Palouse to Cascades Trail - Homestead Valley to Mine Creek Trestle

The trail begins on the southern side of the parking lot, a climb up to a service road. For 0.1 mile, the dirt trail is relatively steep, rocky and narrow, but you will soon hit a gravel service road and the trail will widen and flatten out. At the service road, turn right and continue up the gently uphill-sloping service road for 0.1 mile.

Come to a junction sign and turn left to begin hiking on the Palouse to Cascades Trail, a wide, flat gravel trail from here on out (except on some bridges). The trail heads into the forest, with many mossy trees and ferns surrounding it. 

In a quarter mile, the trees to your left thin out to reveal beautiful views of the peaks across I-90; catch a glimpse of Mailbox Peak right across the interstate. The views continue to fade in and out throughout the rest of the hike as the trees become less and more dense. 

In about 0.4 mile, you’ll reach a picnic table with expansive peak views next to a bulletin board. You may encounter climbers here, as this is also an area known as Deception Crags, a well-known rock climbing location. 

Very shortly, you’ll reach the first large bridge of the hike. Cross the long trestle bridge over Change Creek, about 0.1 mile in length. Look over the metal chain-link fence along the bridge down at the creek on your way over to the other side. 

Cross a couple of comparatively small bridges and in just over 0.1 mile, reach another picnic table. There are clear expansive views of the interstate and peaks across the way here. If this table is taken, there is another with excellent views as well in just a few hundred feet, at the beginning of the Hall Creek trestle bridge. (Though maps call the creek Hall Creek, the sign on the bridge calls the creek Hull Creek.) 

This bridge is not for those afraid of heights! It is very high up, with incredible views along the way as the trees clear up. The bridge ends in about 0.1 mile, heading back under a tree canopy into the forest.

For the next 1.2 miles, enjoy being surrounded by old-growth and greenery, interrupted occasionally by the forest disappearing for a moment to allow for views across I-90 again.

Reach the bridge over Mine Creek, another bridge not for the faint of heart. Walk high above Mine Creek along the trestle bridge for 0.1 mile to reach the other side of the bridge. At this point, you can continue along the Palouse to Cascades Trail further to extend your hike, or head back the way you came to return to the trailhead.