Outdoor heaven: These five Spokane trails are great for running, walking and hiking

Spokane is an incredible place to be a runner. There are popular road-running spots like the Centennial Trail, High Drive, Manito Park and others. There are some great running clubs to (under ordinary circumstances) make things more social.

There’s Bloomsday to culminate each year of training. But best of all, Spokane offers an incredible variety of trails. From steep mountain climbs with incredible views to vast flats to run amid wildlife, these are just five of the many local spots to get in a run (or walk or hike).

Note: For all these trails, be sure to do research before you get out there. Online resources can give you exact trail directions and more details so you don’t end up bushwhacking.

Turnbull Wildlife Refuge

Turnbull is a gem. It is 18,000 acres of the Channeled Scablands, which, despite their unappealing name, are quite stunning. The trails are relatively flat (especially compared to some of the other runs on this list) and well-maintained. The Stubblefield trail can be a short out and back or a 5-mile loop, depending on what you’re looking for. The Pine Creek Auto Tour is longer, a little over 6 miles, and is the only road-run on this list. It’s a scenic route designed for the auto tourist who wants to take a spin around the refuge, but it excels as a run, as well. Turnbull also is great for bird watching, although that can be difficult at a run. Depending on your choice, surfaces could be road, gravel or packed dirt.

James T. Slavin Conservation Area

This little-known conservation area (featuring about 6 miles of trail) is just south of town and includes a lake and series of rolling hills and flat wetlands. With the exception of a few steep sections (always brief), it’s mostly just flat single-track trails without a soul around. Trail conditions are good on the main path, with a few sections where grass brushes your ankles. If you decide to break form and leave the main path (there are a lot of variant paths to take), then remember where you started because while these diversions can be rewarding (fields of wildflowers, running atop a ridge, more mileage), you might end up at a dead end and have to backtrack. Trails are hard-packed dirt or soft forest floor. Be wary after rain, as the wetlands are liable to get a little … wet. Obey signage.

Liberty Creek/Edith Hanson Trail Loop

This trail (8.5 miles round trip, maybe a little less) is a well-known hike, but like all great hikes, it can be enjoyed as a (rigorous) trail run. Probably the toughest run on this list, it climbs well over 1,000 vertical feet. However, the payoff is two waterfalls, a creek-side trail and other cool sights. This is a trail shoes environment, as the trail is single track and there are some robust switchbacks. If you don’t want to run it all, then do the good old hike-n-jog: run the flats, hike the steeps, and just have fun. It can be a busy spot on the weekends, so be careful about distancing yourself, and consider doing this at less-popular times (a cool Monday morning?). On this kind of trail, be sure to bring water and a snack.

Iller Creek/Rocks of Sharon Loop (Stevens Creek Trail)

Want the intense vertical of Liberty Creek/Edith Hanson without quite so much mileage? Iller Creek (just south of another spot, Dishman Hills) is the place for you. A little over 4.5 miles in length, this loop offers about the same vertical climb: about 1,200 feet. Climb through dense forest and up toward some incredible rock formations and vistas. This trail might be the most impressive in terms of views and features, but you’ll have to sweat it out to see ‘em. Like Liberty Creek, you’ll want a good pair of supportive shoes for this and to be wary of passing hikers. Single-track, this trail is generally a straight-up, straight-down sort of route without too much up-down-up-down action. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll catch some wildlife, too.

Riverside State Park, Trail 25

Trail 25 is 18 miles of relatively flat trail in Riverside State Park, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it all. Either craft an out-and-back from one of the parking locations or form a loop with other intersecting trails. It varies from a thin single-track trail to a wide one mostly made up of hard-packed dirt or gravel (any supportive shoe should do nicely). The trail is used by all kinds of folks (trail biking, hiking and horseback riding) so it’s important to keep your head up and be aware of whats going on. Plus, if you keep your eyes peeled, you’ll see all the beautiful landscapes, river views and wildlife that this location has to offer. Customizable, scenic and near-to-town, Trail 25 is an all-round weekend trek.