Beautiful Autumn day with fall foliage. Great views East then North as we completed the loop. My grandboys (10yo and 8yo) did a 4 mile loop with me up California Creek (stay to the right at the first fork after leaving the parking lot) then down Moonshine Creek (apparently during Prohibition there were stills hidden in these woods!). The paths were an old road that had a gentle grade and well maintained. Since WTA has installed signs and done trail work in 2022 this area is now a fun hike. There were a couple of groups of mountain bikers who were very polite and for the most part took the side trails and stayed off the two main trails we took. Nice big parking lot with a sani-can. Great day with the grandboys and a good family hike.

I started from the trailhead at the end of Belmont Road, the first time I've been there. I've previously hiked to the top of Mica Peak from the county park at Liberty Lake, and I wanted to reach the summit again on this hike.

The trailhead is nice and can accommodate plenty of cars. There were only about 5 others on this warm and sunny Sunday, however, I didn't get started until 3:30 pm. 

There's an excellent trail system sign at the trailhead and the trails are very well marked. I ran into a couple hiking parties heading back to the trailhead, and a party of 3 trail bicyclists late in the day, and that was it for sharing the trails. Didn't see any wildlife except for birds. I came across huckleberries near the summit and paused to eat a few handfuls. It's sort of a roundabout route to make it to the summit, so I was disappointed to have to limit my stay to get back before dark. At the summit, there're a lot of cell and communication towers and a fenced-off FAA installation, which includes the white radar dome. Walking west from the dome for a couple hundred yards will take you to a spot where you'll get good views.

At several places along my route, I was able to get a good view of the Spokane Valley and points north. There was enough smoke in the air to cause haziness, which made the views and any photo-takings a bit less than ideal. 

Another day of Spokane shrouded in fog so a friend and I headed to Mica Peak Conservation Area in the afternoon. We found the sun and blue skies that stayed with us until sunset when the almost full moon showed up to light our path. Snowshoed up California Creek, connected to Moonshine trail and followed to the viewpoint of the Palouse. Snow was deeper from this point on and we followed a snowshoe track for a bit and then a set of boot/post holing tracks, glad we chose snowshoes at this point. Ran into two other WTA volunteers who had been to the summit, four volunteers out that day of the seven of us on trail. We returned down Moonshine trail/road that was very muddy and icy the lower we got.

Another day of Spokane shrouded in fog so a friend and I headed to Mica Peak Conservation Area in the afternoon. We found the sun and blue skies that stayed with us until sunset when the almost full moon showed up to light our path. Snowshoed up California Creek, connected to Moonshine trail and followed to the viewpoint of the Palouse. Snow was deeper from this point on and we followed a snowshoe track for a bit and then a set of boot/post holing tracks, glad we chose snowshoes at this point. Ran into two other WTA volunteers who had been to the summit, four volunteers out that day of the seven of us on trail. We returned down Moonshine trail/road that was very muddy and icy the lower we got.

Parking lot is a bit of an ice skating rink, but the trail itself is mostly best suited for snowshoeing. We used cleats for the first couple miles on the way up cause everything was crusted over and icy, but when we got off the main road route snowshoes were best. It was a great way to get up to Mica Peak and get above the clouds blanketing Spokane below.

Trail conditions are great. A couple of trees down here and there, but nothing too difficult to get over/under/around. 

At times you lose track of the pre-set trail cause all is covered deep in snow, but using AllTrails it's easy to get back on track. 

Ran into two fellow WTA trail workers, Kristy and Debb, and they let me know that there is a work party coming up where they plan to put blue diamond markers on the trees for winter treks. Those will be super useful.