Episode 5 – Paddling Bonnie Lake

By Chris Hoppe, Director of EWU EPIC Adventures

If you are looking for a new adventure that is suitable for the whole family, consider heading to Bonnie Lake, located about 30 minutes south of Cheney, Washington. Though this trip is relatively undiscovered by the masses, parking may still be limited.

To access the lake, choose your favorite paddle craft, PFD, and snacks for the 1-mile journey along rock creek. During your paddle to the lake, enjoy views of tall basalt cliffs, rock arches, and diverse wildlife that really make this area one of Eastern Washington’s hidden gems. After about 45 minutes of leisure paddling, you will arrive at beautiful Bonnie Lake. If you are up for another 20-30 minutes of paddling, head over to the island in the middle of the lake, where you can stretch and eat a snack before your trip back. This hidden oasis is the perfect place to relax, explore, and enjoy unplugged time with family and friends. 

Your return trip will likely be a bit faster as you’ll have the assist of the a downstream current. This trip is recommended for mid to late spring, and can be the perfect happy hour adventure after a long work day. 

More information and location:  https://paddling.com/paddle/trips/bonnie-lake-washington/ 

Paddleboard information:  https://badfishsup.com/.

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Enter at the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge main gate, 4 miles south of Cheney on S. Cheney Plaza Road (free Nov. 1-Feb. 28; March 31-Oct. 31, $3 per day or use various annual National Wildlife Refuge/Parks passes). Drive approximately 1 mile in and park at the paved lot with toilets (check Turnbull’s website for possible coronavirus-related bathroom and other facility closure updates). Both of these hikes or runs leave from here. 

Pine Lake Trail/Stubblefield Trail (1.3-5 miles)

Directly across from the bathroom, follow the paved Pine Lake Trail alongside Winslow Pool and around Middle Pine Lake. This is the best place in the refuge for spotting swans, and the music of numerous songbirds fills the air above the cattails from early spring through late fall. This loop trail is 1.3 miles of level terrain. To add out-and-back distance to this loop, leave the paved trail onto the dirt two track near the far side of Middle Pine Lake. This dirt two track soon comes to a T-junction; take the right. This two track soon comes to a Y junction and a sign for Stubblefield Trail. Take the left uphill into the prairie for longer-range views and spring wildflowers. 

Auto Tour Route (6-12+ miles)

From the parking lot, run back towards the refuge entrance. Take the first right to run the Auto Tour Route loop dirt road clockwise (cars go counterclockwise and are very infrequent). This loop passes numerous wetlands, ponds, and little lakes. From the parking lot around the loop and back is 6 miles of level terrain. Watch for moose, fox, coyotes, ducks, muskrats, and numerous migratory waterfowl. There are clean, year-round toilets every 1.5 to 2 miles (check Turnbull’s website for closure updates). Because of the toilets, level terrain, relative solitude, varied scenery, and accessibility to auto support from friends and family, this loop is ideal for long-distance training or even personal long-distance events at six miles per lap. Five laps plus one around Pine Lake Trail makes a fine 50K, for example.  

Cautions: Moose can be dangerous and should not be approached. Ticks are numerous in the spring and early summer; use insect repellant and stay on the wide, dirt road Auto Tour Route (toward the middle, away from grass and shrubs) during tick season.

Read Jonathan Johnson’s essay about running the trails of Turnbull.

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It took me two tries to complete the 130-miles of the Columbia Plateau Trail (CPT), officially named the Columbia Plateau Trail State Park. The first time, we rode the former rail line turned trail about one-third of the way before bailing in the tiny town of Benge, Wash. Our first mistake: we picked the wrong direction and rode straight west into a 20-30 mph headwind. And then our second, bigger error was not having the right bikes for the job. Our 2” mountain bike tires weren’t up for the task of plowing through the thick, loose chunks of railroad ballast rock that litter the nearly 100-mile, middle section of the trail.

A few years later, we were back for a second try on fat bikes with 4-inch, ballast-rock busting tires headed in the right direction: uphill but with the wind at our backs from Pasco to Spokane. 

Day 1: Pasco to Kahlotus

The first 15 miles of our early-spring trip flew by with excellent crushed-gravel conditions along the Snake River. Once at the Snake River Junction, riders have two options for avoiding 4 gated trestles that require a detour. For fewer surprises ride the paved highway east to Windust Park on the river where you’ll find camping, water, and restrooms (if they are open). A more adventurous option, at least when we rode the route in 2016, is to leave the CPT and ride another abandoned railroad line closer to the river that involved some boulder dodging and Russian thistle wading. At Windust Park we filled our water bottles (you might also be able to get water at a nearby farm) and left the river, climbing up the CPT to our first camp near Devils Canyon and the town of Kahlotus.

Day 2: Kahlotus to Middle of Nowhere

Dramatic desert scenery gives way to a slow crawl over chunky ballast rock on a long, straight stretch of relatively uninteresting trail between Kahlotus (water stop) and Washtucna, which at the time had an inviting café and watering hole. Another closed trestle blocks riders just to the west of Washtucna (a farm access road and short hike-a-bike regain access to the trail on its north side). Then it’s onward through a long stretch of rough ballast rock riding. Beautiful basalt formations; massive sagebrush; and wildlife sightings including mule deer, rattlesnakes, and badger help keep your mind off of the challenging trail conditions. Another blocked trestle after an hour or two of riding warrants abandoning the CPT again. Use your maps to detour around the private land surrounding the closed trestle on roads. Trespassing is illegal and could jeopardize the future of the trail for others. 

Legal camping and access to drinking water east of Washtucna can be challenging. Plan on stocking up on provisions for this long stretch through the middle of nowhere. You should be able to find water at the church in Benge (and possible camping in town if you ask). You can also ask for water at the grain elevators in Lamont. Despite the fact that there are some nice camping spots next to the trail, camping along the CPT isn’t allowed. You can, however, find in-town camping options as well as legal camping on BLM land at Escure Ranch and Fishtrap Lake. The town of Sprague a few miles off the CPT also offers services as varied as a store, bar, café, and motel if you’re looking for the comforts of home.

Day 3: Middle of Nowhere to Spokane

For the last stretch of ballast rock riding, you may run into swamp-like conditions west of Lamont. To keep your shoes dry, leave the CPT and pedal the highway into Lamont where you can regain the trail at the grain elevators. Once you’ve reached Martin Road Trailhead, in addition to being treated to an outhouse, your ballast rock biking experience is over, and it’s smooth sailing on crushed gravel surface through Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge to Cheney. Continue on the paved section of the CPT to Fish Lake, where a few miles of road riding will connect you back off-highway on the paved Fish Lake Trail all the way into Spokane.

Planning Your CPT Ride

If you plan to ride the trail point to point, this article isn’t close to a sufficient guide to the trail. Do your own online research, procure maps, and be prepared for the unknown and some adventure. You will need to be self-sufficient and carry all the gear, food and water, first aid, and tools you might need.

For a more relaxed and less demanding experience, explore the Columbia Plateau Trail in more pleasant sections on day-rides from the developed trailheads or towns. For more info, visit the Washington State Parks Columbia Plateau Trail page.

[All photos by Derrick Knowles]

For more inspiring stories, visit the OTO archives for stories about the Columbia Plateau Trail and bikepacking.

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This is a very sad story. Begs the question: was the driver prosecuted after hitting the cyclist? Thanks to KHQ for the video.

The post Driver Kills Pedestrian In Cheney Months After Hitting Cyclist appeared first on Out There Venture.

The Spokane Regional Sports Commission has posted results from this year’s Washington State Masters Cycling Championships. If you missed the race on June 27, read about it here.

Top finishers in each group:
Junior C (ages 13-14): Luke Feasline (Vertical Earth)
Junior D (10-12): Logan Feasline (Vertical Earth)
Junior A (17-18): Kyle Brown-Wollin (Unattached)
Junior B (15-16): Alex Springer (Rad Racing NW)
Master Women A: Gina Kavesh (Wines of WA/Bikesale.com)
Master Women B: Renee Compton (Zuster Cycling)
Master Men D: Mike Burdo (Garage)
Master Men C: Jim Stefanoff (Emde Sports)
Master Men B: Lynn Taylor Pilant (VegtleadED.com)
Master Men A: Michael Emde (Emde Sports)

View complete results here.

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