PARKS -- Hikers and paddlers are regaining most, but not all, access to the Little Spokane River Natural Area after trails and a trailhead were closed by a 176-acre wildfire that was ignited July 6.

The shuttle service for paddlers offered by Spokane Parks and Recreation has resumed, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays through Sept. 5.

• Register for shuttles at spokaneparks.org or meet them at the access.

The Painted Rocks Trailhead on Rutter Parkway has been reopened and closure signs have been removed on the trails to Knothead and the overlook area in the fire zone above the river, said Chris Guidotti, Riverside State Park manager.

“What remains closed is the segment of trail along the Little Spokane River between Painted Rocks and Highway 291,” he said. “That stretch is below a steep hillside where fire has taken away the vegetation and made the area susceptible to rockfall.

“The Department of Natural Resources recommended we keep that trail closed until there’s a substantial amount of rain to settle it down.”
Hikers heading up to Knothead – a scabrock overlook – from Painted Rocks or Highway 291 trailheads will not be able to make a loop trip until the closure is lifted, he said.

Also, hikers will notice that a bulldozer was used to widen and remove vegetation on some of the trails stretches to provide vehicle access and improve fire line. The path is wide, powdery dirt.

“It will be a different hiking experience for a while,” Guidotti said, noting the mountain bikes are prohibited in the natural area trails from St. George’s School downstream to Highway 291.

Crews have cut down snags that posed an immediate danger to hikers on the trails, he said.

“We’ll be going in there this fall and trying to deal with weeds and erosion control.”

The Little Spokane River shuttle will run hourly on Saturdays from St. George’s river access to Painted Rocks and Highway 291 river accesses, said Ryan Griffith, city parks outdoors program manager.

During the period from Monday through Aug. 14, construction is scheduled to close through traffic on Rutter Parkway from the intersection at Indian Trail to West Hatch Road.

“This will make our shuttle take a bit longer during that time as we will use an alternate route,” Griffith said.