Big sky, open country, and room to roam.
Life in Reardan is lived partly outdoors. A shady town park, a nationally known birding lake at the edge of town, a scabland carved by Ice Age floods, dozens of trout lakes, and a hundred-mile reservoir up the road give this small town more recreation than it has any right to. Consider this your field guide to all of it.
The town’s backyard.
Reardan’s recreation starts within walking distance of Broadway, at the community park that anchors town life.
Reardan City Park
The everyday outdoor space: a playground, big shade trees for a summer picnic, restrooms, and open grass for a game of catch. It hosts the seasonal Farmers Market and is the natural gathering spot during Mule Days and other town events.
School Track, Fields & Courts
Some of the town’s best recreation infrastructure belongs to the school district: a lighted track, ball fields, and tennis courts that host community use around school and team schedules. Check with the district for public access hours.
A Walk Around Town
Flat, quiet streets and wide wheat-country horizons make Reardan an easy place for a morning walk, a jog, or a dog stroll. Loop the town grid, then head out to the Audubon Lake blinds for the prettiest short walk around.
Birding on the Pacific Flyway.
Reardan’s signature piece of nature sits right at the north edge of town, and it is genuinely special: one of eastern Washington’s best wildlife-viewing sites, and it is free.
A swan sanctuary in the wheat.
An 80-acre alkaline lake and wetland where more than 200 bird species pass through, famous for the hundreds of tundra swans that drop in each fall. Two viewing blinds sit at the end of short, paved, ADA-accessible paths, one with mounted spotting scopes. A stop on Audubon’s Great Washington State Birding Trail, it is managed for wildlife: no hunting, fishing, fires, or camping, just quiet observation, photography, and a short accessible walk. Spring and fall migrations are the peak spectacle, so bring binoculars and patience.
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge
A 23,000-acre sweep of scabland wetlands and pine with a 5.5-mile auto-tour loop, accessible trails, and 200-plus bird species, plus trumpeter swans, moose, and elk. The region’s premier birding day out.
Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area
The larger WDFW wildlife area that Audubon Lake belongs to, sprawling scabland home to sharp-tailed grouse, waterfowl, and mule deer. Great for birding and, in season, hunting; know the protected species and closures.
The Great Washington State Birding Trail
Audubon’s mapped birding routes thread through the whole region, with Reardan’s lake a marquee stop. Pair it with eBird’s live hotspot checklists to see what others are spotting right now before you go.
Trout country, lake after lake.
The scablands southwest of Reardan are dotted with dozens of lakes carved by the Ice Age floods, many of them stocked by the state every spring. Add the hundred-mile Lake Roosevelt to the northwest, and this is some of the best still-water fishing in Washington. Here are the waters worth the drive.
Drive times and sizes are approximate. Seasons, limits, and gear rules vary by lake and change yearly, so check current regulations before you fish.
Wheat, scabland & waterfowl.
This is prime bird and big-game country. The wheat-and-scabland mosaic holds upland birds, deer, and, on the Pacific Flyway, serious waterfowl. The key here is knowing exactly whose land you are on.
Swanson Lakes & WDFW Lands
The nearest large block of public hunting ground: mule deer, waterfowl, coyote, and upland birds like quail and Hungarian partridge across open scabland. Note that sharp-tailed and sage grouse are protected and may not be taken.
Hunt-by-Permission Programs
Much of the ground around Reardan is private farmland. WDFW’s Private Lands Access programs, including Register to Hunt and Feel Free to Hunt areas, open enrolled private acreage to hunters, and the online hunt planner maps exactly where you may legally go.
Regulations, Tags & Hunter Ed
Big game and birds each have their own game management units, seasons, and tag or permit rules, and Washington requires hunter education for those born after 1971. Always get permission before hunting private property, and be certain of boundaries.
Trails through flood country.
You do not have to drive to the mountains to hike here. The Ice Age floods left a strange, beautiful landscape of basalt canyons, hidden waterfalls, and old rail grades, much of it public and within an easy drive.
Escure Ranch & Towell Falls
A genuine secret: a 14,000-acre former Basque sheep ranch, now public BLM land, with 20-plus miles of trail through the scablands. The classic hike follows an old ranch road about 3 miles along Rock Creek to Towell Falls, past basalt mesas and the historic ranch buildings. Best in spring; watch for rattlesnakes and ticks.
Fishtrap Recreation Area
Thousands of acres of rolling BLM scabland around Fishtrap Lake, laced with old two-track trails for hiking, trail running, and birding among the wildflowers and basalt. Quiet, big, and close.
Columbia Plateau Trail
A paved and gravel rail trail on the old Spokane, Portland & Seattle grade, running flat and straight through the scablands from Fish Lake near Cheney. Perfect for an easy walk, run, or bike with almost no elevation.
Palouse to Cascades Trail
A long-distance rail trail for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding, running flat through scabland and farm country. Pick an accessible segment for an easy out-and-back; check the state map for gaps and closures.
Riverside State Park & Bowl and Pitcher
The city’s outdoor playground: a swaying suspension bridge over the Spokane River, dramatic basalt formations, and miles of hiking and biking trails along the water. Discover Pass required.
Waterfalls & Buttes
For bucket-list scabland hikes, Dry Falls, Steamboat Rock, Palouse Falls, and Steptoe Butte are all within a scenic drive. The Things to Do page has the full rundown, with links and distances.
Paddle the rivers & scabland lakes.
Kayak, canoe, or paddleboard: the reservoirs and quiet lakes around Reardan open up a whole different way to see the country, and the wildlife, from water level.
Lake Spokane
A 24-mile stretch of the Spokane River behind Long Lake Dam, calm and scenic, a local favorite for paddling and bass fishing. Riverside State Park’s Nine Mile area has launches and the Lake Spokane Campground.
Little Spokane River
One of the region’s most beloved flatwater paddles: a gentle, winding river through a protected natural area thick with herons, turtles, and moose. A designated water trail with a popular put-in and take-out.
Lake Roosevelt & the Scabland Lakes
For open water, Lake Roosevelt offers endless shoreline to explore, while quiet trout lakes like Amber, Williams, and Badger are lovely for a calm morning paddle. Many limit or ban gas motors, which keeps them peaceful.
Camping & cycling.
Some of the darkest skies in the state are right overhead, and the flat old rail grades make for gentle, scenic riding. Here is where to pitch a tent and where to roll.
Lake Roosevelt
The closest developed camping, with drive-in and boat-in sites along the reservoir, a swim beach, and boat launches. The go-to summer escape; reserve popular sites ahead through the National Park Service.
Riverside, Mount Spokane & More
Riverside State Park northwest of Spokane, Mount Spokane to the northeast, and Steamboat Rock out on Banks Lake all offer established campgrounds within easy weekend range. Reserve ahead in summer.
Rock Creek Recreation Site
For a remote, back-to-basics night, the BLM’s Rock Creek site at Escure Ranch has a handful of free primitive campsites with fire rings, a picnic shelter, a vault toilet, and even an equestrian loop. No services; pack in water.
Winter doesn’t close the door.
When the snow comes, the country just changes clothes. Skiing and snowshoeing are an hour away, and some of the best fishing of the year happens through the ice.
49 Degrees North
A friendly, uncrowded mountain for skiing and snowboarding in the Colville River valley, with a wide range of terrain and a laid-back vibe. The closest full ski hill to Reardan.
Mount Spokane
Downhill skiing and snowboarding, plus groomed Nordic trails, snowshoe routes, and tubing, all in Washington’s largest state park. A full winter playground with something for every ability.
Ice Fishing & Snowshoeing
Several scabland lakes offer winter fishing, including a cold-weather season at Hog Canyon Lake, and the snow-dusted trails at Turnbull Refuge and Riverside State Park are perfect for a quiet snowshoe. Check ice conditions carefully and never go out alone.
Licenses, tags & passes, in one place.
A little paperwork keeps it all legal. Get sorted before you head out.
Fishing & Hunting Licenses
Buy your license, tags, and transport permits online or from a local dealer. A license also includes a Vehicle Access Pass for WDFW lands.
Buy a license ↗Discover Pass
Required to park at most state parks, WDFW, and DNR recreation lands. About $10 a day or $30 a year, and it covers all three agencies.
Get a Discover Pass ↗Know the Rules
Seasons, limits, and closures change every year and are legally binding. Check WDFW’s current rules and licensing info before every trip.
WDFW licensing ↗Reardan by the season.
The wheat-country calendar has a rhythm. Here is what the outdoors offers, season by season.
Spring
- Peak swan and waterfowl migration at Audubon Lake
- Trout season opens on the scabland lakes
- Wildflowers and roaring Towell Falls in the scablands
- Palouse Falls at full spring thunder
Summer
- Boating, swimming & camping at Lake Roosevelt
- Farmers Market & picnics at City Park
- Long evenings for cycling the rail trails
- Paddling the Little Spokane under dark skies
Fall
- Return of the tundra swans
- Upland bird & waterfowl hunting seasons open
- Harvest gold across the wheat, September trout
- Cool, crisp hiking at Escure Ranch
Winter
- Skiing & snowshoeing at 49° North & Mount Spokane
- Bald eagles & wintering raptors
- Ice fishing on the scabland lakes
- Quiet, snow-dusted refuge trails
Keep exploring
About This Page
This page is part of Discover Reardan, an independent community guide to Reardan, Washington, operated by Steinwood Investments, LLC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Parks, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Audubon, the Town of Reardan, Lincoln County, the Reardan-Edwall School District, or any other agency, business, or organization named or linked here. All names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification and informational purposes only. This page is general information, not a substitute for official rules. Hunting and fishing regulations, seasons, limits, license requirements, land access, closures, fire restrictions, ice and water conditions, and facility hours change frequently and are legally binding, so always confirm current rules directly with the managing agency before you go, and be certain of property boundaries and permission before hunting or fishing. Lake sizes, species, drive times, and distances are approximate and provided for general orientation only. Outdoor recreation carries inherent risks; you are responsible for your own safety, preparation, and compliance with the law. Links to outside sites are provided as a convenience, and Discover Reardan does not control their content. In any emergency, call 911.