Superb scabland hike with two lakes, many ponds, a lovely creek, and historical ranch Distance: 9.5 mile loop (we logged 10.8 miles after some extra exploring) Type: loop Difficulty: moderate due to distance and a couple short and easy climbs…
Washington’s Sun Lakes – Dry Falls State Park: Umatilla Rock to Dry Falls Lake Loop Hike, March 2017
Hike to towering basalt cliffs, several lakes, and the site of a former waterfall that was four times the size of Niagra Falls. Distance: 3.0 miles round trip Type: loop Difficulty: easy Best season: spring Located in the heart of…
Central Washington’s Frenchman Coulee, March 2017
Beautiful seasonal waterfall near the mighty Columbia River in Central Washington Distance: 4.0 miles round trip Type: out and back Difficulty: easy Best season: spring The first day of spring typically falls on our anniversary. At about a week out,…
Late Winter Flooding: Eastern Washington’s Towell Falls, March 2017
Great early season hike to a pretty little waterfall Distance: 6 miles round trip Difficulty: easy (mostly flat with good tread) Type: out and back Best Season: winter, spring, and fall (hot and snaky in the summer, watch for ticks…
Eastern Washington’s James T. Slavin Conservation Area, May 2017
Lovely wetland hike with solitude yet just minutes away from the Spokane metropolis Distance: 6.0 miles (shorter options available) Type: out and back Difficulty: easy trail with good tread Best season: May for the wildflowers. Accessible most of the year…
Eastern Washington’s Liberty Creek Loop, April 2016
Lovely forest hike that visits two waterfalls in the greater Spokane metropolis Distance: 7.5-8.5 miles round depending on where you park Type: lollipop Difficulty: moderate with 1,350′ elevation gain Best season: spring to fall (I recommend May when the wildflowers…
Washington’s Kettle Crest: Edds Mountain, July 2016
A steep climb leads to far reaching views and solitude atop the Kettle Crest Distance: 7.3 miles round-trip Type: out and back Difficulty: moderate with 1,968′ elevation gain Best season: June – October It wasn’t shaping up to be a…
SE Washington’s Palouse River Trail, May 2016
Short and easy springtime hike along the Palouse River Distance: 5.5 miles Type: out and back Difficulty: easy Best season: spring (accessible most of the year) but beware of ticks The Palouse River Trail on the outskirts of Colfax, Washington is…
SE Washington’s Sheep Gulch (Fordyce Trail), May 2016
Surprisingly lush canyon with towering ponderosa pines in the Blue Mountains of SE Washington Distance: 8.0 miles round trip (we hiked 11.3 miles round trip in our search for the Cabin Gulch Trail) Type: out and back or loop option…
Hanford Reach National Monument: White Bluffs North & South, March 2016
Beautiful spring hiking along the Hanford Reach and White Bluffs area of the Columbia River complete with desert wildflowers, sand dunes, towering cliffs, a birder’s paradise, and an eerie WWII and Cold War legacy. Distance: South Slope 7.0 miles and…