T. Falls summer students share a walk in the woods

Thompson Falls Elementary students who attended the summer school program were treated to a special trip to the Ross Creek Cedars on Thursday, July 20. The park is just

over the Sanders County line in Lincoln County on Bull Lake Road.

Kootenai National Forest is home to the 100-acre tree sanctuary. Many of the trees are well

over 400 years old and several are close to 1,000 years old. They were there before Columbus set sail. The grove of western red cedars, of today, like the redwoods in California's National State Park, are giants in the woods. Some are eight feet in diameter

and big enough to stand in where natural openings occur as they grow. An easy path of .9 miles meanders through the giants that offer shade to several plant species not found outside the park. It was designated as a scenic area for scientific and recreational use in 1960.

The trail wanders near the banks of Ross Creek which is often hidden under the rocky stream bottom. Several visitors have built rock cairns in the dry creek bed. Cairns are commonly built on hiking trails to mark hikers' routes. The smallest rock on top is called the

pointer stone and helps hikers find their direction. According to the National Park Service, rock cairns should be left alone. Therefore, the cairns at Ross Creek Cedars have been respected as well. Many of the students said that seeing and building their own cairns was their favorite part of the visit. Teachers and students alike were there for the first time. Some had been there before. "It's about my fourth time here," said Penny Hopkins, who has taught at the school for several years. She said she came to the park twice as a kid and another time with a class. "It is a nice shady cool place to be on a hot day."

The visitors were greeted by a bighorn ewe when they stopped at the picnic tables after their hike. She came close to check out what was for lunch. Anna Czerwinski said seeing the

ewe was her favorite thing. Down the road is Bad Medicine Campground. Student Lily Fitchett said her grandmother told her that the local Native Americans were involved

in an avalanche long ago and named the area Bad Medicine. To this day, the area remains preserved and nearly unspoiled by the people who come to enjoy it. The students

enjoyed the wildlife and playing in the water. "The path and being outside is the best thing

about the park," said Jessica Lewis, who teaches sixth grade and taught at the summer program.