In Search of the Dwight Merkel trail to Riverside State Park

In the wooded area behind Albi Stadium and the Dwight Merkel Sports complex, there's some trails used by us locals for dog walking, jogging and biking.

After my shoulder healed earlier this summer,  I got brave and rode my cross bike down this slippery, twisty, gravelly trail off the north side:

And ended up in the housing area at the bottom of this picture:

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Ever since the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex was built in North Spokane near Joe Albi Stadium last year, I've wondered about the planned trail from the complex down to Riverside park. Where was the start going to be? Maybe I should volunteer. I looked all over the but couldn't find anything posted about the trail.

From the bottom, I could see another wider, gradual, straighter trail heading up the hill. Turns out they already built the trail to Riverside!

there's the housing development on the left side

It took me a few times riding up the trail to find what I think is the start of the trail at the top. It's the same spot I started at, but at one of the junctions with other trails you have to stay left and climb up for a little bit:

There are a couple other junctions like this where I think you need to go left to stay on the trail to Riverside.

Here's another picture from the trail looking west. I've been meaning to head down there on a nice sunny day with the good camera instead of my phone, but apparently that's not gonna happen.

The easiest way to find what I think is the start, is to enter the wooded area here behind center and left field:

There's info on the trail here from the Spokane Parks Dept. There is a link there to a Facebook page with pictures of the trail building back in July 2010.

A random picture taken from above, near the cemetery: