Spokane Falls has been a gathering place for the Spokane Tribe of Indians since time immemorial. This long-standing cultural connection offers a distinctive introduction to Spokane’s history. Another perspective comes from the Spokane House Interpretive Center: It stands at the site of a trading post that operated from 1810 to 1826 and is considered the first permanent Euro-American settlement in Washington State.
History Along the Spokane River
The Spokane House Interpretive Center grounds lie on the site of a traditional village of the Spokane Tribe of Indians. A short, self-guided interpretive trail focuses on gathering food and trade along the Spokane River. It leads to the Peavine Jimmy Barn, one of the oldest structures in Spokane County. Here, you can encounter different chapters of history in one place: the long Indigenous connection to the village site and the later history of the trading post.
The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture offers another point of reference in time: It was founded in 1916 and is a Smithsonian Affiliate. Alongside the history of Spokane House and the significance of Spokane Falls, the museum offers another way to explore the area’s cultural connections without reducing its history to a single chapter.
River Trails and Winter Sports
The Spokane River Centennial State Park Trail runs from the Nine Mile Recreation Area on Lake Spokane to the Idaho border. Its landscape shifts between high desert, ponderosa pine forests and basalt canyons. Several access points to the Spokane River offer opportunities for swimming, fishing and non-motorized boating. In winter, sections of the trail in Riverside State Park are groomed for cross-country skiing and fat biking. Water-based activities and winter use are different seasonal sides of the same trail.
Mount Spokane State Park offers a different scale of trails through the landscape: It covers 12,444 acres and has 100 miles of trails. The multi-use trails are intended for hiking, biking and horseback riding. In winter, nearly 37 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails are added. If you’re comparing trails, information about their uses and lengths gives you a concrete sense of how the options differ; however, it doesn’t indicate a specific travel time on foot or by bike.
Liberty Lake Regional Park brings together wetlands, lakeshore, montane forest and irrigated lawns across 3,591 acres. It is home to the lake’s only public swimming beach. Check the rules and conditions at the beach before swimming. This helps distinguish beach use from the other landscape features that shape the character of the park.
Green Spaces and Discoveries in Spokane
In southwest Spokane, the 65-acre John A. Finch Arboretum sits on wooded hills. Its collection of trees and woody plants was established along Garden Springs Creek and includes labeled native and cultivated plants. A downloadable walking guide supports a self-guided tour through the collections and to specimen trees. The guide provides a thematic framework for your visit, while the labeled plants identify individual stops in the collection.
The 64-acre Riverfront Park offers views of Spokane Falls, walking paths, a sculpture walk and bicycle access to the Centennial Trail. It also has year-round entertainment for families and groups. The park is home to the Looff Carrousel, built in 1909 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Spokane Visitor Center is also in Riverfront Park and offers free brochures, maps, historical information and information about tours. Check current operating information before your visit.
Seasons, Events and Regional Products
The Spokane County Fair & Expo Center’s event calendar includes the Spokane Interstate Fair in September. Event dates can change, so check the latest dates if you’re planning your trip around one. The farms of Green Bluff offer a different kind of seasonal discovery: Depending on the farm, you’ll find U-pick fruit, fresh vegetables and flowers, as well as farm entertainment and recreation. Dates and offerings vary from farm to farm.
Siemer's Farm offers fresh ingredients, beer, cider, wine, jams, juices, and pumpkin and huckleberry donuts; many of these are made with locally grown fruit and vegetables. Offerings depend on events. This sets Green Bluff’s farms apart from a single farm: What’s available during a visit depends on which farm and event are relevant to your trip.
Getting Here and Finding Your Way
The Spokane Transit Authority provides bus service from Spokane International Airport to the transit hub in downtown Spokane. If you plan to travel by bus, check current routes before your trip. For help finding your way around, the Spokane Visitor Center is in Riverfront Park, where you can get brochures and maps, as well as historical information and tour details.
Explore more destinations: Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Airway Heights, Cheney, Nine Mile Fls, Mead, Mica.
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