Whether you choose a short day hike or an overnight trek, you will be awed by the sights you see along the Columbia Plateau State Park Trail. This is an 130-mile-long trail in Eastern Washington that follows the path of the abandoned Spokane, Portland, and Seattle railroad. Long ago, Eastern Washington was covered in lava. Thousands of years later, Ice Age floods forged towering basalt buttes and deep rugged canyons in a unique environment known as the Channeled Scablands. The beginning of this trail in Spokane County offers plenty of day-use activities like lake swimming, biking, horseback riding, and even a wildlife refuge.
In addition to this geographic history, you’ll encounter remnants of the railroad that carried passengers from Spokane to Pasco in the early 20th century. While the tracks are gone, there are still tunnels and trestles located along the route, 100 miles of which is undeveloped and meant only for expert hikers. Alternative travel sources led to the abandonment of the train line, and in 1983, the line was “railbanked” and preserved for possible future use by converting it into a trail system.
Map & Photos
