Easy Access in Liberty Lake Regional Park

By Abby McAllister
Liberty Lake Regional Park just east of the Spokane Valley is a truly wonderful place to explore with your kids.  Of all the outdoor places we like to visit, this has become our favorite.  We've come in all seasons and never been disappointed (although shady and icy conditions in winter limit the distance you can cover).  We always see wildlife (geese, beavers, birds, snakes) which is a big hit with the kids.  The trails offer bridges (kids love those!), a mix of flat, "humps and bumps," and some uphill climbing with the majority of our exploring being along the relatively flat sections.  We have come looking for goecaches and found some very fun ones.  We even stumbled upon a training and conditioning course we didn't know was there and had some fun climbing the wall and swinging on a rope swing.  There are camping and swimming opportunities in the summer and a fun play structure right off the parking lot.  Enjoy some photos from our explorations and then check out our "when you go" section at the bottom to plan your own adventure!
When You Go:
The address of the park is 3707 S Zephyr Rd, Liberty Lake, WA 99019.  It is found by winding around a bit in the hills east and south of the main town of Liberty Lake.  There are signs as you get closer so don't loose hope!  Here are directions from the parks website:

From I-90 Eastbound:
  • Take Liberty Lake exit 296
  • Continue straight on E Appleway Ave toward N Molter Rd (.9 mi)
  • Turn right on N Molter Rd and continue 1.1 mi until you reach E Valleyway Ave (golf course pond on left)
  • Turn Left on E Valleyway Ave and continue, become S Lakeside Rd, stay left at the "Y", road narrows (2.5 mi)
  • Turn right on S Zephyr Road to park entrance (.4 mi)
From I-90 Westbound:
  • Take Liberty Lake exit 296
  • Enter roundabout and exit onto Liberty Lake Road to head south over the freeway
  • Turn left to go east on E Appleway Ave
  • Turn right on N Molter Rd and continue 1.1 mi until you reach E Valleyway Ave (golf course pond on left)
  • Turn Left on E Valleyway Ave and continue, become S Lakeside Rd, stay left at the "Y", road narrows (2.5 mi)
  • Turn right on S Zephyr Road to park entrance (.4 mi)

Once you have found parking, your kids will probably want to explore the immediate area.  There are picnic tables, a play structure, beach front, a covered picnic shelter for large groups and a lot of grass.  Once they are ready to move on you will have to follow a trail along the hill side and around the lake in order to access the official trail system.  On this initial trail you will see a boardwalk leading out into the wetland areas with a platform at the end.  This is a great place to see geese and ducks.  You will also pass by the camping area just before arriving at the gate to the trail system.  The trail here is mostly level and easy to follow as it winds through trees and open areas.  Along the creek which parallels the trail you will see signs of beaver activity along with an interpretive sign.  Eventually you will come to a fork in the trail.  The right branch takes you immediately over a bridge and the terrain will become much steeper to the left and bumpier to the right.  The right turn after the bridge will take you to the log wall and rope swing.  The left will take you up a steeper climb toward Mica peak.  If you choose not to cross the bridge but take the left fork you will climb to the Cedar Grove conservation area and a waterfall.​  Check out the map here for more details.  For information on camping, the fee season and schedule, and more visit their website here.  We hope you take time to get your kids out into this wonderful place of exploration!