Spokane Valley Opens 1.5-Mile Pinecroft Trail

The city and Department of Natural Resources opened a new loop trail at the 100-acre Pinecroft Natural Area Preserve after years of closure.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Hiking

Spokane Valley Opens 1.5-Mile Pinecroft Trail

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The City of Spokane Valley and the Department of Natural Resources opened a 1.5-mile trail at the Pinecroft Natural Area Preserve at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The 100-acre site had been closed to visitors for years.

Why it matters

The opening gives residents of Spokane Valley public access to a special natural area that was previously closed. The trail was built with protections for rare plant features on the preserve.

The new loop covers 1.5 miles across a 100-acre preserve managed by the Department of Natural Resources, one of nine natural areas in its Northeast Region. Visitor numbers and ongoing maintenance plans for the trail have not been reported.

The players

City of Spokane Valley

The municipal government of Spokane Valley, Washington, which partnered with the state to build the trail.

Washington Department of Natural Resources

The state agency that manages public lands and natural area preserves, including the Pinecroft site in its Northeast Region.

The details

Visitors can reach the trail entrance by walking west from Mirabeau Meadows, the recommended parking spot. The trail is open from dawn to dusk, and DNR took care during construction to protect rare plant features on the site.

Timeline

  1. Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026: Trail opens to the public at 10 a.m.

Season Trajectory

The opening adds to the Spokane region's growing set of publicly accessible natural areas managed under Washington's Natural Area Preserves system. It places a previously closed ecosystem within reach of local hikers for the first time in years.

Visitors should park at Mirabeau Meadows and walk west to reach the trail entrance. The trail is open from dawn to dusk, so plan visits within those hours.

The takeaway

Newly opened public trails like Pinecroft show how protected natural areas can be shared with the public while safeguarding sensitive plant life. Check park hours and parking locations before your first visit.

Further reading

For more trail options, browse the Hiking section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by KXLY 920 News Now (KXLY AM).

Live Poll

Do you support using public natural areas like Pinecroft for local hiking trails?