Future Planning for Mount Spokane
Project summary
Parks is in the process of developing a new community-informed Master Plan for Mount Spokane State Park. This heavily-used "trails park" features distinct summer and winter experiences for a variety of recreational opportunities. The master planning process, called the “Future Planning for Mount Spokane” is rooted in the exploration of what Mount Spokane means to individuals and communities and how Parks can honor that meaning over the next 20 years.
- Location: Mount Spokane State Park
- Estimated start date: June 2024
- Estimated end date: June 2025
Each phase of the planning process will reflect the explorative journey into what Mount Spokane is and could be to the community. The process will start at “Base Camp,” with a community event on June 1, 2024, to share more about our goals and gather initial thoughts from visitors. Next, we reach “Camp Which Way,” a workshop planned for early fall to work through draft ideas. Finally, we will arrive at the “Summit Ascent," a community workshop to share the Master Plan recommendations, which is expected before the end of 2024.
The end result of this community-informed effort to identify the long-term needs and management of Mount Spokane will be a master plan — think: roadmap — to guide future investments and management decisions. The new master plan will consider:
- Establishing Bear Creek Lodge as a new gateway into the park
- Winter and summer trails
- Facilities and infrastructure
- What recreation activities are allowed in what areas
- Long-term boundary of the park,
- Resource conservation and protection
- Implementation and funding strategies
Join the Mount Spokane Master Plan mailing list to receive periodic updates.
Community participation
Upcoming Event
Thank you to those who attended the June 1 Future of Mount Spokane | Explorer Series: Base Camp event at the Wonder Building in downtown Spokane. We will be collating the input and planning for the next community participation event on September 28.
Those interested in participating but unable to attend the event can sign up for the project’s mailing list here.
Project history
Numerous plans have been developed for Mount Spokane in recent decades, including CAMP and long-term boundary establishment (1999), Management Plan (2003), Interpretive Plan (2009), Master Facilities Plan (2010), Comprehensive Trail Plan (2014). This excludes efforts related to the downhill ski area expansion (PASEA). More recent studies available as resources for this current planning effort include Stewardship-led inventories and assessments of the park’s high elevation meadows and forests and the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment report (2019).