First Trip To Riverside State Park: What To Expect

People of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy their time at Riverside State Park since it has a wide variety of activities to choose from. If you are an adventurer and love to experience new things, you can try canoeing or camping and even enjoy a few dog sledge races that occur in at Riverside State Park. If you aren’t the type to enjoy too much activity, you can just enjoy the natural beauty that the Riverside State Park has to offer. There is plenty of wildlife to be found while enjoying the splendid balance of the natural world in the Riverside State Park area.

There are some annual events that the Riverside State Park hosts, such as the Winter Dog-Sled races, Spokane’s River Run, Round and Round’s 24-Hour races as well as the Mountain Bike Race Series.

Children also get to experience the wonders that the park has to offer since there are educational tours that the Riverside State Park holds every year for the children during the school year. There are Park Rangers that will guide and teach the children everything they need to know about the history of Riverside State Park and the Spokane area, as well as how to preserve and conserve the environment and the importance of doing so.

Here are a few things to expect when you visit Riverside State Park that make it a special place you don’t want to miss out on:

The magnificent rock formations that form the Bowl and Pitcher are what gave it this strange, yet unique name. It is the most popular spot for tourists and those visiting Riverside State Park. There is a Swinging Bridge that allows pedestrians to travel to the west side of the river that leads to many miles of trails and picnic grounds can be found along the riverside. Here, you can enjoy a peaceful and wonderful day with the family either after or before going on a hike through this amazing place. There are kitchen shelters available for you, so you don’t have to worry about how to prep your food.

If you want to experience some of the most exciting hikes that the Riverside State Park has to offer, then you are going to want to visit Deep Creek Canyon and Seven Mile. Here, the geology is one of the best features of the park. There are beautiful basalt outcroppings that are about 16 million years old. Hiking can also be enjoyed at the Little Spokane River Natural Area where you will find about six miles of trails that take you on an adventure to explore the beauty of the diverse landscape, the lush green meadows and the tall and mighty pine forests.

One of the most exciting things to do when visiting Riverside State Park is to view the wildlife. It is the natural habitat for many woodland creatures and in today’s busy and urban world, getting back to nature is a beautiful thing. For those who love nature and have a passion for animals, this can be one of the most rewarding parts of the Riverside State Park experience.

There are Bald Eagles, the native and national bird of North America, that fly majestically through the blue skies. You can also see the water-loving Osprey Hawks swooping along the river as they fish for their meals. The Cooper’s Hawks, known for being the most skilled fliers in the entire bird world, weave through the trees at high speeds on their beautifully striped wings. The gentle white-tailed deer, river otters, moose, and foxes are examples of the incredible wildlife you are likely to spot while visiting Riverside State Park. If you get lucky, you may even spot a bear or a cougar.

One of the most popular activities at Riverside State Park is horseback riding. You will be able to find a trail to suit your skill of riding, the easier ones being further south while the more challenging trails are found along the Deep Creek Trail that is situated in the north. You can ride through almost every area of the Riverside State Park and enjoy the park in all its glory in one of the most natural and ancient ways, on the back of a horse.

For those who want to enjoy their time on the water, there are a few different boating options to choose from at Riverside State Park. At the Little Spokane River, you will find canoes, kayaks, and rafts. Avoid going out onto the Spokane River as it is hazardous and should not be ventured into without a skilled boater who knows the waters well. Stick to the Little Spokane River and have a great time.

Visit the Nine Mile Dam is where the water flows at its slowest pace, so fishing in these areas of Riverside State Park is a favourite amongst the visitors.

Swimming is a very popular water activity, and almost everyone is going to want to have a dip in the river while visiting Riverside State Park. At the Nine Mile Dam, you will be able to swim in safe waters and have as much fun in the water as you like.

Fans of biking will love visiting Riverside State Park as it has many biking trails available for their pleasure. Whether you want an easy bike trail or a challenging one, you are likely to find something to suit your biking needs. Centennial Trail is a smoother and easier option for those who want to take it easy, but enjoy their rides, while there are more hard-core trails along the single tracks that run along the Spokane River. Mountain biking is a wonderful option if you really want a challenge so head on out to the great Spokane area.

For those who would like to ride with others, there is a 600-acre area off-road that you can visit, or if you happen to be there on Memorial Day weekend, you can even attend the Riverside State Park’s annual 24-hour relay race for bikers.

To really know more about a culture, it is important to know its history. At Riverside State Park, you will be able to learn a few things about the ancient tribes that were the earliest settlers of the land. See some of the farm buildings that were built during the 1800s and learn more about farm life and how the people lived in the days when modern convenience was not so easily available to them.

Riverside State Park has the honour of holding one of the oldest buildings in the state of Washington, not just the Spokane area. This monumental building is the Log Hay Shed that is located in the great Spokane area. The Spokane House was built by David Thompson and Jaco Finlay in the year 1810 and was used to run a fur trade. It once housed forty Spokane Native tents, who were the workers of the fur trade.

The Spokane House functioned for about fifteen years before being abandoned for a better site for trading that is located near the Columbia River. The ruins of the old Spokane House are available to see at Riverside State Park, and there is an interpretive centre built right next to it. The ruined building was found due to the archaeological efforts and excavations that took place in the 1950s and the 1960s.

As Spokane was once the home of the Spokane tribe and the signs of their culture is still seen here today. In the Little Spokane River Natural Area, at the midway point, you can find a most unique and exciting discovery. There are two sets of pictographs of ancient origins that are found on granite rock formations. These rock paintings, or pictographs, are made with animal grease or fish oil, ochre and saliva. Though interpretations of what they tell are unclear, the theories include rites of passage, hunting or something to do with the religious spirituality that the natives of ancient times believed in. The paintings are very old and though it can be determined that they are of native origin, no particular tribe has made any claims towards them as yet.

Rock climb to your hearts content at the McLellan Rocks at Riverside State Park. It offers a range of different climbs, so those who are inexperienced and trying rock climbing for the first time will have easy, but natural rocks to climb, and those with more experience and who love to experience a challenging climb will also enjoy their time climbing rocks in a beautiful and secluded area.

Winter does not stop Riverside State Park from being a beautiful and wonderful place to visit. Amidst the deep snows that fall in Spokane, Washington, there are some exciting snow sports that are available for you to try your hand at if you have never had the pleasure of experiencing snow sports. If you are passionate about winter sports, you will truly enjoy all that Riverside State Park has to offer during the winter season.

Ski across the country or try out snowshoeing, which is pretty much hiking in the snow. You will be able to rent out the necessary equipment and get some pointers on how it works. If you have never tried either before, they are great ways to develop new skills and enjoy the winter rather than feel like it prevents you from having fun.

Dog sledging is another much-loved activity that you can indulge in during this cold season. The well-trained dogs know what they are doing, and you can get to experience one of the most ancient means of travel for those living in snowy areas.

If you like to travel and get the full camping experience, then Recreational Vehicle camping is just right for you. It allows you the full benefits of camping, while also giving you the comforts of having living quarters that remain constant throughout your travel to different sites. At Riverside State Park, you will be able to truly enjoy your RV camping experience. There are routes that make driving your RV easy and also campsites made, especially for those who want to stay there.

Depending on your preference, Riverside State Park has different campsites available for you. With more than 60 miles of well-travelled trail and splendid activities to behold, Riverside State Park has a wonderful mix of outdoor activities and historical culture that you can experience.

Spokane KOA is the place to be if you want to enjoy nature but also want some of the city comforts we are so used to having these days. There are many amenities available here to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable.

For those passionate about horses, the Equestrian Campground is available for camping. If you have a horse, you can bring it along with you and find comfortable corrals and go out on the trails on horseback, getting the full natural experience.

Open only during the season, the Lake Spokane Campground is the perfect spot for those who enjoy being close to the water and you can benefit from this campground if you are visiting Riverside State Park mainly for the water sports. Boating and fishing activities are available, and you can enjoy the view of the river on every side of the campground.

The Nine Mile Recreation Area Campground is set in a quiet area near the beach. You will be able to fish, swim, rent kayaks and enjoy the beach life. There are trails that lead to the Bowl and Pitcher and other areas of the Riverside State Park. This campsite is available from May to September, which is the in-season.

The Bowl and Pitcher Campground is available for those who want to be close to the river and has easy access to fishing and birdwatching. You will be near the famous swinging bridge and travel easily from one side to the other. Make your bookings in advance if you are interested in camping at this site since it is the most popular at Riverside State Park and is always fully booked.

Riverside State Park is an amazing place to visit at least once in a lifetime to truly experience the best of North America. With the various activities that you can indulge in, it is the perfect place to take the kids for their first camping trip as it is safe, educational and beautiful. The wonders of nature and the comforts of modern life both work in harmony to give you a feel for the old days and teach you about the culture and history of the land without completely taking you out of your comfort zone. You can even bring the family dog for some of the fun.

Horse lovers will truly be able to give their beloved pets a good work out while enjoying the trails from the back of a horse and also find comfortable corrals and spaces for them to rest in during downtime. Bikers, hikers and boaters will also be able to have their fill of fun here. In fact, novices can attempt all of these exciting activities under guidance. You can really get the full package.

To make the most of the trails and really enjoy your water activities, it is best to visit Riverside State Park between the months of May to September as you will have good weather and will get to enjoy the flora and fauna to your hearts content.

Winter time does not mean that the Riverside State Park goes into hibernation like its bears. There are plenty of winter activities to choose from too! Dog enthusiasts will get to see the epic sledge dogs at work in their natural element.

Once you get to the Riverside State Park, make sure you visit their headquarters, which are located on the Lake Spokane property. It can be found off the West Charles Road, after crossing the bridge. Take the Nine Mile Road and go left to go across the dam. Once you get to South Bank Road, you will have to make a right turn and then keep going until you see a Park Boundary and Rules sign. You will need to travel for a bit on a dirt road to get there. At the centre, you can get some brochures as well as useful guides to help you decide what you want to do and how you can go about doing it.