Steptoe Butte is a must when you visit the beautiful Palouse! On a clear day you can see forever!read more

So, the Palouse (how they refer to the scenic area near Pullman) is arguably one of the most…read morebeautiful places in Washington, if not the United States. The mesmerizing green rolling hills in June attract landscape photographers around the world and there are photography workshops in various areas within the Palouse happening throughout the summer. And to see this vast beauty in one place, Steptoe Butte State Park provides a one-stop, bird-eye view of these rolling hills. My buddy and I would grab our camera gear every year in different months to capture the beautiful Palouse and we would always start with Steptoe Butte. The hours of sunrise and sunset would provide the most dramatic lighting but I really could spend the entire day clicking away in every direction. When I first saw the views on top, I immediately thought of the classic Windows wallpaper. The green colors were saturated to the fullest and I was in a surreal moment of thinking I'm inside a computer wallpaper. I was completely mesmerized by the absolute beauty everywhere I look. Every season provides its own unique colors, ambiance, and photographic opportunity. If you are into photography, you will fall in love with this place and you will come here every year to chase the light. I guarantee it.

Fun to drive thru the park. Actually spotted a moose! Not much else to see other than a few birds…read moreand ducks, but it's free to get in and plenty of walking/hiking trails.

Turnbull Wildlife Refuge is a 20,000 acre wildlife refuge less than an hour's drive from Spokane…read more It's pristine, untouched wetlands with many short hiking trails through the woods to see the plants and wildlife. We didn't see much wildlife while we were there other than birds, probably because we were there on a hot day and we should've come in the evening if we wanted to see any deer or moose. Also, much of the refuge is not accessible unless you want to stomp through the woods. The deer and bear might have already learned what section of the refuge has the human visitors and have simply decided to stay away from that corner. The trails were all there but some had deteriorated into nothing due to poor maintenance and lack of use. The refuge is not a popular place so you will likely have the place to yourself or only see a few other visitors in the 20,000 acres. Because it is a refuge, the activities are limited, meaning not paddleboarding, biking off road, or fishing. It seemed like the only non-hiking option allowed was hunting during hunting season. There was a wildlife blind overlooking one of the bogs. It appeared to be a sturdy hunting blind but it was specifically designed for viewing nature. If you really want to see a deer and have plenty of time, you can stand in the blind for hours, looking out of the slats along either side, hoping that something walks up. We weren't interested but thought it was a unique feature.

Very good trail Flat and not clogged path. And it is not…read morevery difficult. Quite a beautiful for, just right for walks

I hiked Stevens Creek Trail on a hot, weekday evening. Who knew that Spokane could get so hot. It…read moreseemed to be in the 90s for multiple weeks in a row. My theory is that the desert plains of central WA allows hot air to flow north unobstructed by mountain ranges. The heat didn't stop me, it only shortened my hikes. Stevens Creek Trail is another collection of trails that would give an experienced hiker new trails for a full day of hiking. I only hiked to the top, for a view of the protected forest and hay farms below, but the trails headed deeper in the forest along the top of a ridge. I never saw any deer or bears on my hikes in these forest ranges, but this hike in particular had many signs posted to watch out for bears. I think the sign would be more relevant for evening or morning hikes. All the bears are lying down in the shade when it's 95 degrees and sunny, waiting for cooler temperatures before they return to foraging. That doesn't mean that there weren't many animals in the forest. It was a turkey bonanza everywhere around Spokane. There were more turkeys than I'd ever seen in my life. There were turkey packs in the forest, meadow, in front yards, and even at the bus stop across from the grocery store. It was if they knew that the closer they were to civilization, the safer they would be from hunters.

Such a great hike! I came here mid July so it was a decently hot day but there was still some water…read morein the creek to enjoy as we walked. It was so much fun to walk through the many different terrains on the different trails. We ended at the iconic bridge and played around in the river for a bit to cool down. The river was so serene and we saw lots of ducks, geese and fish. I highly recommend this trail! My only warning would be to make sure you bring water and watch it if you're allergic to bees because there were a lot of bees attracted to the water.

Nice area with multiple trails to explore. The area is less populated than some of the other trail…read moresystems around. Some of the trails are dirt and gravel others are rock Shale. I scared up a mule deer on my hike today. It's worth checking out.

Great area with a huge grass area and covered picnic tables (being used for a birthday party when…read morewe visited). From the parking lot you can walk down to access the river and a rocky beach. Great place to float and swim and get some relief from the summer heat. It was busy with families and quite a few dogs when we went. The river was calm and the water was beautiful-a few eagle sightings completed our day! Definitely recommend taking a beach day and bringing a cooler to enjoy this spot during the summer!

This is a great place to stop with kids or to take a romantic walk with your partner. It's right…read morealong the River and there's lots to view. And it's a nice place to spend a few minutes communing with nature.

A beautiful and fairly popular hike! Since you're hiking up a mountain, there is definitely some…read moreuphill climbing. I'd describe it as a gradual incline, so you'll still get a workout, but it's nothing too difficult. One thing I really appreciated was that there are benches all along the trail... almost like they knew people would need a few breaks! The view from the top is absolutely worth it. There are a few shortcuts you can take, but be aware they're much steeper than the main trail, both going up and coming back down. We did this hike with our teens, a toddler and a baby. Our toddler walked a surprisingly large portion before needing a ride (we came prepared with a carrier) and we also had grandparents in their 60s with us who completed the hike without much trouble. Overall, we saw people of all ages enjoying the trail, which says a lot about how accessible it is. The only downsides were that parking is pretty limited when it's busy and the bathrooms were unfortunately dirty and smelled bad. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this hike. The beautiful views, well maintained trail, and frequent benches make it a great outing for families and hikers of all ages.

Really fun and not too challenging hike. Go early, gets really busy. Went early and were the only…read moreones on the trail.

This is a relatively short, easy hike. It can be tricky to find and easy to miss so make sure you…read morefollow the directions on the website. There are a couple of small signs at the trail head. The hike itself is a little overgrown at certain points but nothing you can't get through. I wouldn't bring young children here though. Watch out for the stinging nettles! My boyfriend and I made the mistake of wearing shorts and we kept getting stung. My legs still ache a little. The bottom of the hike is pretty bushy and shady but the top leads to a nice hill with wild flowers, views of the wheat fields, and a great vantage point to view the surrounding area. We didn't see any wildlife besides a few birds (which were chirping beautifully throughout the hike). If you're looking for a simple place to go and relax, you should give it a try! It's now maintained by the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute--remember to keep it clean! There's a cute little guest book about 10-15 minutes into the trail where the actual PCEI sign is.

This place is a birding Mecca in the spring. I counted 21 species in an hour and still had a few…read morecalls I could not recognize. Well maintained trails. Quiet venue except for oodles of singing birds! Leashed pups only, please, for good reason.

I had not been to the park in a very long time. My friend goes everyday to walk his dog…read more He went to show me the park when we discovered a fire in the area and the road was closed. We went back a couple days later to find the fire was out. I took my friend's 2-mile walk with his dog and a lot of times he takes the dog home and goes back and walks another 4 miles. I found the area to be gorgeous with the Spokane river displaying a beautiful reflection early morning views. I had a fantastic time!! Can't wait to come back and trail walk again!

This is a gorgeous park! It's well maintained. There are picnic tables, BBQ grills, campgrounds,…read morerestrooms and pet friendly. So many trails to walk your pet, ride your horse and cycling (traditional bikes and electric bikes). There's so much beauty here. You simply have to pay a visit and check it out. You'll be glad you did! =)