Westwood Loop NE

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek

To get to the parking area from State Highway 53, at Rathdrum:
- Turn north on McCartney St.
- Then go right onto Oneida St.
- Then go left onto Reservoir Rd.
- And finally go left onto Barrett Dr. that ends at the parking area.

From the parking area, hike towards the road and look for Westwood Loop NE on the left in the forest. This forest trail follows the South Fork of Spring Creek upstream to Timber Ridge Lane. With its flats and short ups and downs as it winds through the forest along the creek, this is a very fun trail. The trail never crosses the creek, as it stays on the north side of the creek, sometimes next to the creek, other times a bit uphill from the creek.

Heading out on the soft, needle covered trail, the picnic area is passed on the left/south. Shortly after, the trail runs next to the Story Walk Trail, also on the left. At the 0.1 mile mark, the trail heads uphill away from the creek for a short stretch. The trail then veers left/south at about the quarter mile mark, to drop down to the creek, at the far end of the Story Walk loop.

Passing a couple Story Walk signs, the trail turns right to leave the Story Walk behind. From here, the trail runs upstream along the creek, right next to the creek most of the time, for its remaining 0.4 miles to its end at Timber Ridge Lane.

Dense, moist, creek valley bottom, lush vegetation in a mixed conifer forest. Ferns and majestic, tall western red cedars abound.