Mount Spokane State Park is a public recreation area located in the Selkirk Mountains, 23 miles (37 kilometers) northeast of the city of Spokane, Washington area. Mount Spokane, at 5,883 feet (1,793 meters), as well as other peaks including Mount Kit Carson, Beauty Mountain, and Quartz Mountain, are all located within the state park’s limits.
The Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park, as well as a large system of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, receive 300 inches (7.6 meters) of snow per year. Within the park lies the Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park. As of 2018, it is the state’s largest state park, with a total land area of 12,293 acres (4,975 hectares), only slightly ahead of Riverside State Park (11,162 acres (4,517 ha), which is located 23 miles to the southwest and is the state’s second-largest state park.
The park’s 1500 acres were opened to the public in 1927. During the 1930s, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers planted grass, established picnic areas and parking lots, built walks and shelters, and restored highways around the United States.
Despite the fact that state park architect Charles Saunders had previously designed Vista Home, H. C. Bertelsen was responsible for the construction of both the house and the park’s caretaker’s lodge. The construction of the caretaker’s cabin was overseen by Elmer Highberg.
The CCC, according to some reports, was in charge of the construction of Vista House. According to the State of Washington’s Cultural Resources Management Plan (2009), the Vista House was built by E.O. Fieldstad, a local contractor who won the contract with a “bottom bid of $4,693.” “Its proximity to the location of the Mount Spokane CCC camp may have led to the present idea held by many that the Vista House was built by the CCC,” the journal writes. Hiking, biking, and horseback riding routes cover 100 miles (160 kilometers) in the park. There is something for everyone, from easy (the 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) Burping Brook Loop) to hard (the 13-mile (21-kilometer) ‘Round the Mountain Trail). Popular winter activities include skiing (both downhill and cross-country), snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. Aside from that, camping and picnicking are available.
Depending on the weather, the Bald Knob campground is available from May through September. From Bear Creek Lodge, right before the park’s entrance, to the summit parking lot and view house, there are seven main trailheads to choose from. Both the Lower Selkirk Sno-Park Parking Lot and the Upper Selkirk Lodge Sno-Park Parking Lot, both on the lower Selkirk ski hill, require winter parking permits.
Visit Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park – Spokane WA
