When the Trail Washed Out, Donors Kept it Open
How donor support restored the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail after severe storm damage
Washington’s Most Expansive Trail
The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail showcases Washington in a way no other trail does. This 251-mile trail follows a historic rail bed from the lush forests of the Cascades through the open shrub-steppe of the Columbia Basin to the Idaho border, giving hikers, bikers, and equestrians the chance to explore the diverse environments of nearly the entire state. More than 80,000 people travel it each year — and a major landslide threatened to stop them all.
But donors to the Foundation helped change that.
A Fast Response
Just six months after the storms, the Washington State Parks Foundation’s donors funded emergency trail work near the Mount Washington Trailhead, enabling the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance to construct a 350-foot bypass that got hikers past the worst of the damage. King County expedited permitting and state parks staff helped ensure the project was ready for summer.
The Trail Endures
Instead of finding disappointment on the trail, visitors can now pass through a severely washed out section and reach the Snoqualmie Tunnel — gateway to the eastern half of the trail. This is the most developed and heavily used stretch of the entire 251 miles, and with full repairs likely years away, the bypass isn’t a temporary fix. It’s the trail for the foreseeable future.
Thank you to Washington State Parks Foundation donors, the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, and state parks staff for keeping this beloved trail open and accessible.