Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest by Natalie Bartley

Author:Natalie Bartley
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781493014781
Publisher: Falcon Guides
Published: 2015-04-27T16:00:00+00:00

Cleverly themed “All Aboard” and capturing the spirit of rail history, this trail is an adventure in learning. Discover commonly used rail terms and learn about the natural environment as you travel the route.

Opened in 1998, thanks to the work of the Pullman Civic Trust, the trail is jointly managed by Moscow, Pullman, the University of Idaho, Washington State University, and Whitman County. Since this smooth, easy trail is heavily used by bicycle commuters traveling between the two border cities of Pullman and Moscow, trail users need to be alert at all times and use proper trail etiquette.

Start at trail mile 0 on the east side of Pullman at the Pullman Trailhead, on the edge of the Quality Inn parking lot. End in Idaho at trail mile 7.0, just on the edge of the University of Idaho campus in Moscow. Educational rest stops with detailed interpretive signs, frequent benches, restrooms, and emergency phones smooth the way for visitors. The trail runs parallel to WA-ID 270 as it wanders back and forth across Paradise Creek and over thirteen bridges.

The first rail service to the area originally was the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, which arrived in Pullman in 1885. It later became the Union Pacific Railroad. The trail follows a part of the line that eventually extended to Moscow. “Student Specials” carried students from various parts of Washington to school at Washington State University.

On the present-day trail you can learn loads of railroad lingo, such as the term jerkwater, which refers to a small town that has no water source. Train crews had to “jerk” buckets of water from a local source, like a creek, to provide the water to power their steam engines. Be sure to stop and enjoy the numerous educational signs along this well-documented rail trail.

After the first 0.5 mile out of the Pullman Trailhead, grain silos and a grain elevator loom large. They used to hold white wheat—a major crop of the region used for crackers, noodles, and cakes. A sign identifies the elevator spur as Lava Siding. A siding is a brief section of track that connects at both ends to the main tracks. The siding enables a train to wait on the side, where it can be loaded and unloaded—in this case with wheat. Interesting geological features are visible in the area. Note the basalt rocks, which indicate old lava flows that were 50 to 100 feet thick.

Farther down the trail, read about the Home Stead Flag Stop, at 3 miles. Near 5 miles the active track runs beside Paradise Creek and the trail. The small creek you are following originates in the Palouse Mountain Range to the south, ultimately traveling to Moscow, then Pullman, on to the Snake and Columbia Rivers, and then into the Pacific Ocean. Paradise Creek provides a habitat for local birds and wildlife. Western meadowlarks, killdeer, and tree swallows are but a few of the creatures supported by the creek ecosystem.

Beyond 6 miles you cross the Washington-Idaho border and enter the fringes of Moscow, Idaho.

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