County Park, Daytrip, Dishman Hills Conservancy, Dogs, Hikers, Hiking, Lollipop, Moderate, None required, Rock Formation, Selkirk Mountains, Spokane County

Rocks of Sharon

Posted by Markus Klaeui on
The Dishman Hills are a popular hiking spot, with the Rocks of Sharon area perhaps the most liked. This hike enters the area from the South via the Stevens Creek trailhead
Location
  • Selkirk Mountains
Rating
3.2 out of 5
Difficulty
Moderate (some uphill hiking)
Distance
7.6 miles
Duration
3:11 hours moving time (Hiking)
Elevation Gain
1,791 feet
High Point
3,572 feet (Rocks of Sharon)
Low Point
2,407 feet (Iller Creek trailhead)
Features
  • Rock Formation
    • Outing Type
  • Daytrip
    • Trail Type
  • Lollipop
    • Trailbed
    Packed dirt, decommissioned fire road
    Trail#
    Water
  • Only the stretches along Iller Creek
    • Camping
    • Not allowed. Port-a-potty at the Stevens and Iller Creek trailheads
    Conditions
    • Great!
    Administration
  • Dishman Hills Conservancy
  • Spokane County
    • Status
  • County Park
    • Maps
    USGS
  • Spokane SE
    • Fees & Permits
  • None required
    • ()
    Open To
  • Hikers
  • Dogs
    • ()
    Directions
  • From I-90, take exit 291A (Evergreen) and head south for 3 miles. Turn right onto E 32nd Ave, then almost immediately left onto WA-27 (at the light). Continue for 6.5 miles, then turn right onto E Palouse Highway and continue for 5 miles. Turn right onto S Stevens Creek Road (gravel) and follow it to the trailhead, 1.5 miles. Webcam at the trailhead.
    • Season
    Year-around
    Date
    February 27, 2021

    This is an alternative entry point to the Rocks of Sharon and Iller Creek loop covered in an earlier post (Iller Creek). From the parking lot, follow the road north for a short distance to the signed entrance to the Dishman Hills Conservation Area. The trail climbs gradually at first, then the grade steepens and the path narrows to a singletrack switchbacking up to the Rocks of Sharon. Just ahead of the rock formations is a fork, with both branches heading up to the rocks. It is not quite a mile and roughly 500 feet of elevation gain to the rocks. Once there, you are on the Iller Creek trail, with the option to complete that loop (as we did), or turning it into a shorter loop by taking the Upper Valley Cutoff.

    Alternate Routes

    • A side trail ascends Tower Mountain

    Things to Consider

      Not so great

        Ascent to Rocks of Sharon
        View of the Palouse
        One of many rock formations
        More Palouse views
        More rocks
        It sure was a nice day! Steptoe Butte in the distance
        Rock formations of every kind imaginable
        And one more Rock!
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