Living the good life from the Rockies to the Cascades and beyond.
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.
I hiked on Rathdrum Mountain last weekend. This local favorite is twenty minutes from my house and is one of the trifecta of awesome natural areas owed and managed by local cities in Kootenai County along with Coeur d’Alene’s Tubbs Hill and Post Fall’s Qemilin Park. Rathdrum Mountain Park is owned and maintained by the City of Rathdrum, Kootenai County’s fourth largest city.
The trailhead is surrounded by a lush cedar forest with some very large trees. A perennial creek flows through this forest.
There are several small creeks along the hike and in the spring time parts of the trail can be muddy.
The main trail is named Storm King Parkway. It is an old service road that winds through an impressive forest with many extremely large trees. This cedar is the largest I have found and it’s difficult to appreciate the size of it by taking a picture.
Further up the trail, more open ponderosa pine forest provide a drier contrast to the damp cedar woods usually found along the streams.
The more open forest has an abundance of wild flowers at different times of the year.
Most of the first three miles of the hike are heavily wooded, but occasionally openings in the canopy provide glimpses of the open slopes higher on the mountain.
On the way up there are a couple of views out over the town of Rathdrum and of the prairie beyond it.
After about an hour and a half, I made it to the open slopes on the east side of the mountain. This is where the views really open up.
In the far background, you can see part of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The tiny bump right in front of the lake is Tubbs Hill.
Across the valley is Mica Peak, a prominent mountain just past Post Falls. Qemilin Park is near the base of those distant mountains.
The rocky slopes are beyond the city owned property. Most of the land up here is owned either by the Idaho Department of Lands or timber companies like Inland Empire Paper. You can buy day use and seasonal passes to hike Inland Empire Paper lands from various vendors in the area or on line here.
This was my turnaround point after two and a half hours of hiking and pausing to admire the views and gaining about 1500 feet of elevation. You are still miles and a thousand feet short of the summit and through previous experience, I found there is no practical way to get to the top from this direction.
After five hours of walking it was good to be back down among the giant cedars near the trailhead.
No hike to the Rathdrum Mountain Park would be complete without saying goodbye to fellow that runs the place.
I love this hike. It’s long enough to really stretch your legs on and very easy to get to. On the way back, check out Westwood Brewing Company in the town of Rathdrum if you have a chance.
The Centennial Trail is really two trails that join together at the Washington and Idaho state line. The trail on the Washington side of the state line is officially known as the Spokane River Centennial Trail as it pretty much follows the river through the entire county. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a ride from the Idaho state line to Millwood. That is my favorite stretch, however it will be closed for the near future for a much needed rebuilding. Today I opted to ride the ten miles or so through the City of Spokane. It had been a few years since I had ridden this section.
I started my adventure at the John Shields Trailhead near the base of Beacon Hill. This Spokane County park site is very popular with rock climbers and mountain bikers. For me it was just convenient.
Immediately the rider is rewarded with views of Upriver Dam, a hydro-electric facility owned and operated by Avista Utilities, the main power provider for the Inland Northwest. Avista has some competition from Kootenai Electric and Inland Power, But they are the big dogs on the block and their footprint along this trail is extensive.
The first couple of miles are underwhelming to say the least. Mostly bike lanes on relatively busy Upriver Drive. At least it’s a way to get from Point A to B.
Three to four miles in, I was treated to this curveball. The Spokane North-South Freeway is under construction and the detour was poorly marked. That being said, this is a much needed improvement to the local highway system. At least they installed a signalized light so I could cross Greene Street.
Since my last trip on this section a major improvement was made. Avista paid to remove a road and create a short parkway on what used to be one of the least pleasant sections of the trail.
This short section passes an old power substation and the kind of cool International style administration building for Avista.
I took a brief detour here over the old Iron Bridge that is now a bike/pedestrian trail in an attempt to go to Liberty Park and the Ben Burr Trail. I got discouraged by the maze of dead ends in an old industrial area so gave up.
Then I rode over the Gateway Bridge on the Washington State University Spokane campus.
After returning to the Centennial Trail you get to ride through the campus for Gonzaga University home to a noted law school and the best basketball in the west.
Next is Riverfront Park, Spokane’s signature public space full of amazing views and interesting artwork.
In 1974 this park was built specifically to host a worlds fair. Here is the site of what was the United States pavilion. The cable skeleton that supported the roof of the building is now an iconic landmark.
This used to be the location of railroad yards and other industrial buildings. They saved the clock tower from the old train station and it is now a landmark.
To be honest, I was prepared to write a negative review of this wonderful park based on my last visit there half a year ago. At that time homeless drug addicts were camping in the park and graffiti defaced many of the art pieces. Kuddos to the Spokane Parks Department and all others who cleaned up this mess.
Heading west out of Riverfront Park, the trail passes beneath the beautiful Monroe Street Bridge and enters Kendall Yards, a new urbanist mixed use development. As part of the development they preserved almost all of the river bank as public space and built a bike trail above it with amazing views.
The further you head west the better the views are.
At the 26 mile marker I turned around. I was getting close to Doomsday Hill and didn’t want to climb back up it. At that point there is still a short on road section before the trail enters Riverside State Park. I will have to explore that section soon.
The eastern twenty miles or so of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s is often over shadowed by the more rural and extremely scenic eastern two thirds of the trail. However this is a favorite ride of mine because of all the small towns it passes through and for the challenge of climbing the grade from Wallace to Mullan.
I started todays ride in Kellogg at the base of Silver Mountain. One of the worlds longest single stage gondolas hauls skiers to the top in the winter and is open in the summer on weekends for tourist. The top of the mountain is over three thousand feet above the town and the Silver Mountain Resort.
Kellogg is the largest town and the economic center of the Silver Valley. Unfortunately it has not been very successful in remaking its image from a center of the mining industry to that of a true winter sports destination. The bare bones are there with an easily accessible nice ski resort, tons of old historic buildings and a good infrastructure but old downtown (uptown) is kind of depressing.
There is a nice park and trailhead along the abandoned railroad through the city and the old depot is now a visitor center. Within a mile or so, you’re outside of town and the trail runs along the south bank of the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River.
The area has a rural look.
The South Fork is pretty to look at, but isn’t really used recreationally. It was heavily polluted by the mining industry decades ago and all of the major towns in the valley are on it as is their storm water runoff. The North Fork and Little North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River are a different story and are extremely popular with fishermen, tubers and all outdoor enthusiasts.
Interstate 90 parallels the trail through out the Silver Valley. It is almost always within ear shot and often visible from Kellogg to Wallace, but for the most part is separated by the river and/or the small towns themselves from the trail. It does however provide easy access for the public.
The next town is Osburn. Unlike Kellogg which is an aspiring ski resort and Wallace with it’s amazing historic district, Osburn is simply a place were working class folks live and raise families. It has a small business district north of the trail and residential areas south of it. A large local park greets you as you enter the town limits.
The small downtown and laid back feeling of the place reminds me of a Midwest farm town, but hardrock mining is what made this town.
Between Kellogg and Osburn and just north of the trail on Big Creek Road you will find a somber memorial to one of the worst industrial disasters in American history. The Sunshine Mine Fire still resonates in the valley. I remember hearing about it in the news when I was a kid. Most everyone who grew up here lost a loved one or had friends who did.
An interpretive sign gives a brief explanation of what happened. I highly recommend those who are interested to do some research on this event.
After riding through Osburn, the trail passes through more rural areas before the next town.
The next town is more like a small community. It isn’t incorporated and is across the interstate from the trail requiring a side trip. Silverton is however fascinating. It has some legitimate historic buildings and as it’s some of the only flat ground around, Wallace High School few couple of miles to the east uses it as the location for their sports fields.
I don’t know what the building in the upper picture is currently used for. The lower picture is of Silverton Mountain Manor, a boutique hotel and restaurant.
Continuing into Wallace, you cross the South Fork on this old railroad bridge. There is a business that makes industrial fiberglass duct work next to it and they installed their own interpretive sign to explain what they do. Very cool.
In Wallace the trail is located under the viaduct for Interstate 90. Wallace was the last place the interstate was completed and original plans called for leveling much of the downtown historic district. Opposition was so intense that the powers that be decided to build the highway over an active railroad line instead. Fun fact, a model of this viaduct was used in the eruption scenes from the movie Dante’s Peak which was largely filmed in and around Wallace.
This is some of what they saved by building the highway over the railroad. Wallace is amazing. In addition to being the county seat, the place has some most excellent shopping and dining. More on that later.
So only a few years later the railroad was abandoned and we ended up with a “covered” bike trail, at least for half a mile or so. I found refuge here years ago during a rare summer thunder storm.
From Wallace to Mullan, the trail begins a steep ascent. Even though this is still an old railroad grade, it is a six mile grind up the hill. Soon after Wallace you will pass the Restless Waters rest stop with restrooms and picnic tables.
The last six miles of the trail in addition to being very steep, is also located much closer to Interstate 90. That’s the highway bridge in the background and an old abandoned local road bridge I’m taking the photo from with the bike trail bridge in the middle.
Even then mostly the highway is buffered by the creek or a band of forest, giving a respite from the traffic noise.
Well not always. Sometimes the road is right next to the trail. The good news is you’re either working so hard to climb the grade or flying so fast down it that you don’t have time to think about it.
Finally you get the the last town on the trail. M is for Mullan. Mullan is a real mining town. One of the last big silver mines in the valley is the main employer. All along the trail you see evidence of the mining industry’s past, here you can see the present.
Mullan is the real deal. Nothing fake or made up about this place. It is where the miners live and raise their families.
The trail officially ends where you enter Mullan but you can continue to ride on the Northern Pacific trail through town. The bike trail does end at the football field for the Mullan High School Tigers, complete with paw prints. Just beyond is the Lucky Friday Mine.
Now it’s time to fly or coast depending on what motivates you the six miles or so to Wallace and then the rest of the way to Kellogg.
Well with one stop at one of my favorite places to indulge in a well deserved beer. After all they brew their own and if you’re hungry the food is amazing too. The City Limits Brew Pub one block north of the trail. More photos can be found at the website for the Friends of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s.
The Post Falls Community Forest is according to the city’s website, a 500 acre natural area with miles of hiking trails. This gem of a hike is just across the river from my house and the two trailheads are less than ten minutes away by car. Today I took a three hour walk to many of my favorite places in this amazing place.
Currently the forest is accessed either through Qemilin Park, a popular recreation site just across the river from downtown Post Falls or the upper trailhead located a short drive up the hill on West Riverview Drive. Long term plans call for a connection via a pedestrian suspension bridge from Corbin Park which is within walking distance. It would be great to see this happen in my lifetime.
The main trail from both trailheads starts with a steep descent. I call the entrance to the forest from Qemilin Park the Stairway to Heaven because that’s how I felt about it the first time I found it in February of 2006.
The main trail passes by the base of several shear cliffs that make up one of the most popular rock climbing places in North Idaho. Sometimes I stop to watch those daredevils’. Some of the walls are over one hundred feet high.
Several trails connect to the river by climbing over large granite rock out croppings.
It’s a long way down to the river and in the spring time when the flood gates are open, the flow is impressive.
One of the great things about Qemilin Park is that even after years of exploring it occasionally I find a new hidden place for the first time.
An island in the river is the site of one of the oldest hydro electric plants in the west. It was originally built to provide power to the mine shafts in the Silver Valley and is still in use today.
Fifth Canyon is one of my favorite places to explore. These are some of the largest walls in the park.
The view from the bottom of Lower Fifth Canyon.
In August 2023, a wild fire burned about 80 acres of the forest. The section of the loop trail through the burned area is still closed. Hopefully it will reopen by the end of summer. This is about as close as you can get to the burned area before the signs tell you to turn around.
Near the west end of the property I stop at one of my favorite views. The top photo was from today and the bottom from a couple of months ago. It is a nice place to appreciate the change of season.
Spring is the best time of year to appreciate wild flowers.
Near the top of the trail on the way to the upper trailhead on Riverview Drive there is an open view across the valley to Rathdrum Mountain, a place I will post about soon.
Overall the variety of landscapes and all the hidden places begging to be explores makes this one of my favorite places to enjoy nature. It also helps that it’s so close to home.
Today I hiked a section of a abandoned spur of the St. Maries River Railroad south of Santa to the old tunnel about halfway back to the town of St. Maries Idaho, about an hour south of Coeur d’Alene.
I started my hike at a pullout just south of the State Road 3 bridge over the old line about 30 minutes south of St. Maries Idaho.
If you go south under the bridge, the rail line parallels the river into Santa about three miles away. The old line at one time continued all the way to Boville east of Moscow Idaho. I headed north in to the wilderness.
I immediately crossed a small creek on this bridge. The bluffs in the background looked worth exploring.
Within half a mile, it became evident that no trains had passed this way in a long time. My understanding is that the line was last used about a decade ago.
Large basalt bluffs border much of the route on the inland side of the old rail bed. The St. Maries River is usually right next to it as well.
Old railroad lines can be a little creepy. It is always a good idea to turn around occasionally to make sure nothing is following you. It is North Idah0 after all.
Looking up is advisable too. You never know what’s watching you from above. Also, I’d hate to get hit by a falling rock.
About an hour and a half in, I came across this small bridge over Flat Creek right where it empties into the river.
It was higher than it looked at first.
Walking on an abandoned, but still intact railroad is a little more difficult than it sounds. In some stretches the lack of ballast forces you to walk on the ties and they’re never spaced for a normal stride. The round trip ended up being just over twelve miles, about as long as I want to go in one day.
The old pieces of railroad history scattered along the line and the extreme isolation of this section created a kind of haunted atmosphere. The old telegraph post looked almost like the entrance to a graveyard.
Here it appeared the railroad used old rail cars filled with boulders to create a barrier to protect the line from the river at this outside bend.
Finally I arrived at the first bridge over the St. Maries River. I originally planned to hike to this bridge, the tunnel just after it and then the second bridge but it took longer to get here than I expected so I cancelled the half mile or so each way to the second bridge.
The bridge was an impressive structure with nice views of the river both upstream and downstream.
Immediately after the bridge was the entrance to the tunnel. You could see daylight through it and I would guess it to be less than four hundred feet long. No problem, right?
Actually it was creepy as hell inside. You could see that large chunks of rocks had been falling off the ceiling.
And I thought the north end was creepy. I almost didn’t want to go back through it but my hike out was at an end and it was time to turn around and head back.
The railroad bed on the south side of the tunnel seemed completely different, like it had been abandoned for much longer. The vegetation was much thicker, even on the old rail bed and it was much wetter. The ties had algae on them making walking a little more treacherous. Because the tunnel cut off a long bend of the river, the railroad on the south side was much higher above it than at the other side of the tunnel only a few hundred feet away.
On the return hike a cold drizzle made me curse my luck. Five minutes after I got in my car, a downpour of rain and small hail made me reassess my luck. I guess it was good after all. Six hours from when I started I made it back to my rig and then drove another hour and a half back home. I plan to explore more of the Pacific Northwest’ old rail lines in the future either by foot or bike.
On a cool and cloudy late April day, I took a walk on Tubbs Hill for at least the hundredth time since my first visit in September 2001. Probably more like three hundred times. This well known and visited local treasure is located right next to downtown.
From an open ridge just below the summit, there are nice views of the city. This is looking northwest along the Spokane River, the outlet to Lake Coeur d’Alene.As you see, the hill is only three blocks from Sherman Avenue, the heart of downtown. Through the overcast sky you can see Rathdrum Mountain in the far background. It will be the subject of another post in the near future.
Tubbs Hill is a 160 acre nature preserve owned and maintained by the City of Coeur d’Alene’s Parks and Recreation Department. The hill forms a peninsula in to the lake and the summit is about 400 feet above the water. Although Tubbs Hill is about a quarter of a square mile, because of the rugged terrain it is possible to spend half a day exploring all of the trails.
I started todays walk in McEuen Park, an extremely nice public space at the base of the hill with all the amenities one could ask for including parking, clean restrooms, picnic areas, playgrounds and a concession building.
Starting at the trailhead by the mooring docks and concession building one walks counter clockwise along the lake. Below you is the breakwater that protects the Coeur d’Alene Resort marina and what I call First Beach.
Further down the trail you pass above Second Beach, my favorite place to hang out with the kids when they were little.
The third beach is the largest and most popular at Corbin Point. This is also a favorite place for boaters to anchor off shore and enjoy the day.
Additional trails connect with the so called Fire Road higher on the slopes offering commanding views of the lake to the south. Up here the crowds thin and sometimes one can find solitude.
Across the lake is Kidd Island and Kidd Island Bay. I’ve seen it spelled with both one and two D’s.
Interesting rock formations and beautiful open woodlands beg to be explored. Those looking for more exercise can traverse the summit trail.
This is graffiti not ancient art, but sometimes someone’s creative expression is so good that it becomes part of the attraction. This has been here for over a decade and the good folks that remove obnoxious defacements like it so much it has been allowed to stay.
Completing the lakeshore loop you will see a couple of small beaches through the mist on the east side of the hill before you reach the East Tubbs Hill Trailhead.
East Tubbs Park or the East Tubbs Hill Trailhead has additional parking and a port-a-potty on the east side of the hill in the Sanders Beach neighborhood.
In addition to originally being the site of the pumphouse that provided the city with it’s water supply before they switched to deep wells, East Tubbs Hill Park was at one time the location of a fish hatchery.
The return to McEuen Park features a crossing over a sketchy looking suspension bridge and a walk up some elaborate steps before crossing an open meadow. A non-profit organization, The Friends of Tubbs Hill works with the city on projects to improve trails and natural resource management.
Finally here’s a picture from a bright sunny day for contrast.
The first time I walked this hill, I was instantly in love with it. Although it is a very easy hike and easily accessible the views and variety are incredible. It can be crowded in the summer especially close to the shoreline but the off season is heaven and the relatively low elevation makes hiking the hill practical year round. Tubbs Hill may be a North Idaho gem but it isn’t hidden or secret.
Today I made a return visit to Riverside State Park just west of Spokane to check out a couple of hikes for the first time. The trailheads for both hikes are located off of Seven Mile Road and are only a couple of miles apart. As always I used my Discovery Pass to cover the entrance fee. It has more than paid for itself and it’s only April.
I started at the upper trailhead for Deep Creek Canyon and at the parking area their is a nice view of Pine Bluff. The hike started on what used to be a gravel park motor road, but is now closed to vehicles.
There are trails that connect Deep Creek Canyon to the Pine Bluff trail system for those who desire more of a challenge. Both hikes by themselves are easy each being only two or three miles and with moderate elevation gains. I highly recommend hiking boots. The basalt rocks are sharp and athletic shoes just don’t cut it.
A few hundred feet down the gravel road I turned left on trail #25 and descended to the bottom of the canyon and immediately climbed back up on the opposite side. The canyon was completely dry.
At the rim you have a choice between staying on trail #25 to the left or turning right on trail #411 also called the Interpretive Loop Trail. I opted for the latter and was soon greeted by stark basalt rock formations.
In the distance you can see where the canyon ends on shore of Nine Mile Reservoir the body of water created by the dam of that name on the Spokane River.
These monoliths were home to hundreds of sparrows.
The trail slowly descends through a basalt wasteland. Parts of it reminded me of Craters of the Moon in southern Idaho.
At the bottom of the canyon near its termination on the shore of the lake the habitat changes significantly with cottonwoods and birch trees becoming more common. There is an old rest stop here that apparently was used by tourist back when the shoreline road hosted vehicular traffic.
This bridge is now used only for non-motorized travel and is part of the Centennial Trail. The water beneath it is backwater from the lake, Deep Creek was completely dry. Here I hiked a few hundred feet east on the road and then turned right on the old park road to the Deep Creek Canyon Overlook.
This used to be pull out for cars before the road became a non-motorized trail. Three quarters of a mile and I was back at the trailhead.
My next stop was the second of two trailheads for Pine Bluff. The parking areas was only big enough for three cars. An easy hike on a confusing and poorly marked trail system soon brought me to outstanding views of the lake.
Across the valley you can see Knothead Mountain where I hiked a few weeks ago and in the far distance Mount Spokane, the tallest peak in Spokane County at 5883 feet above sea level.
The updrafts created by the cliffs are used by all kinds of birds including Ravens, Ospreys, Eagles and Vultures.
The trail skirts some shear cliffs with outstanding views.
The open flower covered meadows were visually appealing and the flat trail very easy to negotiate.
Same area, but a different view.
They even have some nice benches up there from which to enjoy the views to the east.
The return to the trailhead was short and easy. These hiking options are suitable for a wide range of abilities and the location just outside of Spokane makes for an easy day, or half day trip.
My last ride on the eastern most fourteen miles of the Spokane River Centennial Trail, at least for a while.
The Centennial Trail in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area is actually two separate trails that join together at the Idaho and Washington state-line. The trail in Washington is officially known as the Spokane River Centennial Trail and travels west from the state-line forty miles to and through Riverside State Park. The first fourteen miles of the trail is essentially a parkway along the trails namesake river and has no road crossings at grade making for a safe and enjoyable ride.
I recently found out that this fourteen mile stretch of trail will be closed to the public from April 15th (tomorrow) until sometime in mid or late summer for a much needed overhaul and rebuilding. The trail was originally built in the early 1990’s and since then the surface, despite regular maintenance has deteriorated. A multi agency project funded by the State of Washington, other stake holders and grant money will repair damaged sections of the trail as well as providing a fresh layer of asphalt over the entire length of the fourteen miles.
The sign at the Harvard Road trailhead gives a completion date of early June, however someone in the know told me it may be closed until mid July and another source said they hope to have all the work completed by Labor Day. Either way, I won’t be riding this trail in the near future again, so I made it a point to make this the first ride of the season and I couldn’t have picked a better day, mid seventies and clear skies.
This part of bike trail has been my go to for exercise and relaxation for seventeen years. All three of my addresses since moving to Idaho were less than a mile from the trail and I probably have ridden this section close to a hundred times. I was looking forward to riding it daily after my impending retirement, but will find other bike trips to burn the calories. I can’t wait to see the finished product. Smooth pavement will be nice.
Heading west, I soon came to the Barker Road bridge and trailhead. Here you will find one of the only steep grades on the trail. As I said, there are no at grade road crossings. The trail passes under the bridge.
The trail is always next to the river and most of it goes through a nice mixture of ponderosa pine forest and more open habitat types.
Parts of the river have pretty decent rapids and in high water kayaks are often seen practicing around the rocks. Later in the season, this section of the river is popular with tubers relaxing while floating down stream.
Occasionally Mother Nature throws us a curve ball, but the folks who maintain the trail are on top of it.
After passing by the Spokane Valley Mall the rider passes under the first of two railroad bridges. Spokane is a major rail hub. This is the Union Pacific line, the less busy main line in the region.
Approaching Mirabeau Point Park, the trail enters a particularly scenic area. This beautiful park is owned and maintained by the City of Spokane Valley.
There are restrooms, picnic areas , parking and even a very pretty fake waterfall in this park.
After Mirabeau Park is the second rail bridge, this time the BNSF main line. They were in the middle of adding a second bridge to double track this busy section when work suddenly stopped. A little birdie told me that they needed the money for the CEO’s bonus. Building Back Better, I guess.
Next you come to the biggest hill on the trail and amazing views of the cliffs across the river at Arbor Crest, an event venue that has great views of the valley, trail and the river.
At the bottom of the hill you will find a very scenic stretch of river with basalt rocks. The locals sometimes refer to this area as the Little Bowl and Pitcher and it is very popular for sunbathing and swimming during the summer months.
From the bike/pedestrian bridge over the Spokane River you will enjoy the view of Antoine Peak. This is another Spokane County conservation area with miles of trails and outstanding views.
Just under fourteen miles in, the separated bicycle and pedestrian trail ends at the Donkey Island Trailhead. The trail continues for a few miles on local road shoulders before again becoming a parkway though downtown Spokane, but that’s a post for another day. The best thing about getting to the end of the trail is that you have to turn around and enjoy the view again.
That’s Arbor Crest on the bluff.
A very pretty stretch between mile markers nine and eight.
A half mile spur takes you to Orchard Park, owned and maintained by the City of Liberty Lake. In summer they have a nice splash pad along with a really cool playground for the kiddos.
Returning to the Harvard Road Trailhead you are treated to this view of Shasta Butte and Mica Peak, AKA Big Rock and Signal Point.
Overall this trail is an amazing resource and easily accessible to not only me, but to all the residents of the metro area. In an earlier post I stated that the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s was a factor in my decision to move to the Inland Northwest, well the truth be told, easy access to the Centennial Trail was a major factor in choosing the three places I have resided in Post Falls.
I traveled to the great American Midwest in April of 2024 to view my second total eclipse. I had the privileged of observing the great coast to coast eclipse of 2017 in the Sawtooth mountains of Idaho. The experience was profound and I decided that if I ever had the opportunity, that I would endeavor to repeat it. Well just seven years later, I had the chance and I took it. The path of totality (99% totality is pretty much the same as 1%) ran from northwestern Mexico, thru Texas and Arkansas to the lower Midwest and on to New England and the Canadian Maritimes. Based on guestimates on overcrowding, scenic value of the area and just because I have family in the Chicago area, I decided to view the event in southern Indiana.
A few days before the event my party landed at O’Hare Airport outside of Chicago and we had a chance to visit the city.
The city was a pleasant surprise. Despite the incessant stories about the rampant crime, political disfunction and urban decay, we found the downtown to be relatively clean and safe. It was far cleaner and less threatening than Seattle or even the small city near me of Spokane. There were absolutely no homeless encampments in the downtown area including the parks and the few unfortunate drug addicts and beggars we encountered did not threaten us. They pretty much kept to themselves while trying to sell trinkets. In the museum area we observed numerous families with infants and children enjoying the sights and in the financial district workers freely traveled back and forth to lunch and meetings without concern. Pretty much everyone we encountered was polite and helpful. Also the architecture was world class.
The Chicago Board of Trade on LaSalle Street. Next to Wall Street in New York, this is the financial heart of America.
The Willis (Sears) Tower. The tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1973 and is still the tallest building in North America by occupied floor height. Lots of buildings add decorative spires to try and claim the record.
The day before the eclipse, we drove five and a half hours to southern Indiana until we arrived at our base camp at the Patoka 4 Seasons Resort on the lake of the same name. I do not solicit or generally give reviews for private businesses and receive no monetary compensation for such, but that being said this gem of a vacation resort got two thumbs up from me. The people were awesome and the facilities first rate. They even provided gift baskets with eclipse glasses and other goodies.
The first day there we were greeted by this most beautiful rainbow over our cabin. Definitely a good omen for the trip.
The lake is a relatively large manmade reservoir but apparently is a local draw for fishermen and outdoor recreationalist throughout the year.
Just outside the resort is a most awesome state park with a visitor center, marina, campgrounds, historic buildings and miles of trails. Patoka State Park.
Open hardwood forest are the dominant habitat and rock outcroppings atypical of the lower Midwest are found throughout the park. The scenery was more what one would expect of the non-mountainous areas of Kentucky and Tennessee.
Some of these rock formations are very interesting to explore. The loop trail we took was about three and a half miles long.
A welcome surprise after driving though miles of flat farmland.
The biggest was called Totem Rock and had a couple of small caverns carved into it. The trail seemed to take every opportunity to descend and climb in and out of ravines. We probably got better than six hundred feet of total; elevation gain over the entire hike.
So the day of the eclipse we set up next to our cabin in an open field and watched as the moon started to block the sun. The day turned clear with a few scattered clouds after a Midwest thunderstorm the night before.
With just an Android phone camera and a paper pair of eclipse glasses taped over the lenses, I took a few photos that certainly don’t do justice to the once a decade or so event.
When the totality reached us, the day turned into night in an instant. The birds stopped singing and the crickets started chirping. We could hear people miles away screaming with excitement. The stars came out and the plasma of the corona was a beautiful sight around the dark shadow of the moon. Unfortunately the corona was not photogenic with my basic camera.
As soon as the first tiny dot of the sun reappeared, it was like someone lit a blow torch. It became daylight again. During the eclipse the temperature dropped noticeably and two minutes later the rays of the sun warmed everything back up.
An unnatural 360 degree sunset bracketed the horizon during the event. In 2017 in the Sawtooth’s. This effect was even stronger and the mountains around us were back lit by it. A surreal effect indeed.
At the end of the day after the eclipse was over, the real sunset made it’s appearance among the redbud trees in full bloom.
The next morning on our way back to Chicago, we detoured through French Lick Indiana, the home of Larry Bird and came across this amazing gem.
The Baden Springs Hotel and Resort was built in 1902 and restored in the 1990’s. If I ever have a reason to visit southern Indiana again, I’d love to stay here. It was fascinating and open to visitors.
On the way back everyone we met was incredibly nice and helpful. The manager of the fast food place came out to make sure our experience was good. The folks at the convenience stores were awesome and gave us great tips on what to see. Even the flat farmland north of Terre Haute was kind of pretty and extremely clean. Overall I definitely would judge Indiana as part of Free State America and worthy of a return visit. Too bad there won’t be another eclipse there in my life time.
Today I hiked the Knothead Loop trail for the fourth time. This little treasure is just a few miles north of Spokane Washington in one of the units of Riverside State Park. My starting point was at the aptly named Painted Rocks Trailhead off of Indian Trail Road just north of the Little Spokane River. There is a $10 fee to park at the trailhead. I highly recommend purchasing a Discover Pass from the State of Washington. If you like to explore, it will pay for itself very quickly.
This is allegedly a Native American pictograph. It is protected by an elaborate cage which I stuck my hands through so I could get a photo without bars. It is located right at the trailhead, hence the name.
This is a six mile loop trail with an additional 1.5 mile spur to three amazing overlooks. I always have hiked this loop counter clockwise. Immediately you’re greeted with stark granite cliffs in an area that experienced a catastrophic wildfire less than a decade ago.
After hiking up a gradual incline through the Knothead Valley, the trail gains elevation though a series of switchbacks with view back to the southeast. That’s Mica Peak Washington in the distance. The elevation gain is about one thousand feet.
After cresting the ridge, the hiker is rewarded with amazing views of Long Lake, which is the lake created by the Long Lake Dam on the Spokane River just before it empties into Lake Roosevelt.
This is a great place to linger and enjoy the views as well as recover from the moderately steep climb from the valley.
In the distance you can see the Okanagan Highlands. In the foreground some of the rock formations are very photogenic. This is the high point of the loop.
The great bend of Long Lake and the view out to the West Plains are very beautiful.
Going down from the high Point, you’ll encounter a trail junction before the steep descent to the Little Spokane River. Take the Knothead Overlook Trail to the left and you will be rewarded with some amazing views.
This spur trail accesses three overlooks, each substantially higher that the last. At all of them you can enjoy views of the serpentine Little Spokane River.
The drop offs can be intimidating or exhilarating, depending on your fear of heights. Either way the views keep coming.
The hike to the third and highest overlook goes through an area that experienced a stand replacement wildfire. These are part of the natural cycle in the inland northwest. That ponderosa trunk is kind of scary to walk under. If it fell, it would squish you like a grape.
At the top of the Overlook Trail, you can explore off trail and see interesting rock formations.
After exploring the Overlook Trail, you will return to the main loop trail and begin your descent to the river valley. The trail is well built and maintained.
Many interesting rock outcroppings are found along the trail.
On the way down, the trail goes through some open ponderosa pine forest on benches (relatively flat areas) before it descends to the river.
An open ridge gives the hiker one last look of Long Lake.
The last mile or two of the hike closely parallels the Little Spokane River back to the trailhead. In a month or two, I hope to post a kayak trip on this waterway. It looks amazing.
The Little Spokane Rive or its associated wetland bracket the trail to the south or as like to hike counter clockwise, to the right.
Kayaking this is definitely on my bucket list. This is supposedly a one way trip, so I need a partner to drop off a vehicle at the downstream end.
Just before the trailhead, you reenter the burned area. On one side of the trail is the Little Spokane and on the other a wilderness of granite cliffs. Makes for a stark contrast.
Overall I would rate this as one of the best hikes in the Spokane area. It’s easy to get to and the reward verses effort is very high. Check here for more information on Riverside State Park. I hope to post more hikes from the park in the near future.
