Hikers find great trails in Washington’s beleaguered State Parks

HIKING — Late winter hikers don’t have to look any farther than the Washington State Parks system to find excellent year-round trails.

This week, with the state legislature looking for ways to keep the park gates open through the state budget crisis, the Washington Trails Association wrote a story about 11 great state park hikes across the state, ranging from North Cascades old-growth forests to the Columbia Plateau scablands.

Note that this story is just a sampling:  It doesn’t even mention the excellent trails in Spokane County’s Riverside State Park or Palouse Falls State Park .

And it doesn’t cover the winter snowshoeing and summer hiking trails at Mount Spokane State Park.

A lot is at stake as Washington wrestles with it’s budget woes.

Don’t hesitate to check that box and donate to state parks when you renew your vehicle license tabs.