Hike the Saltese Uplands Conservation Area

Saltese Uplands Conservation Area is one of the conservation areas owned by Spokane County. Only a short drive from I-90, it's popular for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, though I have only hiked it so far. The outer loop of the trail is about a 3.6 mile loop, with ~649 feet of elevation gain. There are plenty of spur and connector trails to make the hike more interesting. From the parking lot you can either conquer the elevation gain right away, or stay along the road for a while before climbing.

The trails tend to stay very well maintained, excepting a few mud puddles, and the parking lot is large and has a porta-potty at the trailhead. The best part of these trails (in my opinion) is the opportunity for wildlife viewing, especially birds. There's a relatively high number of nesting raptors in the area (like red tailed hawks and great horned owls), along with bald eagles and osprey hunting the wetlands across the road during the spring.

Trail information and map: https://www.spokanecounty.org/...