Mount Spokane - Twin Lakes trail


This is how the lake looks from the top, twenty miles away.


Here we approach the lake.

 What:  More pictures along the way Mountain Biking. Bicycling this is ecstasy. This is fun easy riding with great views from time to time. It is much easier to do than the Spirit Lake run. Anyone could do this as long as you take it easy and go slow. The reason is that there is a very good fire road all the way. It still is challenging because unless you brake strongly you will be going very fast. I found it fun to spend my time half going fast to see how I could handle the surface terrain of the road, and then go slow to look around and enjoy the view. I've not gotten tired of this trip even though I ride it over and over. 3 hours approximately with a distance of 20 miles depending where you have your pickup car waiting.

We ride this at least once each year now and I highly recommend it because it is so much fun for being downhill so you can concentrate on the scenery and fresh air. It is a well maintained road now very wide and white clay at the top, so you won't go wrong if you don't take any of the narrow dark soil routes that lead to other lakes or whatever.
 
 Where:  This is fairly straight forward, ie. very hard to get lost on. First get past Kirk Lodge and the Ranger station until you come to the main intersection where a left turn takes you to Mount Spokane's top, straight ahead takes you to the skiiing area and a right turn takes you to the big parking lot. Turn right to the parking lot and continue to the first Y and then take a right again. Now you should be at the Selkirk Lodge for cross country skiers. By the big keosk or billboard of signs begins a trail system used by bikes in spring/summer/fall. It has 5 sections separated by intersections of all the trails. Pick any trail you want to get to intersection#2, then take any trail to junction#3, then be sure to take the trail named "Shady Way" which goes over to Shadow mountain. By this time you have traveled up and down hills for about 2 miles. Go approximately another 1/2 mile to the 4th junction and take a trail to the right called Twin Lakes trail. At this point the trails have decided that you have climbed enough and allow you to glide about 15 miles downhill on high quality roads of Quartz sand and gravel with beautiful sights all along the way. Go about a mile on this sight filled trail looking down for the far off Twin lakes below. The trail Ys off right before hitting the road that takes you all the way down, but either branch leads to the same place. You will see a gate across the trail, but go round that. The road has no major turn offs to confuse you. Just stay on the main trail and enjoy the ride.
 
 Cautions: You will need a shuttle on this one unless you want to climb 20 miles back up. Because of downhill speed, your bike will take a lot of vibration. Be ready for any jeeps coming uphill fast. There are friendly cows on the road in places. Try not to scare the cows which would make them run. Go slow with them until they can find a trail that they can walk off into. Try to talk calm to them so as to get through them and not run them. Be clear with your ride as to where to be picked up as Silvery Sands Beach Resort listed on our map didn't exist upon arriving there. (See WHERE for details) Many of these trails are steep and/or rocky so I would not bring young unexperienced children along.
 
 List:  Since it would be very difficult to ride uphill the way you came, have a ride waiting for you at the intersection of Twin Lakes Road and Highway 41 which is where the trail comes out. There is no obvious resort here where you can buy drinks, so you will still be relying on your water till the ride comes. There is a public boat ramp near the meeting point of the two lakes so you could swim and have your ride come here for pickup. There is only one road here so don't worry about getting lost. Bring a water filter if possible since you follow a great stream all the way to the lake. Take tubes, tools.  Definitely first aid kit since this is fairly remote.