Cover photo by Chris Bessler courtesy of Sandpoint Magazine
In 2024, there are more people out enjoying our public lands trails throughout the Inland Northwest than ever before. Thankfully these and other trail improvements and new construction have given outdoor enthusiasts more miles to pedal and wander.
- 2004: Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes established. In 2010 the 73-mile trail was named one of the top 25 trails in the nation by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
- 2005: The 3.5-mile Mickinnick Trail near Sandpoint opened to the public. The land was donated to the USFS by the Pleass family in 1997, and the trail was later developed through grants and local partnerships.
- 2008: Ferry County Rail Trail Partners was formed to develop the former railroad line into a nonmotorized trail for Ferry County. The group was subsequently able to secure several grants to improve the trail surface and create trailhead access points.
- 2010: Friends of the Bluff nonprofit was established to provide education and conservation efforts dedicated to Spokane’s South Hill Bluff property.
- 2010: Lake City Trails Alliance was established to coordinate work on mountain bike and hiking trails in the Coeur d’Alene area.
- 2010: Spokane’s Centennial Trail was designated a National Recreation Trail. In 2016 the trail was extended 2 miles to the west with the addition of a new section near Sontag Park for a full length of 40 miles.
- 2012: The owners of Sherwood Forest (outside Sandpoint) partnered with Kaniksu Land Trust to protect 140 acres of forest land in a conservation easement while allowing for recreational access on a parcel that connects to Pine Street Woods.
- 2012: The City of Colville considered declaring its Colville Mountain property surplus and available to sell for development. Due to an objection by a member of the public, the City Council passed a motion to retain the land as natural open space instead. In 2019 the city finalized a trail plan for the 256-acre property and in 2022 was additionally able to purchase an adjacent parcel to create a dedicated trailhead parking area.
- 2014: The Mount Spokane State Park Comprehensive Trail Plan was updated to include Trail 290, the first mountain bike-specific, directional (downhill-only) trail within the park. Over the last decade, four trail bridges have been added to make tricky water crossings safer, especially for the exploding snowshoe use the park has experienced in the winter. In 2024, Mount Spokane State Park is working on an updated and revised trail plan.
- 2015: The Empire Trails near Spirit Lake opened on private land managed by Inland Empire Paper Company. The 8-mile nonmotorized trail system requires either a daily fee or an annual pass for access.
- 2018: The 9B Trails nonprofit was established to create and maintain nonmotorized trails in Boundary County, with subsequent trail projects on Enchanted Forest, Riverside Park, and Section 16 near Bonners Ferry.
- 2018: Spokane Parks and Recreation secured an 884-acre addition that created a crucial connection between Liberty Lake and Mica Peak.
- 2019: Rathdrum Mountain Park opened to the public with a nonmotorized trail system and a disc golf course. In 2024, a three-mile trail expansion via the StormKing Trails is in the process of being built through grant funding.
- 2019: A memorandum of understanding was signed to allow the Cancourse Trails adjacent to Canfield Mountain to become a leased city park for Coeur d’Alene. The property was originally private land at risk of subdivision, but now boasts a trail system on private land connecting to adjacent USFS land.
- 2020: The VTT (velo tout terrain) was established on 100 acres of conservation easement land adjacent to both Pine Street Woods and Sherwood Forest. Sandpoint-area nonprofits are currently in the process of developing a trail plan that will ultimately provide many additional miles of nonmotorized trails.
Holly Weiler is a long-time recreationist who now helps build and maintain some of our region’s favorite trails through her work with Washington Trails Association.
