Photos!

Cheney/Spokane Funhouse Rail Ride

Photos!

What follows is a description of my trip. I have added pictures to the text where applicable. The photos are in JPEG format and generally run about 35kb to download. Clicking on a link will bring up a picture.

How would you like to ride a rollercoaster for athletes? Where you can go "weeeee" all the way down, and yet you don't have to work too hard to get up the other side. This ride is just the thing to cheer you up. And best of all, it's free! I will give you the rough outline of the trail in pictures on this page, with the hope that someone out there will be able to help me out with a better map. Eventually I hope to have a nice topo map, but for now my instructions will have to do!

Getting there: Leave Spokane by getting on I-90 heading West, toward Seattle. Immediately after crossing Hangman Creek and starting up the hill, take the turnoff to 195 South towards Pullman. As you begin heading south, you will see the turnoff to the Cheney - Spokane Road on your right. You should see the Tidyman's store as well. Take the turn, and head for the store. Go 4.5 miles past the store on the Cheney - Spokane road, and you will see this bridge over the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks. Go over the bridge, and park on the left hand side of the road across from the gravel pit.

Clic k Here, and you will be transported to the Microsoft Expedia Map site and a map of the area.

Here is a view of the bridge over the railroad tracks, with the gravel pit just across the bridge on the right. Park on the left, where the road is widened.

This view is facing North across the road to the gravel pit. The trail you must take is shown with yellow arrows.

At the top of the trail, head Northeast bearing right and at .35 miles you will come to this single track "tunnel". Follow it as it takes you around the west side of a ravine which leads back down to the railroad tracks and you will come to this

first little dippitty-do at the top of the ravine. Go down and up, and you will come to the a "Y" at 0.81 miles. Take the right branch, and you will begin heading in a more southeasterly direction, around the other side of the ravine. Continue heading along the trail in an east-southeast direction, keeping the ravine on your right side. At 1.19 miles, you will find yourself at a bluff overlooking the ravine to your right, with the railroad tracks below and straight ahead and the trail running off to your left continuing eastward, parallel to the railroad tracks and above them. Go east, and the fun will soon begin!

At mile 1.57, you will see the beginning of the burned area. This area burned this summer (1997) when a train emitted some sparks along the track and a stiff wind carried it up the side of the hill. The burn ends at 1.71, and the singletrack continues, going up and down in a continuous fun ride. Keep going, and keep up the speed! Be careful of the sand at the bottom of each loop-d-loop, as it is treacherous!

Here is an example of one of the smaller "rollers" at about mile 2.15. Finally, after several miles of this fun, you will come to

this "Y" 4.09 miles from start. Take the left side of the Y and you will begin a steep climb to the top of the bluff.

At the top of the climb, you will be rewarded for your efforts by this beautiful view. The trail continues eastward along the edge of the bluff,

with the sky stretching out before you.

Finally, you reach the turn-around point at 4.68 miles.

Off in the distance looking northeast you will see Spokane. Now turn around and have just as much fun going back. If you take the ride, please send me some e-mail and tell me how you like it!

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