I had a Friday off so what to do, hike. The weather forecast was less than ideal for a stellar destination so I opted for low hanging fruit that was still a trail I had wanted to hike for a long time. The Mickinnick Trail sits on the edge of Sandpoint, Idaho on a ridge between Syringa Creek and Little Sand Creek. 

The hike itself starts out along a crushed gravel path complete with wood borders. It didn’t take long for trail 13 to take on a natural feel as I left the gravel behind and passed through a wood gate allowing entrance into national forest land. The trail turned right entering a long uphill switchback over a well manicured dirt path. The close proximity of Sandpoint was ever-present with the sound of train horns, small planes and traffic hummed in the distance. The trail didn’t take long in getting down to business as I made the steady climb uphill. The grade was very doable, nothing too steep which made for a good pace. After the long switch back the dirt gave way to more of a rocky trail though a series of shorter switchbacks leading to your first view at a couple of benches that were taped off due to a new layer of paint. Lake Pend Oreille dominated the view to the east.

Leaving the view behind, tree cover picked up as I settled in for another steady climb up, the views were limited for the next mile or so but the fall color, mature trees and rocky outcrops kept the trail interesting. At mile two I passed below a natural arch provided by mother earth in the form of a split tree snag, very cool! For the next mile and a half the trail passed through dense forest, open meadows, rock formations and the occasional view before finally topping out at a rocky prominence with a commanding view! 

The view from the top was stunning, as was the solitude, even the drum of Sandpoint had faded away. Lake Pend Oreille was on full display with views stretching as far as the Clark Fork River delta. The Green Monarchs, Scotchman Peaks, and Cabinet Mountains made for a stellar backdrop to the lake. I sat there for a while as time was not an issue due to the short drive to the trailhead. It was a very pleasant day with perfect temps and no bugs, fall is my favorite time to be in the mountains. I found it fitting that there was a flag pole at the summit with an American flag perched at the top with today being the anniversary of 9/11. After about a half hour I decided my time was up, so I shouldered my pack and began my descent. Just after leaving I passed an older couple with their dog that I had chatted with at the trailhead. I made quick work of the trail where back at the car I enjoyed my salad from Trader Joes before hitting the road. 

The Mickinnick Trail makes for a perfect day hike being a short hour and a half drive from Spokane. If you can avoid the weekends I would as I can only imagine how busy the trail gets being in the town of Sandpoint. Trail 13 is about 7 miles round trip with about 2,100 feet of elevation gain making for a great workout or training destination for bigger hikes. For more photos click here. Mickinnick Trail Photos