ATVs gouge new illegal trails in Mount Spokane protected area
PUBLIC LANDS -- Illegal trails made by motorcycles or all-terrain vehicles have been a problem for decades in Mount Spokane State Park. Ironically, the most persistent motorhead vandals have targeted the remote Ragged Ridge Natural Area Preserve in the southeast portion of the park.
State Park staff is scheduled to make another attempt today to block off new illegal trails that have cropped up in the park.
An old illegal trail is deeply eroded prompting the riders to pioneer a parallel trail up Ragged Ridge. See photo gallery.
The scars from these trails will be on Mount Spokane forever. It's not clear whether the intruders are also poaching.
But five cigarette butts picked up in about mile of illegal trail on Friday indicate they also don't pay any attention to the extreme fire conditions and state emergency rules.