It’s taken the Dishman Hills Natural Area Association 15 years to acquire a Spokane Valley geological feature known as Big Rock, a place beloved by hikers for its breathtaking view. But what’s 15 years when you’re talking about property that’s 600 million years old?

No wonder the association’s Mike Hamilton says the group’s main assets when going after choice natural areas for preservation are energy and patience – commodities it has more of than cash.

Last week, a deal was announced in which property co-owner Bob Hamacher and his investment group will swap 80 acres that includes Big Rock for 80 acres the association owns nearby. It isn’t final yet, however. The association has to pay off the $46,000 it still owes on the land it’s giving up near Hallett Road, but Hamilton says he is confident that preservationists and supporters will come through within the 45-day window they have.

Assuming he’s right, the trade with Hamacher and his partners reflects a blend of civic spirit, respect for private property and appreciation of the region’s natural offerings. Hamacher recognized the special quality of the site and the importance of putting it in nonprofit hands. The association and its many partners in the conservation arena recognized Hamacher’s legitimate interest in getting appropriate value for the property his group had invested in.

Although the rock, popular with climbers and hikers, has been under a trespassing ban in recent years, it has a long history as an attraction. An electric train once took area residents to the former community of Sharon, where they would disembark and hike to the top with picnic baskets. From there, they could munch on fried chicken and drink in a panorama that stretched from the Selkirks to the north to Steptoe Butte to the south.

Big Rock, part of a formation known as the Rocks of Sharon, has been an object of Dishman Hills Natural Area enthusiasts’ attention since the early ‘90s. They prize its striking variety of plant life and the corridor it provides for moose, elk and white-tailed deer. A coalition of nature groups sees it as a link in a “dream trail” between Tower Mountain and the Dishman Hills Natural Area. All this just a few minutes’ drive from east Sprague Avenue in Spokane Valley.

Still, even with voter-approved Conservation Futures funding, Spokane County and the Dishman Hills organization were unable to come up with a deal to acquire the property. Only in the past few years did the idea of a trade begin to show promise.

As part of the deal, Hamacher will acquire property better-suited to development than the Big Rock location, but he agreed to maintain a conservation easement to preserve wildlife habitat and trail access.

Too often, efforts to preserve unique lands for public appreciation end in conflict over private property rights. Not this time. That’s almost as inspiring as the view from Big Rock.