The Trailhead

Free Park Days, Sno-Park Permits, Library Snowshoes & More

By Holly Weiler

FEE-FREE DAYS COMING UP: Discover Passes will not be required to visit Washington State Parks on November 11 and November 26. Additionally, national parks will have a fee-free day on November 11.

WASHINGTON SNO-PARK SEASON BEGINS:

On December 1, if you snowshoe or Nordic ski at a non-motorized Snow-Park in Washington, you will need this permit. Season-long permits go on sale in November (available online or in local outfitter stores). Please note that the fee for Washington's Sno-Park permits is increasing this year, with the daily Sno-Park now at $25, the season permit at $50, and the special grooming sticker bumping up to a $70 add-on to the season-long permit (required at Mount Spokane's Selkirk Lodge Nordic ski area parking lot, among other areas). The Sno-Park fee helps cover the cost of snow removal in parking lots accessed by winter recreational users.

IDAHO PARK N’ SKI PERMITS: Idaho operates a Park N' Ski permit system for its 17 plowed winter parking lots for cross-country skiers and snowshoers, with fees going into effect on November 15. The permits are $7.50 for a three-day pass or $25 for the annual pass. Idaho has a reciprocity agreement with Oregon's Sno-Park system too.

NEW TRAILHEAD & TRAIL AT ANTOINE PEAK:

Spokane County’s newest conservation area trailhead and trail addition is expected to be open soon. The Trentwood Trailhead to Etter Ranch (the soon-to-be southernmost access point to the Antoine Peak trail system) will open in late fall 2021. Check the Spokane County website to make sure the new trailhead is finished before planning a trip, or, in the meantime, access the new Etter Ranch trail from one of the existing Antoine Peak Conservation Area trailheads. The new trail connects to the southeast side of the Emerald Necklace Trail.

WAIKIKI SPRINGS TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS:

The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy has been making recreational trail improvements to its Waikiki Springs property, both to improve the on-trail experience and also to reduce environmental and wildlife impacts. The first new loop trail is now ready for hikers to enjoy just across the bridge over the Little Spokane River. Follow the newly installed trail signage.

NORDIC & SNOWSHOE GEAR SWAP: Spokane Valley’s Fitness Fanatics shop is hosting its annual Nordic equipment and snowshoe swap on November 6 at the store on Trent Ave.

CHECK OUT SNOWSHOES FROM THE

LIBRARY: Want to try snowshoeing before purchasing equipment? Don't forget that the Spokane Public Library keeps a selection of various snowshoe sizes in its “Library of Things,” available for check-out with your library card. //

HIKE OF THE MONTH

FLYING L TRAIL AND INSIDE PASSAGE LOOP SPOKANE VALLEY The Phillips Creek Trailhead—a portion of the Glenrose Unit of the Dishman Hills Conservation Area in Spokane Valley—opened to the public in the fall of 2020. Under the direction of the Spokane Mountaineers, with support from Washington Trails Association and Evergreen East, volunteer crews were working their magic to ensure the main Flying L Trail was ready in time for the trailhead ribbon cutting. In the early part of this year, the Spokane Mountaineers again spearheaded the second installment of this trail system by adding the Inside Passage Trail. It is now possible to create a loop of just over 4 miles using those two trails, or to extend the route by adding on the other trails within the Glenrose system.

From the parking lot, begin on the main Flying L Trail beyond the kiosk. This trail ascends gently through a pine forest, then breaks out into a huge grassy meadow as it climbs to the intersection with the Glenrose and Cliffs trails. For the loop, turn right at the Cliffs and continue a half mile to the connection with Inside Passage, which remains in the trees and takes hikers back to the bottom of the meadow. Return to the parking lot via the main Flying L Trail. This hike can be considered easy to moderate, and is 4.2 miles round trip with approximately 700 feet of elevation gain.

MORE FUN, LESS BULK.

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