In 2025, the Dishman Hills Conservancy took a bold step forward for conservation in the Spokane Valley with the purchase of a remarkable 12‑acre property, small in size, but mighty in impact. This new addition strengthens our mission to connect and protect by stitching together lands to the north and south, expanding public access, and securing another vital stretch of the wildlife corridor that so many species depend on.
And we didn’t stop there. With the land secured, we pushed ahead on the next phase: building connecting trails and updating the maps that guide thousands of visitors through Dishman Hills each year.
The new map is a true community collaboration, created with Spokane County base maps and Spokane Community College’s Geographic Information Systems students, Michael Beaton and Garin Scott. Using simply their phones and a mapping app, Garin and Michael walked the Ponderosa Springs and Keystone trails and integrating the data into the existing map. Their work directly advances one of our strategic priorities - enhancing every visitor’s experience in nature.
With the debut of the Ponderosa Springs Trail, the Glenrose Unit just got a whole lot more exciting. Hikers now have fresh routes and new distances to explore:
- Blue Bunch Loop – a gentle, scenic 1‑mile stroll
- Ponderosa Springs + Inside Passage – a satisfying 3‑mile moderate adventure
- Glenrose to Ponderosa Springs – a full 5.5‑mile journey through diverse forest and sweeping views
Each trial offers its own rhythm, its own beauty, and its own chance for you to breathe deeply and reset your mind.
We can’t wait for you to experience these new connections between landscapes, between people and place, and between Dishman Hills Conservancy’s past and its future.
