native – On the Trail of Adventure

Located in central Washington, the Lake Lenore Caves are a nice place to relax and catch some awesome views. Hiking up the path from the parking lot, the trails are well defined and easy to follow. Concrete stairs lead to the top of a section of basalt, and the trails splits at that point. The easier terrain to navigate leads to the right, while also offering a more direct route to the caves. The caves are very easy to find, as the trail leads right to them. They are not extremely expansive by any means, but the caves are large enough for a group to sit and eat lunch or find a cool spot to rest for a bit. Some more challenging landscapes are off to the left, and hikers should lead with caution when walking that path. From what I understand, there are signs posted at points to show some dangerous areas that are not recommended for hiking. Another thing hikers should keep in mind is to be on the lookout for rattlesnakes, as pointed out by the Washington Trails Association.

Geologically this area was formed during the last ice age, during a time of immense flooding. Torrential waters raced through the area, and ripped away chunks of basalt creating many of the ravines that can be found in Washington state. Since then, the natural process of water getting into crevices in the basalt then repeatedly freezing and warming have hollowed out the caves. The caves also bear a bit of a social history also, as natives were known to utilize them close to 5,000 years ago. It is thought the caves were seasonal shelters, in which some of the natives would live and work there gathering plants, fish, and other supplies. Spring and Summer would have been the most active, but as the seasons changed the natives would return to the permanent villages. As mentioned on the website Only in Your State, some of the native petroglyphs can still be found along the walls.

Room with a view

Basalt cliff behind the caves

In a crevice looking out

Deepest part I could find

Stairs leading to split trails

Looking back along the trail

Looking back into one of the narrow caves

Bowl at the end of the official trail

Another cave view

View from the top

Standing on the ridgeline, visitors can catch great views of Lake Lenore below which has a bit of an interesting story as well. As explained by Heather Carr on Insteading.com the lake was once thought to be uninhabitable. It was thought the geology of the area created an alkaline ph in the water that wouldn’t support life, so the military actually used it for a dumping ground at one point in time. In 1947 the War Assets Administration had to dispose of 10 tons of metallic sodium, and they couldn’t find anyone willing to risk transporting it. So the decision was made to drop the stuff into Lake Lenore, because the reaction would destroy the sodium. Once the metallic sodium reacted with water, it would explode and release sodium hydroxide, hydrogen gas, and a lot of heat.

Here is a link to a YouTube video showing the disposal: The Disposal of Sodium, 1947

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Fort Spokane is an incredibly interesting place, and the grounds hold a lot of history as well. Most of the buildings that once stood as part of the fort have fallen and little remains. The main reason being that the area was abandoned for many years before restorative efforts were made on the buildings that were still standing. Factors that probably influenced the creation of Fort Spokane can probably be traced back 20 years or so prior to the actual construction. At the time, the U.S. Government was pretty well set on appropriating land through means of forcibly moving the native populations onto reservations. The story up here in the state of Washington was pretty much the same according to Spokane Historical, and it molded a tense relationship between natives and settlers at times.

Old Chair in the Quartermaster Stable

Sign and overview of the foundation for the Bachelor’s Office Quarters

Down by the river

Quartermaster Stable

Looking down on the grounds and the river

Myself, my wife, and my daughter walking along the Sentinel Trail

Looking at the bridge that crosses over to the Spokane Reservation

Information sign regarding Fort Spokane

Sand down by the river

This tension increased with the introduction of the railroad to the area, and more natives were forced off of the lands they thought of as “communal.” They didn’t want to see the land basically privatized and given to settlers, because the tribes depended on the ability to freely hunt, fish, camp, and travel. In 1880, near the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia Rivers the United States introduced Camp Spokane as a means to keep peace between natives and settlers. Within a couple of years barracks, storage facilities, and other structures were added, and it was upgraded to the status of a military fort. For the following several years life was probably pretty average around Fort Spokane, without much hostility between settlers and tribes. Actually, as stated on Washington, Our Home, “one of the most interesting facts about Fort Spokane is that there was never a shot fired in anger from either the soldiers stationed at the fort or the Indians. And since there didn’t seem to be any expectation of conflict, the Army finally left the post just 18 years after its creation.”

Quartermaster Stable

Looking down the bridge that crosses over to part of the Spokane Reservation

Spokane River looking towards the Columbia

Quartermaster Stable through a Lensball

Building foundation for living quarters

Quartermaster stable

Old chain holding logs together down by the river

Barrel with the quartermaster stables in the distance

Spokane river through a Lensball

At sometime during 1898-1899 the Colville Indian Agency became responsible for overseeing the grounds and facilities. They went with the idea of utilizing it as a boarding school for natives, as to teach them the ways of the settlers. Essentially the native children were forced to learn certain western teachings, so they could more easily acclimate into the culture brought by the settlers. Much of the native culture was squashed, restricted, or swept under the rug, as was the case across much of the United States. The National Park Service calls the native experience at Fort Spokane as a “microcosm” of what they endured all over the nation. After things quieted down for the boarding school, the structures then served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1929 or so when it was disregarded and abandoned.

Quartermaster Stable

Old wagon frame in the Quartermaster Stable

Horse shoeing room with tools in the Quartermaster Stable

Looking from one end of the Quartermaster Stable to the other

Quartermaster Stable sign

Quartermaster Stable

Looking upstairs in the Quartermaster Stable

Some of the horses name plates were still in place

Name plates for horses

Section of the Quartermaster Stable

Old wheels in the Quartermaster Stable

Now, we can visit the place to learn about the history and see the displays. For families visiting, they participate in a Junior Ranger program that allows kids to learn through completing tasks around the park. Activities involve, but are not limited to hiking the Sentinel Trail, spotting and documenting wildlife, watching one of the available demonstrations, etc. There are numerous displays to see, and they help to describe what life was like. One of the most interesting buildings as I experienced it is the Quartermaster Stables, as it houses a numerous amount of artifacts. This is one of the few surviving buildings, and it is open during the spring and summer months along with the museum and visitor center. Not to mention the fact that Fort Spokane is very close to other great areas of interest such as Hawk Creek Falls, and is part of the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. An adventure to the area can lead to a pretty unforgettable day trip that should be experienced if at all possible.

Tag: native

Lake Lenore Caves

Fort Spokane: Pieces of History Still Stand