Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
A 65-mile section of the Columbia River Plateau Trail, between Kahlotus and the Martin Road trailhead 20 miles south of Cheney, was also part of the move to close down the trails in a budget bill at the end of the legislative session. The fate of the move to close the trail segment essentially matched the fate of the John Wayne Trail proposal.
Supporters of the John Wayne Trail learned about the similar move to close down the Columbia Plateau Trail as they researched the legislative move.
The 130-mile trail stretches from Cheney to Pasco. It was the former Spokane Portland & Seattle Railway and was consolidated into what is now the Burlington Northern Santa Fe which roughly parallels the SP&S from Ritzville down to Pasco.
“It's a very similar trail to the J.W. It's just more north-south than east-west,” said Nikki Fields, Trails Coordinator for Washington State Parks.
The main difference is that the Columbia Plateau Trail is “rail-banked,” which means it's still being held for possible future use as a rail line, requiring that it be kept in such a state so a rail line could be laid back in.
The John Wayne Trail is different.
“That is land that was purchased outright,” said Fields.
The Columbia River Plateau Trail section also escaped closure by a mistake in the budget provision, which deemed it to close “from the Martin Road Trailhead to Williams Lake Trailhead.”
“That's a way of saying the same thing,” explained Fields.
With the error, the fate is still uncertain.
“I don't think it will be closed with the current language,” said Fields. “To my knowledge it is not going to happen right now."
The former Spokane Portland & Seattle railroad went through Lamont in the northwest corner of Whitman County and proceeded south through Adams County. The Columbia Plateau Trail and the John Wayne Trail cross in Adams County. The trail continues south through Benge and runs along Highway 26 at Hooper and then west to Washtucna and Kahlotus.
Segments of the trail have been developed from Pasco to Kahlotus.
The trail intersects Bradshaw Road outside of Cheney. Bicycle riders can continue south on the trail through the Turnbull Reservation or they can ride north on the trail all the way to Spokane where they can link up to the Centennial Trail east of Riverfront Park in the Kendall Yard area.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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