The Knothead Trail - Little Spokane River Natural Area

## Little Spokane River Natural Area, VanHorn-Edburg-Bass Conservation Area, a.k.a. “The Knothead Trail”

If you are interested, contact John Baumann, email is [tl_JohnB@wabutterflyassoc.org](mailto:tl_JohnB@wabutterflyassoc.org)

We ought not take the name of this amazing butterfly lovers’ trail personally: the “knothead” moniker refers to the rocky knob located 2 miles above and beyond the area that we’ll focus on, and not to trail users! Here, at spring time, visitors find rich and varied wildflowers and butterfly fauna along a trail that passes through an interesting forest fire recovery zone and proceeds into an older growth dry forest. Before the 2015 wildfire, Spokane area butterfliers had identified over 40 species of butterflies that frequented this conservation area, and, after the fire, one or two new species seem to pop up each season. This moderately challenging hike, 2 to 3 miles round-trip, follows a gradual incline on good trail, and you might be harassed by mosquitoes or wood ticks. Those who can brave these risks may find all four species of Washington state elfins, Thicket Hairstreaks, Western Arctic Skippers, and numerous Swallowtails, Blues, Whites, Anglewings, Tortoiseshells And Ladies. Silver Spotted Skippers, which started appearing regularly here several years after the fire, might also make an early showing.
We should plan to meet in the parking lot of the Yoke’s grocery store on Indian Trail Road at 10 AM, where we can organize ourselves into carpools before driving to the trailhead at Indian Painted Rocks. State Park permits are required for all those offering to drive to the trailhead.
Difficulty: Level 2-3, some distance, moderate, gradual climb