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| Hiking | 5.88 Miles |
1,020 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.88 Miles | 3 Hrs 9 Mns | | 2.00 mph |
| 1,020 ft AEG | 13 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I thought this was going to be an easy five mile walk in a city park. Obviously I did zero research. We got to the Post Falls Community Forest trailhead shortly before noon. Chatted with some people in the parking lot who also had a blue heeler.
Headed out on the trail marked with purple circles. Started easy enough, gradual downhill. Made our way down to the Spokane River. We walked down to the edge of the river in several places, getting better pics of the water, and letting Harlow play at the edge. She rolled around on some dead fish—yuck. The trail followed the river for quite some time. Pleasant hiking. As we neared the eastern end of the trail, we passed some random structures, I think related to an old cable car, and I’m not sure what else. After that, the trail started climbing up and down, rather steeply in places. Kind of surprised me. Got some views of the dam. Saw some climbers. Saw a neat little side trail that went down to the riverbed just below the dam. That little spot is dry right now since they are not releasing water from that dam at this time of year. Got to the parking lot.
We walked to the south end of the lot to find the start of the purple diamond trail. Easy for the first few hundred feet. Then a steep, rocky drop at the south end of that same wall the climbers had been on. Looks like a lot of bolted routes on that wall. Then some nice hiking thru the trees, nice fall color.
Next was an interesting drop down a ravine. Very rocky, and didn’t even look like a trail. My only clue I was on the right path was the fact all the deadfall in the ravine had been cut back. No other reason to cut those trees if that wasn’t the trail. I’m guessing there had been some purple diamond markers on a few of the now fallen trees. It was a borderline scramble, and I had to lift the dog thru one spot.
Once at the bottom, the markers returned, and we immediately climbed up the side of the ravine. Steep, and slippery in a few spots. The trail led into a recent burn area as we ascended a ridge. Easier hiking thru the burn as we crossed ridges and small ravines. Once past the burn, it was another climb up to the trailhead, but on a good trail. Finished up around 3pm.
Much more of a hike than I was expecting for a city park, but I’m not complaining. Turned out to be a nice loop. This park is about 25-30 minutes from my house, with some annoying traffic, so it won’t be a frequent destination for me, but probably worth at least once or twice a year. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Light
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| Stop crying and just go do the hike. |
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