Columbia Plateau State Park Trail

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail: Eastern Washington’s Ice Age Flood Showcase on Historic Railroad Right-of-Way

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail transforms 130 miles of abandoned 1908 Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway corridor into eastern Washington’s premier geological adventure, where visitors witness stark reminders of one of the world’s largest volcanic fields carved by cataclysmic Ice Age floods while traversing the unique channeled scablands landscape from Cheney to the Snake River confluence. This 3,876-acre linear park offers two distinct trail experiences including a paved 3.75-mile section perfect for families and inline skating, plus 19.25 miles of crushed rock wilderness passing directly through Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge where more than 200 bird species including trumpeter swans create exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities along semi-arid shrub-steppe terrain dotted with ancient flood-carved basalt formations.

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail Fast Facts

Park Overview

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail occupies a dramatic geological corridor where visitors experience firsthand evidence of the world’s largest volcanic field transformed by cataclysmic Ice Age floods, creating the distinctive channeled scablands landscape that makes eastern Washington unique among North American terrains. The trail follows the abandoned 1908 Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway right-of-way, which the Burlington Northern Company operated until 1987 before Washington State Parks acquired this linear treasure in 1991, preserving both the area’s railroad heritage and its extraordinary geological story spanning 15 million years of volcanic activity and massive flood events comparable to today’s Great Lakes unleashed when ice dams burst in northern Idaho.

The park’s character emerges from its dual nature as both historical transportation corridor and natural showcase, where interpretive panels along the route explain how dozens of flood events carved basalt buttes, canyons, and scabland formations while railroad remnants including the historic Burr Canyon Trestle built in 1908 remind visitors of the engineering feat required to traverse this challenging landscape. This unique combination creates educational opportunities ranging from understanding massive lava flows that buried eastern Washington under a sea of basalt to witnessing how Ice Age floods sculpted the terrain into the stark, beautiful channeled scablands that define the Columbia River Plateau’s distinctive geography.

Activities & Recreation

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail’s signature experience combines geological education with outdoor recreation, where the paved 3.75-mile section from Fish Lake to Cheney offers accessible inline skating and family cycling while the remaining 19.25-mile crushed rock section provides wilderness hiking and equestrian access through increasingly remote terrain toward Martin Road. The trail’s passage through Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge creates exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities, especially during spring migration from March through May and fall migration from September through November when visitors may witness the famous trumpeter swans along with elk, deer, moose, and more than 200 documented bird species in early morning and evening hours when wildlife activity peaks.

Facilities & Amenities

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail provides comprehensive trailhead facilities at six major access points including parking for both vehicles and horse trailers, restrooms, picnic shelters with tables, and informational kiosks explaining the area’s geological and railroad history. Specialized amenities include equestrian highlines at Amber Lake and Martin Road trailheads, drinking fountains at select locations, and interpretive panels throughout Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge that educate visitors about Ice Age floods, volcanic geology, and wetland ecosystems. The trail’s design accommodates diverse users with ADA-accessible sections, directional signage connecting to major highways, and facilities positioned to support both day trips and longer wilderness excursions along the historic railroad corridor.

Camping & Accommodations

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail is day use only.

Planning Your Visit

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail operates from 6:30 AM to dusk year-round with Discover Pass required for vehicle access to trailheads, though no additional trail usage fees apply for this day-use park experience. The trail’s remote eastern Washington location requires careful preparation including ample water and food supplies, as public facilities become scarce along the route and summer temperatures often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit with limited shade available. Access points are strategically positioned along Interstate 90 with clear directional signage, though visitors should plan routes carefully as crossroads are rare and the undeveloped southern sections toward the Snake River require advanced preparation and self-sufficiency for safe exploration of this challenging but rewarding geological showcase.

What to Bring & Know

• Extra water and food supplies essential for trail’s remote eastern Washington location with limited facilities and extreme summer heat exceeding 100°F
• Maps, compass, and navigation tools for longer excursions as crossroads are rare and undeveloped sections lack clear marking systems
• Early morning or evening timing recommended for optimal wildlife viewing in Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge when animals are most active
• Geological curiosity to appreciate Ice Age flood evidence and 15-million-year-old basalt formations that create the distinctive channeled scablands landscape
• Railroad history interest to understand the 1908 Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway heritage and remaining trestles along the corridor

Final Word

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail delivers an unparalleled combination of geological education and outdoor adventure, where the dramatic evidence of Ice Age floods carving through ancient volcanic landscapes creates eastern Washington’s most spectacular showcase of natural forces along a historic railroad corridor rich with both scientific and transportation heritage.

This park is part of the Explore Washington State Parks Directory—showcasing all of Washington’s State Parks from the rugged Pacific coast to the Cascade peaks. Whether you’re camping under old-growth forests, hiking scenic trails, or discovering local history, we’re highlighting the places where people connect with the state’s incredible natural and cultural heritage—all year long.s

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Explore Washington State

Explore Washington State has been covering the real Washington for more than a decade. State parks, small towns, back roads, rest stops, and the people who make this place worth exploring. What started as a hyperlocal project covering individual communities grew into a full media project with more than 340 podcast episodes, a weekly newsletter with 3,800 subscribers, and coverage of all 146 Washington State Parks. The content here comes from people who have actually been to these places: locals, regulars, and lifelong Washington residents who care more about getting it right than getting clicks.

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