Explore the Spokane River! 

Use the suggestions and links below to get on the river by foot, boat, or bike. 

Remember, while out on our river always wear a life jacket (It's the law) and dress for the weather. The river can be unexpectedly cold in summer below Sullivan Road due to aquifer input and contains extremely fast flowing in spring and early summer. 

Recommended River Trips:

By tube: Floating the Spokane River is a great way to spend a summer day outdoors. In many ways there are dangers in floating the river by tube which can be challenging for beginners. Fortunately, this guide points out the safest practices of the most popular tubing route of the Spokane River – Peaceful Valley to TJ Meenach.

By Boat: Float from Water Street to TJ Meenach Bridge on raft, kayak, or tube.  Shuttle your car to the TJ Meenach parking lot, where you will exit the river.  Launch your craft, or other boat capable of handling class I-II rapids, at the Water Street launch in Peaceful Valley (just west of downtown Spokane). If tubing, wait until water levels drop below about 2,000 cfs (at higher water levels "sweepers", the trees on the bank of the river are a danger).  To extend the float, continue to the ramp just past the Spokane Waste Water Treatment Plant, but take note that the retrieval is a four wheel drive only and requires a Discover Pass.  After this point a number of dangerous rapids-the Bowl and Pitcher and Devil's Toenail- exist.  Do not attempt these unless you are in a capable boat with an experienced guide.

Portions of the Spokane River provide a great boating experience.

Portions of the Spokane River provide a great boating experience.

The Devils Toenail provides dramatic views and a challenge for expert rafters.

The Devils Toenail provides dramatic views and a challenge for expert rafters.

By Bike:  The Centennial Trail offers a 40 mile paved biking or hiking experience along the Spokane River west from the Idaho-Washington State Line through the city of Spokane, ending in Riverside State Park.  The relatively flat portion extending from the state line to the Maringo Trailhead allows users to see a 14 mile section of the river on a separated trail (no cars!).  Park at one of the many access points for free, grab your bike and hop on.  Only three miles of the trial are shared with roadway, so don't end there!  The Centennial Trail extends much farther.  Check out the Friends of the Centennial Trial website for more information.    

By Foot: Explore Riverside State Park, one of Washington's largest, by taking a 2.1 miles stroll along the Spokane River and viewing the dramatic Bowl and Pitcher and Devil's Toenail rapids.  Grab your Discover Pass (or buy one at the trailhead) and drive down to the Bowl and Pitcher Park entrance on Downriver Drive.  Head over the suspension bridge and take a right to view the Devil's Toenail, another dramatic basalt formation that provides challenging whitewater to expert rafters.  Washington Trail Association has a great guide to this hike on their website. 

 

 

 

The Centennial Trail is perfect for biking or taking a stroll along the Spokane River. (photo: Friends of the Centennial Trail).

The Centennial Trail is perfect for biking or taking a stroll along the Spokane River. (photo: Friends of the Centennial Trail).

We helped produced a multi-map of the river from below Post Falls Dam to Riverside State Park, meant to be viewed as eight-fold. One side shows access points and rapids, the other has some great river facts.

Other Resources:

Avista has an excellent interactive river recreation map.  

Read an account of paddling the entire river http://www.adventuresnw.com/paddling-with-ghosts-a-long-strange-journey-down-the-spokane-river/

The Spokane River Forum has a interactive recreation map you can tailor to your needs. 

Riverside State Park, one of Washington's largest, has many miles of shoreline trails.  A great way to explore the river by foot!

Forty miles long, the Centennial Trail begins at the Washington/Idaho state line and ends at Lake Spokane in Nine Mile Falls, Washington and makes an excellent walking and biking path.  The Friends of the Centennial Trail has a map on their site