Walked for a couple hours with friends and lots of kids. Beautiful day and lots of wild flowers. As we were driving out, I noticed a small insect crawling on my arm. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was a rather large tick. I subsequently discovered two others on me and several others on my wife and kids. Beware of the blood suckers!

This was mine and my friend's first time snowshoeing, and I'm so glad we chose this hike. The refuge is beautiful, with rolling hills and blankets of snow. The road from Cheney to the refuge was rough, but once you enter the refuge the roads are very smooth. We rented our gear from REI since this was our first time snowshoeing. We arrived at about 1:30 and ended at roughly 4; however, we stopped often to take pictures of the breathtaking scenery. We only saw one other couple during our adventure. It was quiet and serene. I will definitely be back in the summer time to see the wildlife, as we saw no wildlife during our trip this time.

My wife and I visited family near Spokane for Thanksgiving. I did an early morning exploration of Turnbull, and was glad that I did. Everything looked different than Western Washington. I enjoyed the differences. There are elk, moose, mule deer, and other wildlife at the refuge. I heard the elk at dawn, but could not locate them. I saw beautiful mule deer with big antlers that shined in the morning sun. And I saw a coyote, hundreds of Canadian Geese, and about 80 wild turkeys. It was 11 degrees F. with about an inch of crunchy snow on the trail. Pine Lake was frozen. I dressed appropriately and did not feel the cold. It was a good decision to visit the refuge on a cold morning.