FORESTS — A trail closure notice just issued by the Colville National Forest is a reminder that roads, trails and campgrounds are subject to the whims of nature, even on a holiday weekend.  

Call ahead to forest offices to check on any last-minute closures that could foil your plans.

Upper North Fork Trail #507 will be closed to public use until a washed out bridge can be replaced, Colville Forest officials announced this morning. 

The #507 trail is a connector trail that connects the upper portion of the North Fork of Sullivan Creek to the #515 Crowell Ridge Trail in the Salmo Priest Wilderness.

Info: Sullivan Lake Ranger Station at (509) 446-7500.

Outside magazine online is asking readers to vote for the nation's “best active town,” and Spokane is one of the 10 candidates for the distinction.

The cover photo for the Spokane listing features cyclists on the Centennial Trail along the Spokane River, which is a good start to the city's numerous outdoor attractions.

But note that the survey so far doesn't even barely scratch the surface of options for running, cycling, mountain biking and even downhill mountain biking, rock climbing, conservation areas, trails, wildlife, paddling, fishing, etc. 

Other cities in the running include Waitsfield, Vt.; Bozeman, Mont.; Carbondale, Ill., Park City, Utah; Greenville, S.C.; Honolulu, Hawaii; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Boston, Mass.

TRAILS — The Route of The Hiawatha rail-trail near Lookout Pass is set to open for the 2013 summer season on Saturday (May 25).

The 15-mile route for mountain biking or hiking follows the abandoned Milwaukee Railroad grade between the old town site of Taft, Mont., (off Interstate 90) and the North Fork of the St. Joe River near Avery, Idaho.

Top attractions include seven trestles towering up to 230 feet over the creeks and forest and 10 tunnels, including the 1.7-mile St. Paul Pass Tunnel at the Montana-Idaho border.

The gentle 1.6 percent  average grade drops 1,000 feet  over the 15 miles length with shuttle buses available to transport trial users and their bikes back to the top.

Trail passes, shuttle tickets and mountain bike rentals are available at Lookout Pass Ski Area conveniently located off I-90 at the top of the pass on the Idaho/Montana border 12 miles east of Wallace, Idaho.

Basic trail passes cost $6 for kids and $10 for adults. Season passes and group rates area available, as well as shuttle bus service from Lookout Pass, lunch options and guided tours. 

The trail will be open daily, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. PDT, through Sept. 29.

Biking the Hiawatha is one of the Inland Northwest's top memorable adventures you can organize for an active outing with summer out-of-town guests.

PUBLIC LANDS — A proposal to purchase a 9.5-acre addition to an access site for the 1,066-acre Antoine Peak Conservation Area is on the agenda for today's Spokane County Commission meeting.

Antoine Peak is the mountain north of East Valley High School and east of Forker Road in Spokane Valley.

The Spokane County Parks, Recreation, and Golf Department will ask permission to spend $300,000 in county Conservation Futures funds to purchase the site owned by the Johnson Family Trust. The family has been allowing the public to use some of the property since the county secured the land in three phases concluding in 2011.

Public use is growing in the area, which is part of the voter-approved conservation program to protect wildlife habitat and open spaces for passive public recreation.

The property the family is offering to the county — before listing it for sale to the public — includes the existing public parking area on the east side of the mountain along with a 2,800 square foot residence with detached garage.  The site is critical to the county because it's the only place available near the trailhead for public parking.

The residence could be used as a park ranger or maintenance worker residence. Acquiring the subject property would also allow Spokane County Parks to expand the existing lot as needed to handle increasing use.

Another parking site is being researched on the west side of the peak.

TRAIL – Introduce yourself to the developing Pend Oreille Bay Trail near Sandpoint with a running OR walking benefit on June 1, National Trails Day.

Pre-register online by May 28 for the 5K and 10K events, which include t-shirts and prizes. The route starts and finishes at Trinity at City Beach and goes along the lakeshore and Sand Creek.

The event will benefit Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail, a group working to link a natural waterfront trail from City Beach to Black Rock and Ponder Point along the lake’s northwest shore.

Info: (208) 946-7586 or email friends@pobtrail.org.

WILDFLOWERS — Shooting starts are among the most delicate and fascinating wildflowers, sprouting about 5 inches tall at different elevations, in damp to not-so-damp wild areas, from early spring well into summer. 

They're also very difficult to photograph, although you wouldn't know it by this image snapped Thursday by Montana Outdoor photographer Jaime Johnson.

OFF-ROADING — While turkey hunting on private timber company land last week I was appalled, again, at how many illigal ATV trails were pioneered by goons who think they have a right to have their way with someone else's property.

Washington Fish and Wildlife police say the practice is all to common, and law-abiding off-roaders are losing access to public and private lands because of these law breakers who go off roads without permisson.

Here's a sad report posted Monday by the WDFW enforcementd division regarding officers patroling Department of Natural Resources land in Western Washington near Amboy.

…Illegal ATV trails that eventually become wide enough for a full-size truck are popping up all over DNR and PacifiCorp lands. Due to the increase in this illegal and destructive activity, Officers Chamberlin and Moats planned an emphasis patrol recently to address the problem. So when they drove past five jacked-up trucks parked at the Chelatchie Prairie store, the Officers made deliberate eye contact with the group, hoping to dissuade them from using any nearby land as their own personal 4x4 playground…. so much for that tactic.

Officers Moats and Chamberlin retrieved their own ATVs and headed into the area shortly after. And who did they find? You guessed it – the same five vehicles deep in DNR land, and deep in the mud, as two of the trucks were nearly stuck in one area of the unauthorized ‘trail.’

Seven subjects were cited for trespass and ORV violations in this one incident.

TRAILS — After five months, hikers can finally leave their snowshoes home when heading up to hit the trail at Mount Spokane State Park.

The Spokane Mountaineers report there's still some snow on portions of the trail system, but hiking boots alone are sufficient.  Expect some mud, though.

A group from the club was on the mountain last weekend volunteering to remove the signs marking the winter downhill ski area boundary.

HIKING — Join a Colville National Forest wildlife biologist on his annual naturalist’s tour of the Elk Creek Trail near Sullivan Lake on May 18. 

Mike Borysewicz, a veteran wildlife biologist at the Sullivan Lake District, will show participants an old prescribed burn heavily used by elk, a cascading waterfall and a wildflower meadow on this delightful two-mile-long loop trail. 

• The hike is No. 47 in the new guidebook Day Hiking Eastern Washington, but a chance to tag along with Borysewicz shouldn't be missed.

Meet at the Elk Creek Trailhead with shoes, clothing and a pack with lunch and water.

When: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. 

Where: Elk Creek Trail Head.  Five miles northeast of Metaline Falls. Drive east from Highway 31 on County Road 9345 (toward Sullivan Lake).  The Trail Head is located at the Mill Pond historic site northwest of Sullivan Lake.

Info: Mike Borysewicz, Sullivan Lake Ranger District, Wildlife Biologist, (509) 446-7500

HIKING — A Spokane couple returning from a camping-hiking trip to Steamboat Rock State Park this weekend have several recommendations for folks who want to follow their footsteps:

1. Go now. The wildflowers are beautiful, with the balsamroot on the downward swing but bitterroots are just ready to bloom.

2. Keep the tent screen zipped closed.  They found two rattlesnakes in camp, one huddled against their tent and one under their cooler.

3. Use hiking poles and if you hike with a dog, keep it on leash.  They encountered two more rattlers on the trail while hiking to nearby Northrup Canyon. One was on the aggressive side, which is rare. But they felt more comfortable after they gathered up hiking sticks to thwart any advances. With their dog on leash, they had no problem.

TRAILS — A humble thanks to the 200 people who packed into Mountain Gear tonight for my program about the great sport of  Day Hiking.

I said to heck with the Camelbak and had a beer afterward! 

I detailed many of the virtues of taking a hike in this Sunday Outdoors story.

The program was based on my two years of research for a new guidebook, Day Hiking Eastern Washington, which I've co-authored with Craig Romano.

I'll look forward to emails with questions and feedback about the presentation as well as questions you may have as after sampling the routes detailed in the book.

Even more, I'll look forward to seeing you on the trail.

Rich

TRAILS —  Join me to discuss the pleasures of Day Hiking - and a few places to enjoy them - during a free slide program tonight (May 2), 7 p.m., at the Mountain Gear retail store in Spokane.

The program is based on my two years of research for a new guidebook, Day Hiking Eastern Washington, which I've co-authored with Craig Romano.

Be ready to take the Day Hiker's Quiz.

HIKING — I case you haven't walked over High Drive to hike the trails along the South Hill bluff, massive swaths of arrowleaf balsamroot have been in full bloom for several days.  Check it out.

PUBLIC LANDS — Here's a possible precedent setter that could be costly in the long run…

An eastern Idaho woman is suing the federal government for an injury she sustained in 2011 when her all-terrain vehicle rolled down a hill located in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

Accoding to the Associated Press, Karleen Linford, of Inkom, filed a complaint Thursday seeking almost $800,000 in damages for serious injuries related to her ATV crash on federal land.

 

Linford says she drove her ATV up a fence crossing ramp on the Inman Canyon Trail, and then fell four feet as the ATV rolled off the hillside and landed on top of her.

 

She alleges the U.S. Forest Service was negligent in its construction and care of the fence crossing, and hopes to secure compensation for her own injuries.

 

She's also asking for about $1,300 to pay for damage to her ATV.

CYCLING — Montana's capital city is cashing in on it's surrounding wildness to create attractions for mountain bikers.

The Helena National Forest and South Hills Trail System reaches into Helena with a trailhead in the city limits.

The South Hills Trail System is an extensive mountain biking trail system known for its single track and long descents. Specialty bike shops provide advice on trails, equipment and rentals to ensure riders get the most out of the area.

Soon biking enthusiasts will have another reason to love Helena, the Vigilante Bike Park, which is being built near the town's center to offer terrain features in a safe riding environment. Construction of the park begins this summer on two acres of reclaimed land and will integrate pieces of old Helena buildings from the Urban Renewal Project. Park features for pros and beginners will include pump tracks, dirt jumps for beginners, intermediate and advanced riders as well as a skills trail and dual slalom course.

Meantime, Helena has more than 500 miles of world class mountain biking trails in its area.

• See map here.

These trail systems have groomed the way for several events on the spring-fall cycling schedule:

• May 12 - Unravel the Scratch Gravel
• June 15 - Helena Dirt Divas
• July 21 - State Criterion
• Aug. 24- York 38 Special
• Sept. 8- W.E.R.K.S Mountain Bike Race
• Oct. 6- Last Chance Cyclocross

PUBLIC LANDS — Volunteers are invited to join Spokane's annual Palisades Park Cleanup Day set for 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday (April 27).

Palisades Park is 700-acre natural area behind the gate that blocks vehicle traffic from the old Rimrock Drive and the fabulous view over Spokane Falls Community College and the rest of Spokane.

Come wearing gloves and toting bags and tools for picking up litter and maintaining trails.

A new long-range project will kick off to recontour and revegitate the old sandpit area in heart of the park.

Carpool and meet at the intersection of Greenwood Road and Rimrock Drive to sign up.as we need a record of volunteers and to assist in letting volunteers know where help is needed,

Palisades map

The Pocket Guide to the Conservancy and Wildlife trails of Palisades Park is available for $3. Make check payable to Palisades. Send cash/check to: Palisades, W. 4625 Bonnie Dr, Spokane, WA 99224

OUTGOING – Meet Washington Trails Association members for updates on on the region’s trails and trail projects Tuesday (April 23), 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at Northern Lights Brewhouse, 1003 E. Trent Ave.

RSVP here.

Following are some of the top recent outdoors stories from The Spokesman-Review:

• Spokane teen shuns cancer, wins regional bass fishing title
• Neighbors step up to raise natural profile of Palisades Park
• Local Trail Angels: Vic and Robbie Castleberry
• North Idaho Sportsman's Expo to debut April 27-28
• Field Reports: 2013 hunting rules adopted…Town targets turkeys…Kalispell Cabela's…Costly culverts
• Out & About: Spring Derby coming at Lake Pend Oreille…Whitewater river advocate…GU wilderness films…Toast to Trails…Polar explorers…Fishing errata
• Weekly Hunting-Fishing Report for the Inland Northwest
• Landers: River access should be natural part of Convention Center project

CONSERVATION — About 200 volunteers chipped in today to start a major revamping of the Dishman Hills Natural Area trail system.

Groups such as the Spokane Mountaineers and Gonzaga University student programs turned out in the Spokane Valley for the annual service day organized by the Dishman Hills Conservancy.

Regular trail users will soon notice a big difference as new trails are built to connect a series of four larger loops while some other trails, including sections of a few well-used ones, will be decommissioned.

The effort seeks to reduce the criss-crossing of trails and provide more resting areas for wildlife.

More signs will be posed as the project continues.

Other groups today planted hundreds of trees to reforest an area near the Camp Caro parking lot off Appleway and Sargent Road.

PUBLIC LANDS — Volunteers are planning to pick up and spruce up a couple of prized outdoors recreation features in the Spokane area this weekend.

Unveil the (Centennial) Trail, Saturday (April 20), 9 a.m.-noon

About 350 volunteers have pre-registered for the annual clean-up, working in sections to cover the entire 37.5-mile Centennial Trail from the stateline to Nine Mile Falls. The trail attracts two million visits a year.

Dishman Hills Service Day, Sunday (April 21), 9 a.m.-noon