WA Parks and Rec Commission approves master plan for Mount Spokane State Park

The plan meant to guide the next 20 years of trail work and major projects at Mount Spokane State Park has been finalized.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve the master plan for the 12,444-acre park, capping a two-year drafting process.

The 60-page document sets a long-term vision for the park and identifies projects park officials want to complete in the next couple decades, including trail upgrades, building a new park gateway, improving the Selkirk Lodge and more.

Paul Knowles, the trails program manager for Washington State Parks, was one of the authors of the plan. He told commissioners on Thursday that the plan aims to “preserve what people love about the park today,” such as its trails, its relative wildness and its status as a hub for winter recreation.

“It’s a very unique and complex park we’re working with,” Knowles said.

Created in 1927, Mount Spokane State Park is the largest state park in Washington. It encompasses a broad swath of forest surrounding Mount Spokane that provides habitat for elk, deer, moose and many other wildlife species.

People visit to ski, hike, bike and pick huckleberries. Last year, it had more than 700,000 visitors.

Park staff began work on the master plan in the summer of 2024. It replaces a hodgepodge of more narrowly focused plans and attempts to articulate an overarching vision for maintaining the park’s character.

Knowles said in an interview after the commission meeting that the document’s “big picture” vision provides certainty for agency staff and the groups they work with.

“We now have essentially a road map for park staff and agency staff and partners to follow moving forward that, if implemented, will result hopefully in a more sustainable, more resilient and more enjoyable park experience for folks,” Knowles said.

The most eye-catching part of the document is its lengthy list of possible park projects. They’re sorted into three phases: Phase 1 represents projects to be done in the next seven years; Phase 2 covers years seven to 12; and Phase 3 covers years 12 to 18 and beyond.

Commission approval for the plan doesn’t signal the beginning of any of the projects – park officials still need to find money for them. Knowles said in an interview that he views the list as an “investment strategy” that will guide the agency’s search for project funding.

Among the most significant items on the list is building a new park entrance on the Bear Creek Lodge property. The property – which State Parks purchased in 2023 – is where officials envision a grand entrance to the park, complete with a new visitor center. The existing entrance is a short distance away.

The Phase 1 project list includes demolishing the lodge and designing the new visitor center. Construction on the new center wouldn’t come until Phase 2 under the plan.

A suite of improvements at the Selkirk Lodge is also listed in the first phase. The lodge is the hub for the mountain’s Nordic ski trails. Park officials want to add classroom space, renovate the restrooms and expand parking, among other items.

Both projects – and most others in the plan – are expected to be expensive. The first phase of work at Bear Creek Lodge is estimated at $2.1 million in the plan. The Selkirk Lodge upgrades are estimated at $975,000.

Money for the projects is expected to come from a few different sources, according to the plan. The agency’s operating budget might fund some work. For others, State Parks officials will ask the Washington State Legislature for money – as of Thursday, at least one Phase 1 project was part of the capital budget request the agency is considering sending to the 2027 Legislature.

Grants are another option. Several projects are identified in the plan as candidates for money from the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office. Knowles said the agency is applying for a grant from the Non-highway Off-road Vehicle Activities fund to cover the trail work proposed in Phase 1.

“My hope is that we take a pretty active approach to seeking funds from a variety of sources to move projects forward,” he said.

Improvements at Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park generally happen outside of the state parks budget entirely, instead funded by the nonprofit that operates the ski hill.

The master plan lists a number of upgrades the ski hill has planned, beginning with replacing its Vista Cruiser chairlift. The hill is also eyeing expanded parking, water storage and new signage in the next few years.

Jim van Loben Sels, general manager at Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park, said at the meeting on Thursday that at some point the nonprofit might need to deviate from the stated list of projects in the document. But the improvements listed are ones the nonprofit wants to go forward with, and he said they support the overall plan.

“It’s reflective of where we need to go as a park,” he said.