A sense of peace and solitude is what you feel when traveling through the Colville National Forest's scenic 7,000-foot mountains and beautiful valleys, hiking the trails, or camping by pictureque lakes. The 1.1 million acre Forest is located in the northeast corner of Washington, bordering Canada. The Forest's great salmon runs first attracted native Americans to the area; and, later miners, fur trappers, and homesteaders made their way here to tap the area's abundant resources. Special places of interest include a major recreation area with wildlife viewing opportunities nestled in the mountains at Sullivan Lake; Chewelah Mountain for winter sports; Little Pend Oreille Lakes Chain; Bangs Mountain auto tour for geology; Sherman Pass, the highest pass in Washington; the Salmo-Priest Wilderness; Thirteen-mile National Trail; and the Log Flume Interpretive Trail.

The Colville National Forest disproves the widely held notion that Washington state lies flat east of the Cascade Mountains. Today's 1.1 million acre forest was first shaped over 10,000 years ago by Ice Age glaciers that carved three major valleys of today's Columbia, San Poil-Curlew, and Pend Oreille River flowing north into Canada before entering the Columbia River.

Northeast Washington is a camping paradise ... and it is all inside the Colville National Forest. You can take your pick of camping experiences from an array of settings from dry ponderosa pine forests to high-country subalpine fir. Set up your tent at a dispersed site along the crystal-clear streams in the Kettle Range or the beautiful Salmo-Priest Wilderness Area. If you are in the mood for a less rustic experience, stay at one of the Collvile national forest's 28 developed campgrounds.

Where ever you stay, remember that you are responsible for helping care for the land and facilities. Most non-fee campgrounds do not have garbage service, so please pack it out. Be sure to take your own water to campsites where water is not available.

Season passes are sold by our concessionaire and are good at all area campgrounds they operate. Besides the POV, those areas are: Little Pend Oreille; Sam Owens (Sandpoint Ranger District); Priest Lake RD; and Coeur d' Alene River RD.

Sullivan Lake East, West and Group sites are reservation campgrounds. Call 1-877-444-6777 or e-mail at www.reserveusa.com to reserve a campsite. All other campgrounds are first-come, first-served.

Biking:

This years Fall Mt.Bike Fest at Swan Lake was the 10th. It marked the 8th year that we have been in partnership with the City of Spokane's Parks and Recreation Outdoor Program. There were 69 participants in the two days of activities. There were 10 staff and volunteers that worked, instructed, supervised, photographed, directed, and lead . . .

Adult Ride Tech. Clinic (Mike Aho)

Advanced Ride Tech. Clinic( Naomi Keilwitz)

Canoe/Kayak Tech. (Megan Rolland)

Kids Poker Ride (all)

Trail Side Repair Class (Scott Charbonneau)

Kids Crafts (Sarah Aho)

Adult Obstacle Course (all)

Kids Obstacle Course (all)

Evening Nature Hunt (Susie Thiele)

Womens Only Ride ( Sarah Aho, Naomi Keilwitz)

Adult Poker Ride ( all)

Organization/Administration (Susie Thiele)

Donations for prizes were donated by many bike shops, outdoor equipment retailers, and merchants in Spokane, Colville, Republic, and Curlew. Donations were generous, and everyone was a winner. The weather only failed for a couple hours Sunday morning, raining on the "womens only" ride (go figure)...then stopping before the adult poker ride.

Numbers of participants were down from the previous year...due to weather forecasts. 80% of the participants come from the Spokane area.Curlew JCCC Forestry crew provided the fire wood for the camps, and cleared the ride routs for the event.

Spokane Parks and Rec. provided the tandem bikes, trailers, kayaks and canoes.Fun was had by all.

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