Friends of Mt Spokane State Park

Park Overview 

Brief History of Mt. Spokane State Park 

  • 1909 Frances Cook, owner of the summit, builds a toll road to within 3 miles of the summit.
  • 1927 Mt. Spokane State Park is officially dedicated at 1500 acres.
  • 1929 H. Cowles, Jr. donates 640 acres of land to the park.
  • 1930s The Spokane Ski Club, the Selkirk Ski Club, and the Spokane Mountaineers purchase over 500 acres on the mountain for construction of lodges, rope-tows, and ski jump hills. The road is completed to the summit.
  • 1934 Vista House is built by the Civilian Conservation Corps crew from Riverside State Park.
  • 1935 CCC sets up camp on Beauty Mountain to improve the road and construct other facilities. 
  • 1939 The Spokane Chapter of the Conservation League buys 320 acres for the
    Park for $1500 (south half of Section 21) to save virgin timber from logging and fire. 
  • 1947 The first double chair lift in the world is put into operation on the south face of the summit.
  • 1952 A master plan is proposed for the park which includes over 24,000 acres and designates all of Mt. Spokane proper for downhill ski purposes. This proposal is not implemented. 
  • 1953 KXLY-TV becomes operational from the summit.
  • 1955 Lodge #1 and Chairlift #1 are constructed.
  • 1961 Concessionaire A.E.Mettler constucts Lodge #2 and Lift #2
  • 1965 Another master plan is developed by State Parks to include 11,592 acres of land, 958 of which were allocated for general outdoor recreation with the remainder to be administered as a “natural environment area.” This plan is not adopted by the Parks Commission.
  • 1974 Mt. Spokane Park’s official classification is changed from Recreation area to State Park, and the following philosophy is applied: “State Parks are to continuously service man’s spiritual, mental, and leisure time physical needs through the use of selected outstanding natural resources. this is to be accomplished by providing a full range of non-urban outdoor educational and recreational services and opportunities to a wide range of users with diversified interests and needs.”
  • 1978 A Coordinated Trail System plan is developed to, among other things, reduce conflicting recreational uses by specific allocation of park lands to user groups. The plan quickly became out of date and was never fully implemented. 
  • 1985 The Parks Commission formally designates the Ragged Ridge Natural Area within Mt. Spokane State Park. 
  • 1993 The Park contains about 13,643 acres of land, not including Quartz Mountain. Most of this land was donated or obtained during the Great Depression through property forfeitures. The Mt. Spokane State Park Alpine Ski Area Working Group Interface Subcommittee issues a report concerning the future of the Park. Among other things, it recommends a comprehensive planning process.
  • 1994 State Parks proposes to classify areas of the Park as Natural Forest Areas. Several alternatives are proposed. The Mt. Spokane Planning Task Force Steering Committee is formed and issues its report. The group recommends a comprehensive planning process as well as the formation of a permanent, local Park advisory committee.
  • 1995 Mt. Spokane State Park Advisory Committee appointed by Parks Commission begins monthly meetings in Spokane. Friends of Mt. Spokane State Park also formed.
  • 1997 Mt. Spokane 2000, a non-profit group of local businesses and civic leaders, is approved as the new concessionaire for the alpine ski area to replace the Mt. Spokane Ski Corporation which operated the area for 20 years.
  • 1999 A Classification and Management Plan (CAMP) process is started for the Park. New land classifications approved including about 10% as Recreation Area, about 58% as Resource Recreation Area, less than 1% as Heritage Area, about 22% as Natural Forest Area, about 4% as Natural Area Preserve, and about 5% as yet unclassified pending completion of the Ski Area Plan and further Commission consideration.
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Long before Mt. Spokane State Park became a haven for winter and summer recreation, Native Americans considered the summit of Mt. Spokane an ideal site for spiritual pilgrimages.  In 1909, Frances Cook began building a road to the Cook’s Cabin area, and in the early 1930s local ski club members, tired of trudging to the top, began building rope tows and lodges.  The Vista House was built in 1933 by a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) crew from Riverside State Park.  In 1934, the CCC set  up camp on Beauty Mountain for 200 workers. Cooks Cabin Lodge The existing CCC cabin, which served as the camp’s headquarters, was rebuilt on the original site in 1998.  In 1940, Cook’s Cabin Lodge opened, but it burned down in 1952, just before the grand opening of a $100,000 addition. In 1946, the world’s first double chair lift opened on Mt. Spokane and operated for three seasons.  Today, Mt. Spokane State Park is not only known for alpine skiing and snowboarding, but also for its excellent groomed nordic and snowmobile trails, snowshoeing, dog sledding, backcountry skiing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback and llama riding, picnicking,  and gazing at the 360 degree view of 3 states from the summit elevation of 5883 feet.

Alpine Skiing

The alpine ski area encompasses 1,250 acres and 35 trails.  It has 5 double chair lifts and a vertical drop of 2,065 feet.  It is open Wednesdays through Sundays and night skiing is available.  Call (509) 443-1397 for the snow report or (509) 238-6373 for other business, or visit the website at www.mtspokane.com.  The alpine area is operated by  the non-profit Mt. Spokane 2000.

Nordic Skiing

There are about 21 km. of 14 foot wide groomed trails at an average elevation of 4700 feet for nordic skiers of all levels and abilities.  Parking for about 180 cars is adjacent to Selkirk Lodge, a 40' X 60' log warming shelter with picnic tables, restrooms, and ski patrol facilities.  A smaller log hut sits in the middle of the trail system.  Grooming is done every Thursday through Monday during the season. Call (509) 238-4025 for the snow report.

Snowmobiling

About 50 miles of trails within and adjacent to the park are groomed for snowmobiling.  Within the park, snowmobiles are restricted to the groomed trails, the CCC area on Beauty Mountain, Mt. Kit Carson, and other designated trails.  Parking is available in the lower
Sno-Park lot and at Bear Creek Lodge, near the park entrance.

Other Winter Recreation

Trails 105, 121, parts of 100, and the lower end of 120 are reserved for non-motorized winter recreation.  Free parking is available at roadside pull-outs.  Dog sledding and skijoring are permitted on the snowmobile trails.  Snowshoeing is not permitted on the groomed nordic trails.  Tubing is available at Bear Creek Lodge.

Summer Recreation

Summer users are encouraged to follow the Yield Triangle: cyclists yield to equestrians and hikers, and hikers yield to equestrians.  Additionally, cyclists and equestrians are not permitted off trail in Natural Forest Areas.  Currently, all entry into the Natural Area Preserve on Ragged Ridge is by permission only.

Parking

Parking is free throughout the park from May 1 through October 31, and there is no entry fee. The Sno-Park Program was developed in 1975 to provide cleared parking areas for winter recreationists.  A Sno-Park permit is required to park in the snowmobile (lower) and nordic ski area (upper) parking lots throughout the winter.  Both daily and season permits are available at several retail shops in Spokane which specialize in winter outdoor equipment, at Bear Creek Lodge, at the alpine ski area lodge, and from the park rangers.  Permits are valid throughout Washington, Idaho and Oregon.  Summer parking is free.

General Information

Winter hours: 8:00 AM--10:00 PM.  Summer hours: 6:30 AM-- dusk.
Additional information and maps are posted on bulletin boards at the park office, the Selkirk Lodge, and the snowmobile Sno-Park lot.

Park office phone: (509) 238-4258.  State Parks website:  www.parks.wa.gov.

Snow plows and sanding trucks are frequently on the rough and narrow, winding road, so please drive carefully.  Motorists are advised to carry chains when driving in the park during the winter.

Limited summer camping is available in the Bald Knob campground for $10/night.  Group camping is available in the CCC area.  There are 85 picnic sites.  The campgrounds and summit road are closed during the winter.

Firewood gathering, hunting and Off  Road Vehicle use are prohibited.  Pets must be on leashes at all times.  Alcoholic beverages may only be consumed in campgrounds and parking lots.  Keg beer is prohibited.

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