Summit Trail to Mount Spokane

Summit Trail to Mount Spokane climbs to the 5,883-foot summit of the highest peak in the Selkirk Mountains near Spokane, delivering extraordinary views across eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and into Canada that justify every foot of elevation gained on this demanding ascent. The trail begins in subalpine forest and climbs steadily through stands of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce, transitioning to open rocky terrain near the summit where wind-sculpted krummholz trees cling to the exposed ridgeline. The summit hosts a historic fire lookout and communications towers, and on clear days the panorama is genuinely staggering: the city of Spokane is visible to the southwest, Lake Coeur d'Alene shimmers to the east in Idaho, the Canadian Selkirks form a serrated horizon to the north, and the Cascades appear as a distant blue silhouette to the west. Wildflowers including lupine, paintbrush, and penstemon paint the upper slopes in vivid color during July. Marmots whistle from rocky outcrops as hikers pass, and Clark's nutcrackers work through the whitebark pine stands harvesting seeds. The summit can be icy into June; check conditions before attempting early season ascents. Mount Spokane State Park is one of the largest in the Washington system, encompassing 14,000 acres of spectacular mountain terrain just 35 miles from downtown Spokane.