June 28, 2009 in Outdoors

Ferry Trail

Bid for world-class rail trail stalled in political quagmire
Rich Landers richl@spokesman.com; (509) 459-5508
 
Tags: abandoned railways outdoors rail trails trails

Paddlers on the Kettle River parallel an abandoned railway and tunnel proposed for a rail trail in Ferry County. Courtesy of Ferry County Rail Trail Partners
(Full-size photo) (All photos)

Somewhere in a land not so far away, an abandoned railroad could become the best rail trail in Washington.

Or maybe the worst.

The opportunity sounds like a dream come true. Budget-challenged Ferry County and its 7,500 residents are given, at no charge, a priceless rail corridor. The route runs 28.5 miles from the Canada border to an existing trail at Republic, the county seat.

Similar to the wildly popular Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, the Ferry County rail corridor includes numerous natural attractions. Among them:

•Curlew Lake for a 7-mile stretch, past resorts and over a trestle across the …

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