Fork Delta and center right is the cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area with Snowshoe Peak as it’s high point.

So this is looking across the saddle to South Chilco Peak. You can see the evidence of a wild wife near the top. Just after I retired, I tried to hike North Chilco but found the trail was closed due to hazard trees from this fire. It turned out that this fire didn’t come within a mile of North Chilco or the trail that accesses it. I usually try to give the benefit of the doubt to managing agencies but this one kind of pissed me off.

Almost every one who accesses this trail is only going to the North Chilco summit. It seemed kind of excessive to close this trail for almost the entire hiking season for no real reason. The few folks that do the transit could have been warned at the trailhead and additional signage installed at the junction.

The hike to the top is just under two miles but gains about 1400 feet in elevation. For the height it is one of the easiest hikes but still 1400 feet in less than two miles will get your attention. The way up goes through a nice forest but the payoff is the view from the top.

On the way back down there is plenty of time to appreciate the “small” views too. With taking over half an hour to enjoy the views from the top, I was done with the round trip in less than three hours. The drive to and from took another two.

After hiking Scotchman and Leigh Lake a couple of weeks ago I realized this one isn’t too bad.

Cabinet Mountains Road Trip part 2, Hiking to Leigh Lake in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area.

Over the weekend I took a three day trip to Montana with the primary goal being to kayak on Bull Lake. We decided to break up the trip by throwing in a challenging hike in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area outside of Libby Montana.

The place we were camping is in a valley that divides the mountain range in half. From the valley are views of the rugged peaks in the center of the Cabinets. We drove about ninety minutes around this range, through Libby and then on dirt forest service roads to the trailhead for the Leigh Lake Trail #132.

After one wrong turn due to missing signage we found the trailhead. The road to it was better than most in this part of the world. Their were only two other vehicles in the small parking area when we got there.

The trail starts out steep and stays steep as it climbs out of the valley on a series of switchbacks.

Not far up the trial a sign lets you know that you’ve entered the wilderness area.

On the way up we passed under some pretty big cliffs. The trail was steeper than Scotchman but much shorter. It got my heart pounding in places.

In places the trail was more of a rock scramble. Yes that is the trail. If you have a fear of heights this might not be the place for you.

There are places were the narrow trail has loose rocks and big drop offs. Caution is advised.

Near the top is one of the highlights of the hike. A cascading waterfall is a nice place to stop and enjoy the views for a while.

Here we had a nice view back down the valley we climbed out of.

It was nice to know we were still on the right track. The trail beyond this point is extremely steep until it gets to the top of the ridge just before the lake. The other trail crosses Leigh Creek and goes to the south side of the lake.

Believe it or not, this is the ‘trail’.

After walking over one last little rise we got our first look at the lake. A short down hill walk brought us to the shore.

The trail follows the shore line until it ends on a rocky beach with views of the rock cliffs at the base of Snowshoe Peak, the tallest mountain in the Cabinets.

Although it is a steep hike, the hike to Leigh Lake from the trailhead is only about a third of the distance and a third of the elevation gain as the hike to the top of Scotchman Peak. For those of you that need more of a challenge some folks continue to the top of the mountain. We met a couple of them on the way down.

From the rocky beach there is a nice panorama of the surrounding mountains and cliffs. The mountain in the center right is the lower slopes of Snowshoe Peak. Snowshoe Peak has the only remaining glacier in the Cabinets on its north shoulder.

A little further around the bend is a pretty marsh. I would not have been surprised to see some wildlife here but we didn’t. There are mountain goats in the area and the Cabinets are grizzly country.

The lake is a place you want to spend some time at appreciating the scenery.

Leigh Lake is the kind of place you would want to stay all day at but eventually it is time to leave. Looking back towards the lake we could see the beginnings of fall in the colors of the leaves and a few left over patches of snow on Snowshoe Peak from the previous winter. Soon enough these snow patches will have plenty of reinforcements.

Now it was time to retrace our steps on the way back down.

Looking back down on the waterfall we visited on the way up gives you a perspective on how far it was to climb to the lake. No need for those with vertigo to apply.

While hiking back down we enjoyed the small views. All too soon we were back at the trailhead.

By the time we finished we hiked a modest three miles or so round trip and gained maybe 1200 feet of elevation. In places the trail was challenging some might say exhilarating with rock scrambling and extreme drop offs not for the faint of heart. The waterfall and the lake are highlights of this hike. I would gladly do this again.

Not getting enough of waterfalls for the day we stopped at Kootenai Falls between Libby and Troy Montana for some easy walks and great views before we made it back to our campground on Bull Lake.