 
FISH LAKE TRAIL PROJECT
Current Update by Dan Schaffer
Fish Lake Trail Map
Spokane REI Hosts Fish Lake Trail Service Project
Fish Lake Service Project
On Saturday, May 17, 64 volunteers met in the parking lot of the St. Matthews Baptist Church for the third annual REI Fish Lake Trail project. They were greeted by warm sunny weather, coffee and donuts, and a greeting from Mayor Mary Verner. A small group of young people proceeded to the railroad tunnel near Scribner Road to paint over graffiti, and the rest car-pooled to where the trail crosses Marshall Road. The city Parks Department had already graded a parking area and placed a rock barrier at the location of a temporary trailhead. The enthusiastic work crew labored under increasingly summer-like temperatures to rake the parking area, plant grass seed, pull knapweed and improve a short, section of the trail at the road crossing. A trailhead sign was also erected that includes a map of the trail. This was similar to last year’s project, which created a temporary trailhead at Lindeke Street. The Fish Lake Trail Action Group is thankful to REI for its ongoing support for the trail, and to St. Matthews Baptist Church for the use of their parking lot and restrooms. Dan Schaffer traildan@comcast.net
Background: The Fish Lake Trail is a former railroad corridor acquired in 1991 by the City of Spokane. This ten-mile corridor extends from Government Way in Spokane to Fish Lake near Cheney, and is mostly undeveloped. When completed, the Fish Lake Trail will connect the communities of Spokane and Cheney. It will link the Columbia Plateau Trail (130 miles from Cheney to Pasco) to the Centennial Trail (37 miles from Spokane to Idaho border plus Idaho’s Centennial Trail). A completed Fish Lake Trail will encourage bike commuting. It will offer cyclists in the southwest neighborhoods a safer travel alternative to the narrow and busy Cheney-Spokane Road, and makes a bridged crossing over divisive I-90 to the riverfront neighborhoods, High Bridge Park and downtown. A completed Fish Lake Trail will encourage physical activity. The trail corridor will accommodate cyclists, walkers, joggers, skaters, horseback riders and—in a good winter—skiers.
Take a virtual tour of the Fish Lake Trail
For more info about the Fish Lake Trail Action Group, contact Dan Schaffer at traildan@comcast.net or Louise McGrody at louisemc@bicyclealliance.org.
Fish Lake Trail - cross country ski in winter and mountain bike in spring. |
