Parking lot entrance and exit swap Friday, August 7, 1:30pm-4:30pm

Idler’s Rest parking lot will be temporarily closed Friday afternoon, August 7 to allow the PLT team to adjust the entrance and exit. Currently, vehicles enter the lot using the western driveway and exit via the eastern driveway. Unfortunately, this has resulted in erosion, potholes, and instability making your experience less than pleasant.

To address the issue, the team will be switching the entrance and exits, reversing traffic flow so visitors enter via the flat, eastern driveway, and exit down the hill to the west. The project should take approximately 2-3 hours. During this time, the parking lot will be temporarily closed. Please park along the roadside during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this may cause and we appreciate your patience!

July 30: Temporary parking lot closure to repair entrance

Due to damage and rutting of the main entrance to the Idler’s parking lot, the entrance is temporarily closed as crews work to repair the damage. A team will be on-site today, July 30 to smooth out as much as possible by hand We are working with our contractor and engineering experts to develop a permanent solution and install as soon as possible.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. We will get the lot opened as quickly as possible, and until then, please park along the roadway across from the lot, along the cedar grove. THANK YOU!

June 16: Temporary parking lot closure on Thursday, June 18 and call for volunteers

The main parking lot at Idler’s Rest will be temporarily closed beginning the evening of June 17 through mid-day June 18 to accommodate Clearwater Power work crews who will be installing a new power line pole near the restroom structure at the Preserve. PLT staff will be on site to supervise and ensure the public is kept at a safe distance from the work zone.

In order to keep the crew and all visitors safe, we will be closing the entire parking lot and trail system leading to the Mountain View and Meadow View Trails. Please stay clear of the work zone and park along the roadside if you are planning a visit during this time.

Thank you so much for your cooperation and patience as we work to make Idler’s Rest safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for all members of our community.

 

Calling all volunteers! If you're looking for a way to get outside and help your community through service, we've got a great opportunity.

We're looking for Idler's Rest fans to help us dismantle the many fort and bridge structures that have popped up in recent weeks. While stick forts are super fun to make, we ask that all visitors practice the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace Environmental Ethics, which calls on each of us to leave a natural space just as we found it, or better, by picking up litter and returning the site to a natural state.

We need volunteers to break down and scatter fort materials, and any obviously human-made log bridges in the creek to return the space to it's natural open forest look - basically, we need you to huck some branches around! You can do this anytime, with no tools needed, just a little bit of time and and elbow grease. Your assistance helps keep the preserve safe, healthy, and natural for ALL visitors. If you'd like to help out and want more details, just comment here or send us a message, we'd love to chat.

As a reminder, please, please, PLEASE do not construct any structures at Idler's Rest without breaking them down before you leave. Parents, this is an awesome teaching opportunity to instill Leave No Trace Ethics and respectful recreation in your littles and if you need any resources or support, we're here to help.

April 1: Current Conditions

Yes, the preserve is open each and every day, from dawn until dusk for your explore and find connection with nature! We ask that you follow all CDC and local health recommendations, distance yourself at least 6’ away from other visitors, announce your presence on blind trail curves, and please only visit if you are feeling healthy and well.

The restroom is still open, however staff has not been able to procure disinfectant or other cleaning supplies. Please use at your own risk and be sure to wash your hands as soon as you return home.

The driveway entrance is extremely rough and full of potholes (i.e. it looks like a minefield). If you have a low clearance vehicle, or are uncomfortable traversing rough ground, please park along the cedar grove roadside, as far to the right as you can safely park. We will grade and repair as soon as we are able. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

December 6: Work party at the preserve

Friday, December 6 from noon until about 2pm, volunteers and land trust staff will be at the preserve mulching and seeding recently excavated soils around the parking lot area in preparation for winter. We will also be re-installing the entrance and exit signs (hooray!) and potentially parking bumpers to make the parking lot a little easier to navigate. Thanks for your patience as we work to make your next experience the best it can be!

November 20-22: Parking lot temporarily closed

The main parking lot will be closed at Idler’s Rest Wednesday afternoon, November 20 through Friday afternoon, November 22 to accommodate trucks and work crews delivering and spreading gravel. Please park along the roadside and stay clear of the parking lot area when crews are working, for your safety and that of our contractors. Thanks for your understanding!

A huge thank you to DeAtley Crushing for generously donating the gravel and to our awesome team at DKW Excavation for spreading and making the parking lot look perfect.

October 8: THE RESTROOM HAS ARRIVED!

Thanks to outstanding service and skill from our partners at CXT Concrete and Barnhart Crane & Rigging of Spokane, the much anticipated restroom facility has been delivered and installed at Idler’s Rest. It was no small task (literally and figuratively) getting the unit to the preserve and installed, as you can see from the following videos and photos.

This major improvement would not be possible without these valued contractors, partners, and funders:

October 1: The restroom is coming, the restroom is coming!

Cascadian vault toilet accessible restroom facility, CXT Concrete Buildings

Cascadian vault toilet accessible restroom facility, CXT Concrete Buildings

Thanks to our friends at DKS Excavation, the vault for the restroom facility is officially to spec and ready for installation. On Tuesday, October 8, crews from Clearwater Power, CXT, Inc., and the Idler’s Rest project team will be onsite to coordinate the delivery and installation of the new Cascadian restroom facility.

Clearwater Power crews will be dropping the power lines that run above the toilet location for several hours to allow for the safe delivery of the unit. We apologize to our wonderful neighbors for any inconvenience and are working to get the unit set as quickly as possible.

CXT delivery crews will bring the unit on a large flatbed trailer and move it into position with a large crane. Installation includes the addition of a vapor barrier to prevent leaks, sealing of the vault to the main unit, and leveling to ensure appropriate venting, drainage and accessibility. Finally, crews will backfill the excavated vault and level the surrounding area to allow for handicap accessibility.

During this time, please be aware of large trucks and equipment on Idler’s Rest Road and around the parking lot area. For your safety and that of our team, the parking lot will be temporarily closed beginning Monday evening, October 7 and will reopen upon completion of installation. You are welcome to visit the preserve as normal, but please stay well clear of the parking lot area and meadow side trails. Temporary parking is allowed along the cedar grove side of the the road during this closure. We appreciate your understanding and patience!

September 5: Major earthwork has been completed to prepare for additional parking capacity and fresh gravel in the next couple of weeks. Additionally, the pit has been excavated for the installation of the restroom facility, and the site has been prepped for the addition of a handicapped accessible parking space. Check out photos and videos of the recent progress below. A huge thank you goes out to Ed Walker of the Pullman Building Supply Rental Department for helping us out with equipment and offering up his time, talent, and expertise to get the vault excavated!

Aug 20: Parking lot and trails are open! Please use caution around cordoned off sections and when entering the meadow section of the preserve from the parking area. The main stairs have been temporarily removed for further improvements. Check out the gallery below for photos from the major excavation done on 8/19:

August 19-20: Parking lot grading and excavation will be taking place Monday and Tuesday, August 19-20. During this time, the parking lot will be closed and we ask that all visitors stay clear of the parking lot area and entrance to the Mountain View and Meadow View trails near the parking lot. Parking will be available along the roadside.

Dirt work that is taking place will re-shape the parking lot entrance to reduce potholes and washboard incidence at the entry, expand parking in the main lot, add additional parking in a new “upper” lot, create and ADA accessible parking space, prep the site for installation of a vault toilet restroom facility, and grade out a new accessible trail along the length of the parking lot to allow future access to the cedar grove.

This essential work would not be possible without the generous donation of time and equipment by Sam DeAtley of DeAtley Crushing, engineering and design services of Scott Becker at Hodge & Associates of Moscow, and our amazing team of volunteer board members and staff.

July 15, 2019: TIMBER! Tree falling at Idler’s Rest thanks to Mike from Ray Day Jr. Logging.

With the help of pro logger Mike of Ray Day Jr. Logging in Kendrick, ID, several trees impeding the big improvement project at Idler's Rest were dispatched in no time! Thanks to Mike's amazing skill, we are ready to move forward with earth-moving activities and excavation of the vault for the new restroom facility.