Iller Creek Conservation Area

Description

This Spokane area property consists of approximately 876 acres of trails and habitat within the wildlife corridor linking Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge with the Dishman Hills Natural Area.  The Iller Creek drainage begins at the far south boundary of the property and flows down through a cool, north-facing valley along a lush riparian corridor.

The Iller Creek Conservation Area hosts 163 species of invertebrates, 120 species of birds (see Audubon checklist for Iller), 15 mammals and 2 amphibians.  It provides White-tailed deer and Rocky Mountain elk with winter range along a migratory corridor.  Likewise, there are nesting areas for Red-tailed  hawks.  

The Iller Creek Conservation Area is comprised of 5 different Conservation Futures acquisitions in the Iller Creek area.  The most recent Iller Creek acquisition was 2005.

Permitted Uses

• Wildlife habitat
• Wildlife observation
• Nature trails
• Hiking
• Picnicking 
• Bird-watching (please see the Audubon Society's Palouse to Pines Loop for more info)
• Cross-country skiing
• Snow Shoeing

Rules

• Dogs can be disruptive to wildlife and must be kept on a leash at all times while in the conservation area.
• Motorized vehicles are not permitted in the conservation area.
• Hunting and/or shooting are not permitted at any time in the conservation area.
• No campfires are permitted in the conservation area. 

Location 

From I-90:

• Take Argonne Road exit, #287
• Drive south on Argonne Road 
• Continue past Sprague Avenue onto Dishman-Mica Road, drive approximately 2.8 miles
• Turn right at Schafer Road stoplight    
• Turn right at stop sign on 44th Avenue, drive 0.2 miles
• Turn left on Farr Road, continue to stop sign
• Turn right on Holman Road, drive 0.75 miles to switchback (Holman becomes Rockcrest)
• Park on right before the switchback at the entrance to the Conservation Area
• Iller Creek Conservation Area is on both the right and left of the creek 

Click here for a locator and site map of the Iller Creek Conservation Area (959 KB pdf) Full size print-out is 11 x 17, but can be scaled to 8.5 x 11.

Features

Special attractions at Iller Creek Conservation Area include:

• Medium to difficult hiking trails 
• Scenic vistas overlooking Spokane and Spokane Valley, and towards Mount Spokane State Park

Wildlife

Wildlife content will be updated as information is made available.