Hog Lake Loop

Hog Lake Loop Trail is a two-mile loop through golden meadows and Ponderosa Pine forests, just half an hour from Downtown Spokane. From Spokane take the I-90 west for 26.2 miles until you reach the exit 254 toward Fishtrap. After taking this exit make a left onto Sprague Highway Road East and continue for a mile before taking another left onto Lake Valley Loop Road. Continue down Lake Valley Loop Road for half of a mile crossing the railroad tracks and continuing straight. Take a left onto Jack Brown Road in another half of a mile and continue until you reach the parking area (should be in 0.7 of a mile). At times the gate at the entrance to Jack Brown Road is closed and you will need to use the parking area to the right of the gate and hike in the rest of the way which will add around a mile and a half respectively. 

The trail begins in a moderately forested area, making a way through Ponderosa Pines adjacent to a large grouping of cottonwood. During this section the trail makes brief inclines and the trees begin to thin out giving way to large clearings of tall grass. In early spring there is a small creek with a wooden footbridge however from late summer through winter this creek will most likely be dry. For the first half-mile, small basalt formations can be seen dotting the landscape giving this area its moniker, the Scablands. At around half a mile into the hike, you reach a slight crest and begin to descend into a wide valley, from this point the canyon surrounding the lake should be visible. 

Once you have reached the cliffside above the lake the trail splits into two. One trail continues along the loop, the other descends another small hill reaching the rocky south bank of Hog Lake and the viewpoint of Hog Lake Falls. Once you've reached the lakeside be aware that a barbed-wire fence keeps hikers from coming within a couple of hundred feet from the falls, the other side of the fence is private property and no trespassing signs are visible. It's common to see the property owners herd of cattle grazing above the falls or resting on the far bank of the lake. The lake itself is walled in by tall basalt cliffs, reminiscent of many other lakes in the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge. To get back onto the lake loop take the same path you used to reach the falls back to the main trail and continue on. For the next quarter-mile, the trail climbs grassy hills with sparse trees along the cliffside, this section provides panoramic views of the lake in its entirety. The trail then passes through a grove of cottonwoods and around a small pond before beginning to move away from the lake. 

At just a little over a mile and a half, the trail ends at a small gate with a safety chain keeping it closed. After closing the gate behind you take an immediate right onto the wide gravel road. The remainder of the hike (around 0.4 of a mile) will be completed on this road and at around two miles total you will arrive back at the parking area. Remember to exercise caution when hiking in the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge, be mindful of both wildlife and hunters in the area.