Category: North Idaho

Camas Prairie Road Trip, Day One, Camas Railroad from Ruben to Lapawi Canyon and Winchester State Park.

I took a two day trip to explore the Camas Prairie and specifically the old route of the Camas Prairie Railroad. The Camas Prairie is south of Lewiston Idaho.

I originally planned to start my first hike at one of the two bridges that cross US-95 on the way up Lapawi Canyon but was unable to find a safe place to park off the side of the busy highway so I drove up to the small community of Rubens.

Rubens is a tiny collection of houses and a grain elevator about eight miles north of the highway. One my way in to “town” I came across this amazing piece of art. Sometimes the works of man and nature combine to create true beauty.

I parked off of a gravel road that crosses the old railroad easement near the grain elevator and started walking north.

Immediately I was walking through beautiful Idaho farmland. The Camas Prairie is some of the most productive grain growing land in the country.

Much of the old rail bed was covered in wild flowers. I imagine in the late summer that the growth would be thick enough to make walking the easement a challenge.

About a mile in the railroad bed turns towards the west and goes through a couple of low cuts in the landscape.

After emerging from one of the cuts I was treated to my first view of the side canyon that ends up joining Lapawi Canyon. Piles of old railroad ties were scattered along the route.

Soon, I came to the first of four tunnels I ended up passing through.

This tunnel was in very good shape considering that it has been twenty four years since the line was abandoned. This one also was curved so that you had to go in about halfway before you saw light from the other side.

Soon I came to the second tunnel. Here is where I saw my first Black Bear in several years. I was not able to get even a fleeting photo of he or she before the bear bailed down the slope. This tunnel was much shorter and as you can see nice and straight.

After the second tunnel, I came across the first of nine bridges I ended up walking across. The metal plates were intended to protect the bridge from fire caused by sparks from the trail wheels.

The third tunnel looked a little more worse for the wear. After getting past this obstruction I discovered the rest of the easement had not had the rails removed.

It was a long way down and each bridge seemed to have a different layout of the metal plates. The rails seemed to add strength to the bridges but were also tripping hazards for the unwary.

At some point I got too close to a nest so I was “attacked ” by a very angry grouse. I did almost step on one of the fleeing chicks so I guess I deserved it. A hasty retreat seemed to satisfy the mad fowl.

In places the rail bed was filled with lupines and other wild flowers. They added a lot of color to the walk. One more tunnel was around the corner.

After this curved tunnel, I was no longer following the side canyon. Now I was above Lapawi Canyon and the big views that came with it.

The old rail bed from here on alternated between rock cuts and trestle bridges. The line at one time had the nickname of the “railroad on stilts” because so much of it was elevated.

At the bottom of the canyon I could see the highway I had so recently drove up in my search for an access to the lower section of the easement. I think I got lucky. The views looked much better up here.

Some of the rock cuts turned out to be a challenge to negotiate. I guess after decades of exposure to the elements, it is to be expected that the line would slowly revert to nature.

The views from the bridges were outstanding. I was somewhat surprised at well the bridges had weathered the years of neglect. Later on my trip I would discover that this is not always the case.

Finally I came across this beauty, a bridge with an S curve and much bigger than any of the others. I thought about calling it good but just had to see what was on the other side.

Too bad I forgot to bring a lawn chair. Imagine sitting on this platform and soaking up the sun.

So this is the view from almost the other side. It looked like the easement was going to go through another tunnel next.

The entrance to the next tunnel was right around the corner. This was where I saw my first warning sign of any kind. The portal was almost blocked by rockfall. I figured if someone went to the trouble of warning me that I should heed the warning. I was already well over two hours out so this is where I turned around.

On the way back I enjoyed the view of the first railroad bridge from this post behind me. Again, I was glad I did the upper hike. I understand that the lower you go in the canyon, the better your chance of crossing paths with a rattlesnake.

I enjoyed the views on the way back as much as I did on the way in.

Now it was time to find my camping spot. I had reserved a site at Winchester State Park only a few miles back near the top of the grade up Lapawi Canyon and at the edge of the Camas Prairie.

Winchester State Park is a small state park with a primitive campground on a small manmade lake. There wasn’t much to do there but it was a place to stay. The ride back home was well over two hours and I wanted to explore the area more the next day.

They did have a nice foot bridge accessing the short trail system.

Before I called it an evening, I made a short side trip to check out my goal for the next day, the Lawyer Creek Canyon bridge. There is a pull out with interpretive signage on US-95 with a great view of the trestle, the only metal one on the line above Lapawi Canyon. This is the view from the other side on from a one lane gravel farm road.

My original plan was to hike up Lapawi Canyon from USD-95 the first day and then explore around the Lawyer Creek trestle the next day. I think modifying the hike to start in Rubens and work my way down turned out much better.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s, along the Coeur d’Alene River.

On two rides over a three day period, I bicycled a thirty mile section of the trail out and back from Bull Run Lake to Springston and then from Pine Creek to Bull Run Lake. This middle section of Idaho’s best rail trail is by far the most scenic part. East of Pine Creek, the trail travels through the Silver Valley and all the small towns in it. West of Springston, the trail enters the Coeur d’Alene Reservation and follows the lakeshore and Plummer Creek to Plummer.

Friday, June 7, 2024 Bull Run to Springston.

The Bull Run Trailhead is just off of State Road 3 in Rose Lake about four miles south of the I-90 exit. It is close to mile marker 33. West of the Bull Run Trailhead, the trail passes through nice forested areas along the river.

Extensive wetlands are found on both sides of the trail between the State Road 3 underpass and Harrison.

The marshlands support a lot of wild life such as Great Blue Herons. Over the seventeen years I’ve ridden the trail, the State of Idaho has acquired much of what was once farm and ranchland in this area and is restoring the wetlands while mitigating heavy metal contamination which used to decimate bird life.

Around Medimont the trail passes along the shore of Medicine and Cave Lakes, part of a chain of shallow lakes connected to and on both sides of the Coeur d’Alene River.

Near mile marker 18 you come to the Springston Trailhead. Another three miles would put you in Harrison.

The old bridge at the Springston Trailhead has been condemned and is now closed to all traffic. Springston was once the site of a small town. No trace of it remains.

Sunday, June 9, 2024 Pine Creek to Bull Run Lake.

Right off of the Interstate there is a trailhead just outside of Pinehurst, the second largest town in the valley. A short spur goes right in to downtown and there is more parking there. The Pine Creek Trailhead is near mile marker 48.

About halfway between Pine Creek and the Kingston Trailhead an old railroad bridge carries the trail over the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River.

Just past Kingston another bridge crosses the North Fork. You will usually see lots of folks floating this section of the river.

The next five miles into Cataldo is the most scenic section of the trail. In the background is Frost Peak. Some years it has snow on top until July.

There are several rock cuts along the trail.

Just before the Cataldo Trailhead you cross one more big railroad bridge, this time over the river after the south and north forks combine.

Cataldo Mission is not on the trail, but is close by. If one has time I highly recommend dropping by this little Idaho State Park and visit the oldest building in the state on your way back to Coeur d’Alene and Spokane.

Between Cataldo and Bull Run, the trail continues along the Coeur d’Alene River and its adjacent wetlands.

Another view of Frost Peak and the river.

You can’t go wrong with this trail. I usually try to start my out and back rides heading west into the prevailing wing so if it picks up later in the day it will be at my back.

And of course they’re moose. I saw one each day. My record is seven on one ride. I’ve seen them pretty much everywhere between Kingston and Springston.

The thirty miles between Pine Creek and Springston is in my opinion the nicest bike trail in the country and I have rode on the Mickelson, the Elroy Sparta and the C&O.

Kayaking Wolf Lodge Creek

Just east of the City of Coeur d’Alene on the far east end of Lake Coeur d’Alene is Wolf Lodge Bay. A large creek ‘Wolf Lodge Creek’ feeds the bay. Interstate 90 is routed through the small valley after it descends from Fourth of July Pass on its way in to Coeur d’Alene. Most travelers never notice the small creek to the south.

I began today’s trip at the Mineral Ridge boat ramp off State Road 97 about one mile from it’s intersection with Interstate 90. Just east of the ramp was the staging area for one of the local dock builders. One of their tugs was named Super Triumph. Someone had removed the R,I and H from Triumph in the name. Wonder if we’ll see it in an upcoming boat parade.

The view from Wolf Lodge Bay looking back to the west. You have to cross less than a half mile of open water before you enter the creek.

The creek empties in to the lake right at the State Road 97 bridge.

The other side of the bridge is a different world. Extensive marsh lands with sizable areas of open water predominate. At first the route can be a little confusing, but if you hit shallow water (less than three feet deep) you’re on the wrong path.

As you move upstream away from the lake , the creek slowly gets narrower.

About a mile or so in you come to this little challenge. Believe me it’s no problem. It looks like there was an old foot bridge here and maybe a shed shelter.

As the creek narrows more it becomes very serpentine and passes under another private ranch bridge.

A little less than three miles in you come to the end of your paddle. If you’re gung ho, you can maybe make it past the Interstate bridge and struggle another couple of hundred yards to a private campground. Some folks launch there and float down.

This is what the creek looks like above the Interstate bridge.

After a pleasant paddle upstream you are rewarded with an even more relaxing trip back to the lake. There is a lot of bird life along the creek. On this trip I got to see Bald Eagles, redwing blackbirds and the first wood stork I’ve even seen in Idaho.

This little kayak spot is truly a hidden gem. Because it shares the valley with an Interstate Highway, most folks don’t even consider kayaking this fun little stream. The entire trip was just under six miles and over two hours long. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning.

Kayaking on Twin Lakes.

For todays adventure I returned to one of my favorite places to kayak, Twin Lakes Idaho. Twin Lakes is about four miles north of Rathdrum and twenty minutes away from my house.

It was overcast and breezy when I arrived at the small Kootenai County launch at the end of Par 3 Road. I like to use this ramp as there is no trailer parking causing most boaters to use one of the other two ramps on the lakes. Immediately I noticed that the water level was still very high from the melt off from this spring.

I cut across Lower Twin to the western and much less developed shore line and paddled north.

The east side of Lower Twin is heavily developed mostly with vacation cabins. The west side is much more scenic.

Some of the cliffs on the west side are significant.

The few cabins on the west shore of the lake are boat in only as there is no access by road to it. Some of them are very rustic.

Like these two.

At the north end of the lake a private bridge separates it from the Narrows, a shallow body of water that connects to Upper Twin Lake. Another boat ramp with parking and a vault toilet is located just past the bridge.

Exiting the Narrows you are treated to views of Upper Twin and the mountains that surround it. By now the wind had died completely and there were no other boats on the lake. Unlike Lower Twin which is long, narrow and relatively deep, Upper Twin is almost round and much shallower.

In the center above the smaller hills you can see the top of Mount Spokane where I hiked yesterday still with some snow at the summit.

I cut across the lake towards the southwest corner and the extensive lily pad flats and marsh land. As on Lower Twin one side , the north is heavily developed while the south side has only a smattering of boat in only cabins.

Like this one.

This is one of my happy places. Sometimes I’ll stop here to eat a snack and appreciate the view.

All good things come to an end and this is the end of the lake.

Now for the return trip through the Narrows.

Three hours after I started, I arrived back at the boat ramp. By now it was starting to drizzle. I beat the weather again.

A photo of my favorite landing spot on one of the few places along the shore that is not posted. I believe this section is owned by Inland Empire Paper. Notice I have thirteen years worth of invasive weed stickers from the State of Idaho. I’ve been on this lake at least once all of those years. FYI, the stickers are required in Idaho as part of the state’s efforts to prevent invasive species from out waterways. They cost $7.00 for kayaks.

Twin Lakes is in my opinion the best of Kootenai County’s small lakes for kayaking. There are still some nice undeveloped parts of the shoreline on both lakes and both lakes provide completely different experiences.

Cable Creek Idaho

Todays hike was on a site owned and managed by the Idaho Department of Lands. IDL for short, manages thousands of acres of forest land primarily to make a profit and support public education in the state. Compatible outdoor recreation is allowed, but not the focus of this agency. Never the less, they provide public ownership of some very nice parcels of forest land which I use to my advantage.

This 640 acre parcel is located on the Washington State Line a few miles south of Interstate 90 and within fifteen minutes of my house. It has been one of my go to spots for hiking for many years. I call it Cable Creek because that is the name of the perennial stream that flows through it.

After crossing the name sake creek on what can only be described as a logging road, the trail continues up hill through a series of switch backs with views of Shasta Butte, AKA Big Rock. On todays visit I discovered a couple of new logging roads that added nothing to the experience.

Because this is a “working” forest, parts of the property have been clear cut with the pluses and minuses that come with that. Obviously the minus is no trees or shade in places. The pluses are that you do get open views across the valley. That is Rathdrum Mountain ten or so miles away. I hiked there last week.

Also full sunlight is beneficial for wild flowers including lupines.

And these guys.

Some folks hate walking on logging roads. I don’t mind them. The grade is more consistent and they’re wide enough so you can walk side by side if you have company. Obviously this is an older photo from last winter. The relatively low elevation makes for a longer hiking season.

Near the top of the property, there are nice views of nearby Liberty Lake and the Spokane Valley beyond. On a clear day you can see downtown Spokane about twenty miles away.

The ridge top trail is a single track near the high point of the property. IDL constantly battles with ATV’ers trying to close unofficial trails some of which are well sited and built. The Liberty Lake ORV Park is just across the invisible line between the properties and therefore a lot of dirt bikes find their way on to the Idaho side. I really don’t mind them. They’re always polite when they go by and I don’t mind sharing.

The high point of the hill is literally twenty feet past the property line and is well posted. I don’t generally condone trespassing, but give me a break. The view from here is amazing and you would have plenty of time to skedaddle if you hear ATV’s coming.

the high point is beautiful with views of Mica Peak Washington, Signal Point Idaho and Shasta Butte.

On the way down you are treated to more views of Liberty Lake. Spokane County has an amazing park on the south end of the lake with trails to waterfalls and Mica Peak Washington. Unfortunately they closed the park this summer for a complete overhaul. As soon as they are done, I will be returning to it.

Here is an interesting tree off of the trail. Looks like a two for one.

Due to logging operations the views are more extensive than you would expect. That is Newman Lake in the distance. Spokane County has another conservation area on the north side of the lake that I will probably post about before the summer is over.

Finally here is a photo I took last winter while hiking here. Again that is Shasta Butte, AKA Big Rock. I used to hike to the top of that prominence, but in recent years the new owners have decided to confront visitors. You would think they would be okay with sharing the views but whatever. Thankfully there’s still a lot of public property to explore.

My oldest daughter discovered this hidden gem over a decade ago and then dragged me out there for a hike. Since then I probably walked this site five or six times a year. It’s close by and the views are awesome. IDL has several other sites in the area some of which are well worth exploring as well.

Kayaking Lake Fernan

My first post retirement post

Today I launched my kayak at the Fernan boat ramp on the west end of the lake which is managed by Kootenai County Parks and Waterways. The ramp is about four blocks off of the Interstate 90 exit with East Sherman Avenue in Coeur d’Alene. Fernan Lake is connected to much larger Lake Coeur d’Alene by a short stream which unfortunately is blocked off by a privately owned dam making it impossible to kayak from one to the other.

Lake Fernan is a very popular fishing lake. Due to water quality issues it is not often visited by water skiers or wake boarders. Kayakers and fishermen get along well together.

The lake is long and narrow. The south shore opposite the boat ramp is entirely undeveloped due to the extremely steep topography. Also a city natural area and a section of state owned forest land protect parts of the south shore.

This lake should be visited in May or June. Later in the summer it suffers from extreme blue/green algae blooms every year. Because of this, many people discount this body of water not realizing that the water quality in spring is actually pretty good. A group called the Fernan Lake Recreation and Conservation Association works to increase public awareness of the problem and find solutions.

At the east end of the lake a small creek feeds in to the lake and there is another launch area for kayaks and small boats.

The east end of the lake contains some extensive lilly pad flats. Sometimes there is interesting wildlife to see.

Like this guy. I got to watch this moose walk around the marsh land and swim in the lake. Saw Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons today as well, but didn’t get a decent photo of any of the birds. Paddling against the wind and while taking pictures of wildlife that refuses to stay still is a challenge.

On the way back, I stuck to the north shore which has a well maintained paved forest service road along it. There are numerous pull outs for people to park that are well used by fishermen. It is nice to see families enjoying the outdoors together.

Kayaking Lake Fernan is a nice little adventure because of it’s proximity to downtown Coeur d’Alene and the surprising variety of scenery for such a small lake. The lake is less than two miles long and maybe a quarter of a mile wide. I try to hit this little gem at least once a year and as I said it needs to be in the spring to avoid the unpleasant algae blooms when the water heats up.

A year later I returned for another trip on this little lake.

I paddled to the far east end of the lake where I landed on a beach that is owned by the Idaho Department of Lands, and enjoyed the view back towards the west.

When I returned to the east end of the lake, I decided to paddle through the culvert beneath Interstate 90. Because of the reflection it almost appears that you’re floating through the tunnel.

I made it through and wanted to tackle a second culvert underneath Lake Coeur d’Alene Drive but as the water was low I had to turn around here. I was glad the culvert was twelve and a half feet wide as my kayak is twelve feet long and I didn’t want to get out.

So I was soon back to Lake Fernan and right by the boat ramp IO launched from. It was two hours of time well spent.

Lake Fernan usually has severe blue/green algae blooms this time of the year, however for some reason so far this year the water quality hasn’t been too bad. It has been a mild summer so far.

Rathdrum Mountain

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 Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s, Biking through the Silver Valley.

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.

Qemilin Park and the Post Falls Community Forest

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.

The St. Maries River Railroad

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.