Spokane's Benn Burr Trail runs along a former interurban rail corridor in the southeastern part of the city, providing an off-road link between Liberty Park, Underhill Park, and the popular and lengthy Centennial Trail along the Spokane River. In between are old neighborhoods on tree-lined streets. Equally tree-lined is the trail corridor, making for a pleasant stroll.
While originally built as an unpaved pathway between the two city parks, the trail has been upgraded to an asphalt surface and extended to reach the river; the newer segment on the north end does require trail users to make slight detours to use crosswalks across some busy streets, although the scenic river views at the end provide a nice consolation prize.
Far from the main stretch of the trail, an additional 0.5-mile trail in Moran Prairie is also called the Ben Burr Trail. This section travels through open shadeless wetlands and grassland fields. This trail is one day hoped to connect to the main section of the trail along the neighboring railroad corridor.
Park at Liberty Park, near E. 3rd Avenue and Liberty Park Place. You can also park near the swimming pool at Liberty, at Pittsburg Street and E. 5th Avenue. Parking is available on the southeast end of the trail at Underhill Park (the end of Fiske St. near E. 8th Ave.).
This is now fully paved, and, with just a few street crossings with crosswalks, will take you downtown to connect with the river, Centennial Trail and Riverfront Park.
The Benn Burr Trail goes from Underhill park to Liberty park about 1.1 miles with an elevation drop of 100 feet from the E Hill Ct entrance, just above Underhill park. The decent down is on about a 2% grade. Being gravel the trail was in good condition and easy to ride. Its a short ride with the highlight being a bridge across Altamont Street. There is access at the Altamont Bridge with concrete pathways going up to the bike path which for 1/10 of a mile is concrete across the bridge.
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