Palouse to Cascades Trail Tunnel

We waited about 20 minutes for the fourth party member to find us but it was okay since it was a gorgeous fall day with beautiful colors all around us and a dusting of snow on the highest peaks. It almost seemed a shame to spend the hike in the dark in the tunnel. This was my first time exploring and worth doing! Four of us agreed that our sense of sound was greatly heightened without sight.

We collected 2 dog bags full of trash and enjoyed taking pictures of graffiti, 3 Chucky-type creepy dolls, and one doll's head. It was fun to see the tiny pinprick of light at the opposite end of the tunnel get bigger and bigger. The breeze was surprisingly strong as we neared each end. The path was surprisingly clear (I guess I was expecting gravel) and as long as you avoid the 1-1.5 feet on each side of the tunnel where boards are rotting through, the footing is solid except where water is dripping onto the path and eroding to gravel. We had no problems with it.

We didn't encounter any bats, rats, or birds. We only saw 2 bikes and 2-3 other walkers. A fun "spooky season" outing. The parking lot has bathrooms with hot water and hand dryers, nice after getting chilly hands in the dark tunnel.  The four who canceled missed out on a fun trip!