Liz Schroeder

Just northwest of Spokane, in Ford, Washington, there is a stretch of road along the Spokane River that has a few Avista parks. These parks are not marked on the roadway and even looking at Avista's website does not give a clear description of their locations. From Spokane, Take 291 W to Charles Road and then turn right onto W Long Lake Drive. You will drive past a lot of private properties for...

Leaving Spokane and driving west down Interstate 90 isn’t usually where one might envision pretty nature existing. Yes, the farms and desert are pretty in their own way, but most people don’t want to go hiking on a farm. This area has some real hidden treasures though. To get to Hog Lake from Spokane, drive west on Interstate 90 and take exit 254 for Fishtrap/Sprague Highway and turn left. Les...

The trailhead for this hike starts in a city park, so if you have dogs, they'll need to be on leash to start out. You won't have to walk very far before reaching a gate that separates the city park from US Forest Service area. Past this gate, leashes are not required for your four-legged friends (but remember to be a responsible pet owner). Once inside the USFS area, the dirt path leads you thr...