HIKING -- A Washington nudist park north of Spokane is celebrating National Trails Day June 2 with a clothing optional hike. Kaniksu Ranch Family Nudist Park near Loon Lake, WA will host the hike Saturday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. in its 260-acre forest. The park, run…
WHITEWATER RIVERS -- Rafters, catarafters, kayakers and surfers had thrills and a few spills and chills over Memorial Day Weekend at Lochsa Falls rapids on the Lochsa River, Idaho. The snowpack forecast spells a great whitewater season for floaters in the Inland Northwest. Read on…
WHITEWATER -- Guides are gearing up to give discounted raft runs through some of the Salmon River's popular rapids at their biggest on Saturday during the annual Big Water Blowout festival based in Riggins, Idaho. Get the scoop here.
WILDLIFE -- Wildlife are quickly figuring out the safety benefits of an underpass built on Idaho Highway 21, where about 2,600 vehicles travel to and from the Boise area each day. Instead of becoming roadkill, deer have been documented using the underpass to come and…
FISHING -- SEATTLE -- Washington fishermen who oppose a proposed mine in Alaska are having their say at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing today in Seattle. According to the Associated Press, Sen. Maria Cantwell requested the hearing because she says fishermen would be affected if…
RIVERS -- In their fifth year, the Meet Me at the River trips sponsored by the Spokane River Forum are one of the best ideas ever floated to introduce people to the segments of the river that eventually cover all 112 miles from Lake Coeur…
The Pend Oreille Riverkeeper group is looking for volunteers to help with a lake-wide water quality monitoring program. The goal is to produce reliable, scientifically credible data from water samples collected from multiple locations throughout Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River on a…
PUBLIC LANDS -- Fires were purposely set on the Colville National Forest last week to provide two big dividends later this summer: a hedge against catastrophic wildfire and a boom in lush tender growth to feed elk. Colville National Forest crews have completed a 320-acre…
SALMON FISHING -- Effective Saturday, June 2, the bag limits on adult chinook salmon will be reduced for parts of the Clearwater drainage. The new bag limits will be four salmon per day, but only one may be an adult, and 12 in possession, but…
FISHING – Sign-up is underway for limited openings in a two-session fishing clinic for adults who haven’t been introduced to the sport. The clinic seeks to fill the gap to help people learn how to catch fish even if they don't come from a fishing…
FISHERIES -- Alexandra Morton, the Canadian biologist that sounded the alarm last fall with her findings of a virus that had killed millions of farmed fish in Chile in wild salmon off the British Columbia coast, is busy these days, after another virus found in…
HIKING -- Believe it or not, hikers participating in this can cross 17 bridges over portions of the Spokane River in an enjoyable -- especially during spring runnoff -- stroll in downtown Spokane. An annual event sponsored by Spokane City Parks celebrates this unique Spokane…
NATURE -- A colorful day is in store for people who sign up for the Butterfly Talk and Walk on Saturday, 9 a.m., at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. John Baumann of the Washington Butterfly Association made 19 visits into the refuge backcountry over the course…
PREDATORS -- Why would a mountain lion want to mess with a wolf? That's what a Montana wildlife researcher is wondering as mountain lions take a toll on the radio-collared wolves she's trying to follow through the Bitterroot Mountains. The risk of injury doesn't seem…
STATE PARKS -- Washington's Discover Pass, a vehicle permit required in state parks and other public lands, is getting help from a public relations firm to boost lagging sales. The pass was created by the Washington Legislature to fund the State Parks System. A public…
FISHING -- Stocked with fishing tackle, Idaho Fish and Game's Take Me Fishing Trailer is scheduled through out North Idaho in the next few weeks. The next event is Thursday at Hauser Lake. Fishing equipment and bait can be checked out for free during the…
NATIVE AMERICANS -- Enrollment is underway for the Kalispel Encampment, an educator's workshop June 28-30 with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and the David Thompson Bicentennials Partnership. Educators will bask in the Native American history and culture as it meshed with the fur-trade era in…
BACKPACKING -- With the snow still a few weeks from clearing off mountain trails, early season backpackers don't have to wait to hit the trail for multi-day trips. The Inland Northwest has a good assortment of trails that some hikers have been enjoying since March.…
BICYCLING -- A few slots remain open in the June 2 CHaFE 150 bicycle event ride out of Sandpoint. The 5th annual catered event includes 150- and 80-mile ride options in a Gran Fondo format. Sign up online. Read on for details.
PUBLIC LANDS -- Road damage has forced the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District to restrict access on Forest Service Road 209 (Little River Road) between milepost 21 and 22, near Picnic Creek (about 2 miles north of Honeysuckle Campground). The road has sustained excessive water…
RESERVOIRS -- The level of Lake Roosevelt was 1248.90 at 9 a.m. today as the lake continues to fill. The Bureau of Reclamation predicts the levels will continue to rise up to 1 foot a day over the next week. Through the Memorial Day weekend…
SHOOTING -- Girls will rule Saturday, June 9, at a Take Your Daughter to the Range Day sponsored by the Bonner County Sportsmen’s Association. The event is set of 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Sandpoint Outdoor Range off of Baldy Mountain Road with a heavy…
SALMON FISHING -- Up to six hatchery origin spring chinook salmon may be retained on the Wind River from the railroad bridge upstream starting Saturday, the Washington Fish and Wildlife has just announced. Up to four of the fish can be adult chinook. Similar limit…
FISHING -- More than 5,200 northern pike have been gillnetted out of the Box Canyon portion of the Pend Oreille River downstream from Newport this spring. But anglers still are likely to catch them, says Jason Connor, the Kalispel Tribe's pike management project leader. Here's…
FISHING -- The Richland Rod and Gun Club is sponsoring a Moon Light Catfish Tournament starting at 7:30 p.m. on June 1 and ending at the 2 p.m. weigh-in on June 2. Apparently the tourney organizers are catfishermen, who know that night isn't the most…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.