Devils Canyon Tunnel - Kahlotus, Washington
Posted by: Volcanoguy
N 46° 38.214 W 118° 33.258
11T E 381036 N 5165988
The Devils Canyon Tunnel near Kahlotus, Washington.
Waymark Code: WM89W7
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 02/24/2010
Views: 21
The north portal of the Devils Canyon Tunnel near Kahlotus, Washington.
The Devils Canyon Tunnel (Tunnel 17) was part of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (SP&S), which was completed between Portland and Spokane in 1909. The tunnel is 2,220 feet long. The SP&S became part of Burlington Northern (BN) in 1970, and BN abandoned this line during 1987 and rerouted traffic onto a parallel former Northern Pacific line. The Washington State Parks acquired the right of way in 1991 and established the Columbia Plateau Trail State Park along the route.
Prior to the great Ice Age floods from glacial Lake Missoula, the Palouse River followed the route of the Washtucna Coulee westward from Washtucna to Connell and then south along the Esquatzel Coulee to the Pasco area where it joined the Columbia River. During the Ice Age floods the huge volumes of water entering the Palouse drainage were so large that east of Washtucna waters spilled southward over a divide into the Snake River. The flood waters down cut over 800 feet to establish a new channel for the Palouse River. Kahlotus is located in the Washtucna Coulee and at this location additional Ice Age floodwater spilled over the divide and carved the deep narrow Devils Canyon. But the head of the canyon did not down cut to the level of Kahlotus so the railroad had tunnel through the final obstacle to reach Kahlotus and the Washtucna Coulee.
Construction: Unknown
Condition: Good
Rail Status: No
Current status: Recreation Path
Original Use: Passenger Train
The "Other End": N 46° 37.903 W 118° 33.552
Tunnel Length: 2,200.00
Suggested Parking Area: N 46° 38.323 W 118° 33.199
Terrain:
Website: [Web Link]
Date Built: 1909
Date Abandoned: 1987
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