Pacific Northwest - JOHN WAYNE TRAIL - Any riders of the eastern portion beyond the river?

Any veterans of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail beyond the river out there?

I plan to be over in eastern WA and Idaho in September doing some trail survey. It occurred that I could probably get some photos of portions of the JWPT on the way to update the TrailLink.com JWPT web page.

<http://www.traillink.com/trail-photos/john-wayne-pioneer-trail.aspx>

They have five photos and nothing current. They all seem to show heavy ballast.

I don't plan to ride it, but there are several sections that look interesting and are road-accessible - such as that concrete bridge at Rosalia, Wa.

Any suggestions as to where the better bits are located?

I have ridden parts of the trail east of the Columbia. Yes parts are heavy ballast and parts are very loose and sandy. None see much use. I would recommend a Mountain Bike. If you take a cross bike, put the fattest tires you can fit on it and they probably won't be fat enough.

The eastern part of the trail is managed by the Department of Natural Resources, out of the Ellensburg office. If you call them at 509-925-8510 they will send you a packet of information, including detailed maps showing where the trail is open and closed all the way from the Columbia to the Idaho border.

I have ridden parts of the trail east of the Columbia. Yes parts are heavy ballast and parts are very loose and sandy. None see much use. I would recommend a Mountain Bike. If you take a cross bike, put the fattest tires you can fit on it and they probably won't be fat enough.

The eastern part of the trail is managed by the Department of Natural Resources, out of the Ellensburg office. If you call them at 509-925-8510 they will send you a packet of information, including detailed maps showing where the trail is open and closed all the way from the Columbia to the Idaho border.

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Thanks for the data. Perhaps I can stop in and get the packet in person. I plan to sample up the trail by van as my schedule and destination permits. The bridge at Beverly is not too far off my route. That concrete bridge over at Rosalie looks interesting. I would like to photograph were the JWPT and the Columbia Plateau Trail cross - but that is out in the scablands.



I cruised all the pix on Google E - lots of sturdy hikers. No signs of bikies.

I have a Spec. FSR xc Expert optimized for trail survey work, but ballast is right out. Ditto sand. Understand Army has a lot of that.

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I have a Spec. FSR xc Expert optimized for trail survey work, but ballast is right out. Ditto sand. Understand Army has a lot of that.

Sand, oh yeah. Army has plenty as does the climb from Kittitas to the Boylston tunnel. Post some pics up when you are done. I'm kinda of a geek for the old Milwaukee Road myself and would love to see what you find.

Sand, oh yeah. Army has plenty as does the climb from Kittitas to the Boylston tunnel. Post some pics up when you are done. I'm kinda of a geek for the old Milwaukee Road myself and would love to see what you find.

Sand is such fun. Front wheel parks and I continue on forward. I loaded a bunch of the trestle ride from Twin Falls out to Alice Creek on TrailLink.

<http://www.traillink.com/trail/iron-horse-state-park.aspx>

Look on the trail map and all the geocoded pix are strung out along the trail so you can take a virtual tour.

I also loaded a bunch of the Hyak - downlake section two weeks back, but I don't see them on the page. Transmission error, I guess.
Load them again, but not today.

I did the Idaho rails to trails from plummer to (can-t remember) anyhow, 72 miles paved and gentle, beautiful scenery and well worth the ride. Pics on the internet.

I did the Idaho rails to trails from plummer to (can-t remember) anyhow, 72 miles paved and gentle, beautiful scenery and well worth the ride. Pics on the internet.\

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Yes, Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes. It is a delightful ride. Spent five days on it last season. I plan a few days there next week. There are a number of good paved trails in the Spokane, CdA area, making it a good destination for Class I riding: Spokane Centennial, N. Idaho Centennial, Fish Lake, TCdA,

TrailLink has no pix on the Spokane Centennial, so it's on the list.

I've hiked on parts of the JWPT near Rock Lake/Ewan WA. I'm planning an overnight cycling outing down there later in the fall. Unfortunately I have no idea what to expect on the portions other than around Rock Lake. I'm keeping an eye on this thread!

I've hiked on parts of the JWPT near Rock Lake/Ewan WA. I'm planning an overnight cycling outing down there later in the fall. Unfortunately I have no idea what to expect on the portions other than around Rock Lake. I'm keeping an eye on this thread!

Almost stopped at Rock Lake for some pix. Just back from 1400 mile survey of Class I trails from Tri Cities (some nice ones), Lewiston and Clarkston ( 2, one each), Pullman, Moscow - four nice ones, Harrison on the CdA - where the rains arrived, Fish Lake, etc. Some new JWPT pix posted to the trail page on traillink. Mostly the bridges at Rosalia - which have a good deal of character.

<traillink.com>

I think you should expect medium to heavy ballast. Unless you have wide tires, that is slow, rough riding. With wide tires, slow and not so rough. Don't plan on a lot of daily miles. I have a photo of heavy ballast on the Columbia Plateau Trail page.

I would go to Google E and look at all the pix posted along the trail there to get a feel for what is where. A lot of it is miles and mile of miles and miles. You are dealing with the Columbia Basin basalts - rolling terrain and coulees from the Missoula Floods and the Palouse - wheat covered loess dunes. The Palouse is the far more scenic of the two landscape provinces.

I'd pick the most scenic section and give it a try. What that section is = ??? (Interesting question.) Those concrete bridges at Rosalia are well worth a look. Not a bad little hamlet. Has a school, etc. The best camping bargain we found was Robinson County Park outside of Moscow, ID. Electrical side for $10! Lot of tent sites. Down on the Snake - Wind Dust Park.

Might check with the DNR office in Ellensburg for up to date maps and BUMF.

FWIT - The lower Columbia Plateau Trail on the Snake - Wind Dust Park has free camping and is rather nice. Much better than I expected. Open all year.

There are three trestles and a tunnel in that section, then a climb up Devils Canyon to Kahlotus. The trestles are closed and that is part of the long ballast section, but who knows what you can find. The Wind Dust section from Burr Canyon tsl over is 3.5 miles, which makes it hikable. No idea of conditions up on the road bed or if the trestles have any floors. On the Milwaukee Road they would be lined with concrete trays holding the ballast.

The last 15 miles from the end at Ice Harbor Dam out of Pasco are graveled with 3/4 minus and rideable. No fun stuff on that leg. Wind Dust up to Kahlotus has the tunnels and trestles.