Hauser Conservation Area, WA/ID Stateline
By Holly Weiler
Cover photo courtesy of Holly Weiler
Hauser Conservation Area might be accused of being a bait-and-switch misnomer of a park: the name is so firmly associated with a lake in next-door Idaho, that visitors may have some unmet expectations. So, first, what this conservation area is not: it’s not in Idaho, although it is close; it does not offer lake access, nor even a lake view. But it does offer a low-key, quiet hike that’s perfect for fall shoulder season, with well-maintained access if our region receives wet or even snowy fall weather.
Photo courtesy of Holly Weiler
In fact, a visit here following one of the first deep rainfall events of fall is among my favorite outings. The conservation area itself has a very diverse forest and is a great place to visit to look for fall mushrooms. I cannot speak to the edibility of any of the mushrooms one might find, but I find all of them very photogenic.
The property was acquired in two phases through Spokane County’s Conservation Futures program, with the purchase completed in 2018. A parking area was added in 2020 and numerous upgrades to the loop trail on the property were made by volunteers with Washington Trails Association in the years since. The conservation area is small, at just 192 acres, with less than two total trail miles. However, those looking for a longer hike can explore the adjacent Department of Natural Resources (DNR) property.
Photo courtesy of Holly Weiler
The DNR property has a walkable system of former logging roads and lacks any trail markers, so it’s easiest to add on an out-and-back hike until becoming familiar with the area. While it’s primarily a second-growth forest, some of the western white pine trees here are among the largest one can find in Spokane County. (Note that hunting is a permitted activity on the DNR property; wear hunter orange if visiting during hunting season.)
The best fall colors and mushroom peeping occurs within Hauser Conservation Area itself. A small part of the property was formerly a tree farm, and the rest has been logged in the distant past but has regrown with a dense tree canopy including hemlock, cedar, and western white pine in the low areas, along with a few drier and rockier outcroppings that are primarily Ponderosa pine. Look in the understory in the wetter trail sections to find the best mushrooms, plus watch in the higher openings for the last of the wildflowers as fall transitions to winter.
Getting There: From Spokane, travel Trent eastbound to Starr Road in Otis Orchards. Take Starr north toward Newman Lake, then take a slight right on E. Hauser Lake Rd. Turn left on Koth Rd. and follow the signs to the Conservation Area.
Holly Weiler is the Eastern Washington Region Senior Coordinator for Washington Trails Association. When not leading trail work crews this fall, find her rushing to harvest everything in the garden before the first frost, along with chasing fall colors on regional trails.
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