A wilderness adventure that’s close to home

Private landowners and the public come together to bring 60-plus miles of trails to Moscow’s backyard

By ANTHONY KUIPERS FOR DAYTRIPPING

A partnership between public and private landowners transformed a natural landmark into one of Moscow’s best daytrip destinations. In the 1990s, the private landowners on Moscow Mountain began allowing the public to create and use nonmotorized trails on their land to indulge the community’s hiking and biking needs. Since then, it has become one of the most popular outdoor recreation spots on the Palouse.

“It’s such a gift to the community and to the people of the Palouse,” said Ginger Yoder, spokeswoman for the Moscow Area Mountain Bike Association.

MAMBA is the local organization that partners with landowners to create and sustain recreation on

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Moscow Mountain, she said.

Over the years, more than 60 miles of trails were formed with the help of MAMBA. Several are even available for the winter as trails for snowshoeing, fat biking and cross-country skiing.

Yoder said MAMBA performs trail maintenance, parking lot maintenance, disseminates information about the trails and how its users can respect the land. It has approximately 250 members.

The Moscow resident said one of Moscow Mountain’s best features is its accessibility.

“From my doorstep to the Headwaters parking lot is six minutes,” she said, referring to one of Moscow Mountain’s trailheads. “I can literally load up my bike and be unloading my bike at a trailhead in six or seven minutes, and I live in town.”

The mountain allows people a chance to get out in the wilderness, see stunning views of the Palouse and meet other adventurous folks along the way. Yoder said the social aspect of enjoying the wilderness with others is one of her favorite aspects of outdoor recreation.

“We really get to build community out in this beautiful nature,” she said.

Yoder encouraged anyone interested in visiting the mountain to download a free trail map at mambatrails.org

She also encouraged them to be courteous of the land, respect closures, not start fires and pick up trash.

“Be willing to explore and adventure and know that we want to leave the trails better than we found them,” she said.

Soon, some of those trails may have public permanent access.

According to a March 5 Lewiston Tribune report, the Palouse Land Trust, along with the MAMBA and the Palouse Road Runners running club, have raised more than $40,000 that will help pay for management of two easements near the Idler’s Rest Nature Preserve.

The access easement will allow the construction of hiking and biking trails that connect Idler’s Rest with other trails. n

LOCATION: From Moscow, travel north on U.S. Highway 95 for 4½ miles, turn right onto Lewis Road then left onto Foothill Road to get to the Headwaters Trailhead parking lot. From Troy, turn onto Big Meadow Road from Highway 8, turn left on Randall Flat Road, turn right onto Tamarack Road and follow for 5 miles, until you reach the Tamarack Road Hiking Path parking area.

WHAT YOU’LL DO: Hiking, biking, snow skiing

DIFFICULTY: Between 2 to 4 out of 5.

DON’T FORGET: Trail map, hiking or biking shoes, sunscreen, water

NEARBY SITES OF INTEREST: Idler’s Rest Nature Preserve