No trip to Spokane is complete without a stop at Riverside State Park. Approximately 9 miles from Spokane, Riverside provides recreational opportunities for almost every type of visitor. From mountain biking to horseback riding, rock climbing, hiking and snowmobiling, Riverside has it all, if you have time!
Riverside State Park occupies 12,000 acres along the Spokane and Little Spokane rivers just north of Spokane. With nearly 200,000 feet of shoreline, Riverside is the home to Ponderosa pines, lakes, marshes and a wide variety of wildlife.
You can go as easy or hardcore as you like here. Fifty-five miles of trails will keep hikers and mountain bikers busy. The 40-mile, mixed-use Spokane River Centennial State Park Trail extends from Nine Mile Recreation Area east to the Idaho border. Equestrians will find a horse-friendly campground, 25 miles of trails and an obstacle course with a 60-foot round pen. Off-road vehicle drivers have 600 acres of special terrain. The Little Spokane River welcomes paddlesports enthusiasts (and prohibits inner tubes, bikes and pets). Lake Spokane invites boaters, anglers and water sports fans. And, for those who equate vacation with relaxation, day-use areas, picnic shelters and four different campgrounds offer solid family and camp chair time.
In winter, Riverside is also a prime recreation hub, boasting some of the best snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling east of the Cascades.
Riverside has deep historical significance as a gathering place for Native American tribes, and as a thriving fur trade hub. Most recently, the Civilian Conservation Corps built many of the park’s structures, including the suspension bridge across the Spokane River at the Bowl and Pitcher.
Riverside is close to the restaurants, shops and coffee stops of Spokane. Indeed, Riverside State Park has everything a traveler could want, except more vacation time.
Automated pay station: This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass.
For more information: http://parks.state.wa.us/573/Riverside
