Bill Chipman Palouse Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bill Chipman Palouse Trail |
|
|---|---|
| Length | 7 mi (11 km) |
| Established | April 4, 1998 27 years ago |
| Trailheads | Moscow, Idaho Pullman, Washington |
| Use | Biking, in-line skating, hiking |
| Elevation change | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Highest point | 2,535 ft (773 m) |
| Lowest point | 2,355 ft (718 m) |
| Grade | 0.5% |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | All |
| Months | 12 |
| Sights | Palouse, Paradise Creek |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Right of way | Palouse River Railroad, formerly Union Pacific |
The Bill Chipman Palouse Trail is a cool paved path in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It stretches from Pullman, Washington to Moscow, Idaho. This trail was finished in 1998. It used to be a railroad track! Now, it's a great way to connect these two university towns in the beautiful Palouse area, right across the state line.
Exploring the Trail
The trail is about seven-mile (11 km) long. It gently goes uphill as you head east from Pullman. You'll follow Paradise Creek and cross it 12 times. These crossings are on old railroad bridges!
The highest point on the trail is in Idaho. It's 2,535 feet (773 m) above sea level. As you go west towards Pullman, you'll drop almost 200 feet (60 m). The trail is pretty flat, making it easy for everyone.
Along the way, you'll find two rest areas. There are also three emergency phones. Plus, you can learn about the area at different "interpretive areas." The trail runs next to State Route 270 (which becomes State Highway 8 in Idaho). It's not just for fun; it's also a path for students. They can use it to travel between the University of Idaho and Washington State University.
How the Trail Was Built
It took 12 years of hard work to create the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail. Many people and groups helped out. It was officially opened on April 4, 1998.
This trail is part of a special program called "Rails to Trails." This program turns old railroad lines into paths for walking and biking. It helps save these old routes for future use. The trail is open from dawn to dusk every day of the year. It's safe and fun for people of all ages and abilities.
A group of park and trail experts manages the trail. They come from Whitman County, Pullman, Moscow, the University of Idaho, and Washington State University. Once people started using the trail instead of the highway, the highway was made bigger. It was widened to five lanes in 2008.
Building the trail took a long time because the railroad was still active. There were two train lines between Moscow and Pullman. They had to decide which one to keep. They chose the BNSF line. This meant the old Union Pacific Railroad line could be removed. Work to remove the old tracks started in October 1996.
The Union Pacific line was first built in 1885. It was called the Columbia and Palouse Railroad back then. Later, it became part of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company.
Connecting Trails
The Bill Chipman Palouse Trail ends about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) into Idaho. It connects with another path called the Paradise Path. This path goes for two miles (3 km) through the University of Idaho campus.
The Paradise Path then connects to the Latah Trail. This trail goes for twelve miles (20 km) east to the small city of Troy, Idaho. The Latah Trail was finished in October 2008. It's ten-foot (3 m) wide and paved.
All three of these trails used to be old railroad lines. Together, they make a total of 22 miles (35 km) of path from Pullman all the way to Troy!
