The main access to Mount Spokane State Park is undergoing major reconstruction this summer and will be closed to public motor vehicle access through October 7. While inconvenient, park advocates note that the closure is both necessary and timely, as it needs to happen before weather prohibits road work when the winter season hits. “We should be glad that the state is willing to devote so much time and money to our beloved park and its road that is so important to our recreational lives,” says Chris Currie, President of Friends of Mt. Spokane State Park. “How to manage the road for traffic during construction for maximum safety, quality and cost effectiveness is a decision that the contractor makes, not the park manager.”
The project is intended to make the road safer and last longer. Approximately 2,000 feet of road will be removed and replaced. In addition, a box culvert at a creek crossing will be replaced to prevent the road from washing out and improve fish passage. A snowmobile parking lot will also be resurfaced.
What does this mean for visitors? The park will still be fully open from 6:30 a.m. to dusk every day this summer. Visitors will still have hiking, biking, and equestrian access to Mount Spokane State Park’s trails, campgrounds, and restrooms. Free parking will be available in an area adjacent to Bear Creek Lodge, with nearby access to trails 140 and 120. Volunteers with approved projects, condo owners, and staff will still be allowed up and down the road on a scheduled basis. For more information, call the State Parks Eastern Region Headquarters Office at 509-238-4258, or visit Mountspokane.org. To support state public lands, purchase an annual Discover Pass at discoverpass.wa.gov. //
