SPOKANE, Wash. — Mount Spokane State Park now has a detailed blueprint for the next 20 years.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission approved the “Mount Spokane State Park Master Plan” on July 9.
The plan was created by two staff members of Washington State Parks, Paul Knowles, a trails program manager, and Melinda Wolfman, a parks planner.
The plan is divided into three phases, with the first phase including a major project to demolish Bear Creek Lodge and replace it with a new visitor center and official park entrance. The master plan says this will officially establish that location as the park’s main entrance.
More phase one projects include the addition of a multi-use trail on the north side of Park Road between Bear Creek Lodge and the entrance trailhead.
Right now, the park has both multiuse trails and a few single-use trails. Some single-use trails only allow hikers, and some only allow bikers.
One mountain biker who regularly uses the park’s trails supports the addition of new trails to the park.
“Replacing the Bear Creek Lodge with a proper visitor center will bring more folks to the park to enjoy the trails,” visitor David Good said. “My hopes are that trails for hikers and bikers, and horse backers come along with that new visitor center.”
The master plan also includes improvements to Selkirk Lodge — adding more parking and additional classrooms. There are also plans to install more signage throughout the park.
Although these projects have been approved by the commission, the park will still need to find different sources of funding for these projects. According to the master plan, the park plans to consult the Washington State Legislature for some of the funding.
Phase one projects are expected to be completed within the next seven years. Phase two projects will follow between years seven and twelve, while phase three projects are expected to be completed in the final six years of the plan.
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