Ferry County Rail Trail paving in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ferry County Rail Trail
What do you do with an empty railway running from Republic north to Canada? You make it accessible for everyone to enjoy!
The Ferry County Rail Trail runs 28.5 miles on an abandoned railway from the U.S.-Canada border to an existing trail at Republic, the county seat. Some portions of the trail are in good condition for mountain biking while some stretches are still rough.
Rail Trail Trestle Remodel Complete. Photo Courtesy of Ferry County Rail Trail
In April 2014, the Curlew Lake Trestle across the north end of the fine fishing lake was re-decked and opened for public use. Recently, An 8-foot wide surface of crusher fines was spread and compacted on 2.3 miles of the abandoned railway along the west side of Curlew Lake in May. The new surfacing from Pete’s Retreat South to Herron Creek Road connects to the improvements made last summer for a total of 5.5 miles, all the way to the trestle at the north end of the lake.
Just recently, a portion of the trail beginning in the community of Curlew, following the Kettle River and ending at a train tunnel 3.2 miles down the trail was surfaced. It’s perfect for a bike or hike! This beautiful stretch is not to be missed. Read more about this project in this recently published Spokesman-Review article.
Next time you visit Republic enjoy the Rail Trail with the whole family!
Find more information, videos and updates about the Rail Trail on their Facebook page here or on their website at //www.ferrycountyrailtrail.com/.
Click to download a PDF of the map
Article, Photos and Map Source: //www.ferrycountyrailtrail.com/