Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition
The eastern section of the PTCT is largely undeveloped. Be advised that there are no State Park campsites east of the Columbia River. There are also only a few towns with water available or other services. All visitors are required to register to use the PTCT east of the Columbia River. This is partly to track the volume of use and also to be a way to share information pertinent to travel on the PTCT. Click HERE for registration information. The Blue Mountain Area of State Parks manages the PTCT east of the Columbia River and can be reached at 509-386-0876.
The trail is effectively closed between Texas Lake Road (east of Revere) and Malden due to private property ownership and construction. Please follow the detours shown below.
Route Description East of the Columbia River
Beverly to Warden 54.8 miles
Beverly is a small community of homes adjacent to the PTCT. Just south ¼ mile is another community called Schwana which has a gas station where there are some food supplies. The trail going east is hard packed sand. There is a trailhead with a restroom and camping about 2 miles east if you go north off the trail onto WDFW land. In about 8 miles you need to detour off the railroad grade onto a dirt road heading east as there is still an active railroad until Warden. This dirt road closely parallels the railroad grade which is above you on the hillside to the south.
Continue on RD 17 SW which changes names and in about 13 miles comes out onto SR 26. In less than one mile turn right onto S Danielson Rd. This becomes S Bench Rd. Turn left onto S Broadway Rd and follow this through town. There are numerous businesses along Broadway. Turn right onto Lee St and then north onto S Booker Rd which takes you directly into Warden.
Warden to Lind 22 miles
Warden is a great small town with a grocery, restaurants, a hardware store, and a City that welcomes travelers on the PTCT. The trail begins at the east end of town parallel to Fir Street on the right. The trail parallels the Warden Lind Road for 9 miles to a grain elevator at Roxboro. Here the trail veers south into a wide valley with not much around at all. The surface is somewhat sandy along this section. When approaching Lind turn right onto SR 21 and follow it into town. (view detour) At N I St turn left to find restaurants, a grocery, and city hall. Turn right onto Van Marter Ave and go up the hill to the Lind trailhead. There is no camping here but inquire at the grocery or restaurants.
Lind to Ralston 15.5 miles
Leaving Lind head east. The rebuilding of SR 395 blocked the railroad ROW. Follow the signs downhill and through three tunnels under the highway. The E Lind Ralston Road parallels the trail on the north side all the way to Ralston.
Ralston to Revere 33 miles vi detour
Ralston is a place with a few homes and a community park maintained by the local Ralston Grange. They allow camping here and there is water and WiFi. State Parks is planning a trailhead where the trail intersects. SR 261. There is a missing trestle over Cow Creek about 5 miles east. The trail is open to the missing trestle, but it is a cliff on both sides of the valley and there is no way down the cliffs, so this is only an out and back experience.
Thanks to the generosity of adjacent property owners, TDH Properties have constructed Cow Creek Crossing which bypasses the missing trestle. This is a wonderful dirt route through a working cattle ranch open only March 1st through October 31st. Please stay on the trail, no camping, no guns or hunting and don't bother the wildlife or cattle. This is a wonderful scenic route across Cow Creek. (View detour)
Marengo is a former railroad station location but there is nothing there now. The trail going east is now passing through the Scablands of exposed bed rock. In about 9 miles the trail passes under the Columbia Plateau Trail which connects to Cheney. The surface is railroad ballast and not easy to navigate. It is another 5 miles to Revere from the CPT crossing.
Revere to Ewan 11 miles via detour
At Revere the only item of interest is the large grain elevator left over the railroad days but still operational. There are no services here, but you can go down the Jordon Knott road to the west of the terminal onto BLM land which does allow camping. This is part of the Escure Ranch managed by BLM. Head east from the grain terminal to Texas Lake Road where a detour is required due to part of the railroad ROW being privately owned. (view detour) You can proceed as far as the bridge over Rock Creek, but beyond that it is private. At Texas Lake Road turn left and then right on Wagner Road which takes you to SR 26. Turn right onto SR 26 for 4 miles to Ewan.
Ewan to Pine City 14 miles via detour
This section requires a significant detour (view detour). The ROW directly north of SR 26 is privately owned by the grain terminal. From SR 26 go north 1.5 miles on the Rock Lake Rd. Turn right onto Gene Webb Rd. Just to the left of this intersection is access to the PTCT off of Rock Lake Rd, but the trail is blocked 2 miles north at private property. Continue east on Gene Webb Road 2.7 miles, then left on Stephen Road. Following Stephen Road comes out at the same place, but it has many more hills than the recommended route. Go north ¼ mile on Stephen Road and right onto Patterson Road for 7.5 miles where it connects back to Stephen Rodd. Turn right on Stephen Road and continue ¼ mile and turn left onto Kenova Road, which is a dirt road that is just beyond Hole in The Ground Road. You will come to the trail at Kenova in ½ mile and can go left out to Rock Lake or right to Pine City and Malden.
Note: The trail is blocked at the trestles along the north end of the lake. There is no possible way to go around this blockage placed by State Parks. You cannot go through along the lake!
Notice: Due to the Babb Fire the trail between Kenova and Malden is temporarily closed. You will need to use the roads between these two points.
Pine City to Malden 3.5 miles
Pine City is a community of only a few homes left after the 2020 Babb Fire and a grain terminal. The trail ends at the grain terminals. Turn right onto the Pine City Malden Road and go around the terminals. Just before the bridge turn right back on the trail.
Note: Currently this section is closed due to the Babb Fire.
Malden to Rosalia 9 miles
Malden is a wonderful community that was almost completely destroyed by the Babb Fire in 2020. State Parks is building a trailhead at Malden, repairing bridges and improving the surface. There are no services in Malden. There is camping at the City Park which is up the hill from the Malden trailhead.
Rosalia to Tekoa 20.2 miles
Rosalia is a small city with restaurants, a grocery, and camping at the city park. The PTCT is located to the west of town up on the hillside. It is best to leave the trail at Gashous Road (view detour) and continue east up to S Whitman Ave, the main road through town. Turn right onto S Whitman Ave through town to W 7th st where you turn right down the hill. The S Park Ave Road to your left goes to the park where there is tent camping, water, and sometimes a swimming pool. Turn left on Betty Bruce Road which intersects the trail in a few hundred yards. From here the trail winds through the Palouse farmlands to Tekoa.
Tekoa to Idaho 5.6 miles
Tekoa is a town similar to Rosalia with restaurants, a grocery and a hardware store. There are no accommodations or camping in Tekoa. Heading east from here the trail wanders NE to the Idaho border. If you don't like high trestles there is a bypass route (view bypass).
Idaho to Trail of the Cour d’Alenes 11 miles
The PTCT officially ends at the Idaho border. The “Idaho Link” route is only available because private property owners have graciously agreed to allow trail visitors across their land for the next 3 ¼ mile to Mowry Road. It is private property beyond this point and the railroad ROW is not passable. The road past this point is no longer flat, but goes up and down. Follow Mowry Road east to Agency Road. Follow this up and over some hills and turn left on Boswell Road. This connects to Fairfield Road. Turn left onto Anne Antelope Road which takes you to the trailhead for the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s.
Detours
Unfortunately the PTCT is not quite a continuous path yet. There are a number of detours required due to missing trestles, some which will never be replaced. There are also visitors who may not be comfortable crossing very high trestles such as Renslow and Tekoa. We have provided bypass routes at those locations. There is no reasonable bypass for the Beverly Bridge. The routes below are our recommendations although there are alternates.
