My husband and I have made a pact to go to all of these outdoor spots right in our own city. The…read moreareas around Spokane, are really lush and beautiful and a great place to take it all in. The river has so many spots and this was just one of them that we had found. Wide open spaces, creekside stream sounds, children laughing, wine coolers in tumblers...all of the above. We had a great time and it was calm and warm for it still being May. Great walking and hiking spaces too.

Classic hiking trail on Spokane's north side. From the Indian Painted Rocks trailhead, you can go…read moreeast, west, or north, thought the traditional route is to the west. This trail runs past ancient Native American pictographs before taking a lazy stroll amidst the singing birds of the Little Spokane River. At the west end of the path, you can turn north and explore the Knothead Valley trail which winds up through ponderosa pines and gives stunning views of the Spokane River below. The 6.5 mile loop drops back across the valley before turning south and ending back at the Painted Rocks trailhead for a solid outing. If you are looking for a longer excursion or just want more time along the river, the easterly trail (across the street and south across the bridge) adds another couple of miles of waterfront scenery.

Nice and moderate trail suitable for kids ages 4 and up to hike on their own. Can get up and around…read moreand back down again in a couple hours. Good views from the very top. A few sights along the way including rather unimpressive looking depressions in the ground where miners of yore apparently went digging for minerals. Also, a shallow cave representing the same such activities.

We visited during covid times and were looking for a place to get out and about and socially…read moredistance. A server at a local restaurant suggested we check this out. We're always looking for shortish loop hikes and this seemed perfect, although perhaps more elevation gain than my partner preferred. There is a parking lot and bathroom at the bottom, including some trash cans and picnic tables. Plenty of benches along the trail to take a break and admire the scenery. The interpretive activity was too complicated for us to figure out even with the help of our smart phones. A some point you can veer off the trail and peak inside a small cave. When you reach the top you can take some pictures and take in the view. It does seem like it might make any trip to the area complete and is a great way to burn off some excess energy if you feel like you've been stuck in the car for way too long, like me.

Note: My review is for the Lake Spokane campground and boat launch area, just East of the Long…read moreLake Dam. There are four distinct areas of Riverside SP. To see the actual location, refer to Google Maps. A lot to like here, and it's all dry camping. But if you are used to metro area conveniences, be ready to drive 20+ mins, with Suncrest being the better option, vice Reardan or Wellpinit. It's a pretty drive, wherever you decide to go. Sites here are spaced nicely for semi-privacy; meaning, it's nice to have a quiet space, but it's also nice to see neighbors 30 yards away. A full camp is a safe camp this far out. If you have a travel trailer, don't get Site 4. It's set up is 'against the grain' for the 1-way road, and the only reason we made it in was because of our smaller RV. Big rigs? No way. They have these--I guess--decorative rocks to define each camp site. They're in the way, mostly. Otherwise, if you have booked online, it's plug and play. We got to our site; name on the reserved placard; and let the relaxation begin. Easy...

Riverside State Park is an amazing place to visit in Eastern Washington (near Spokane). The park…read morehas a great trail for walking, running, mountain biking or horseback riding. There is a very nice suspension bridge along the trail, and the trail is near a very scenic river. I highly recommend visiting this park.

Spokane Falls are a must-see in Spokane. To think that we almost didn't go. It was cold and windy…read moreand we could have just headed out from our hotel, but we were so close - many hotels are close - that we went over - and we are so glad we did! These Falls are so impressive, not only the powerful waterfall itself but the structures, the bridges, the nearby buildings, the muskrat yelling at you on the path. All good.

They're gorgeous! I had a nice little walk around to the different bridges. I'm sad some of the…read morewalkways were closed, but totally understandable in January!

Fun and easy to follow. Ended up running through places I would otherwise never have seen.read more

When you visit Centennial Trail you'll be rewarded with some lovely views, especially of the area…read moreon Spokane's west side. Tip: While there are some beautiful things to see, and the terrain here isn't particularly difficult, the signage is really bad so it's very easy to get lost :-( The trails here are good for hiking, running, and evening bike riding!  As I didn't bring my bike on the first visit I'm not quite sure how far you can go on the trail, but I'd love to find out sometime :-)

For my first visit to the northern peninsula of Idaho, I decided to make a stop in the town of…read moreCoeur d'Alene. Coeur d'Alene has a charming downtown waterfront and it's here where you'll find this Tubbs Hill Trail. I believe hiking along Tubbs Hill represents the city of Coeur d'Alene well. It's an easy 2 mile round trip loop that oversees the harbor from a distance. Basically, it's a perfectly fine nature trail. There are 26 or 27 posted marker signs along the trail to guide you (including a halfway point). It's absolutely impossible to get lost, lol. To be specific on where Tubbs Hill Trail officially begins, you can find the starting point right next to the Rotary Harbor House (which looked like a relaxing spot to grab some fish tacos and catch views from the pier). Since the hike is a loop, if you begin by going off to the right hand side, there are spots along the way to descend down the rockside and go swimming in Lake Coeur d'Alene. I noticed a lot of people were relaxing and lounging out on the rocks while taking refreshing breaks in the water. If this sounds enticing, then remember to bring your bathing suit and a towel, lol. The first part of the hike offers panoramic lookouts of not only the boats docked beside the waterfront, but also the historical landmark - Hotel Coeur d'Alene. Eventually you wrap your way around in a circle getting to enjoy the great outdoors. It's a chance to breathe in fresh air from the lake without having to work hard. There's barely any incline/decline along the 2 mile path. It took me one hour to complete the hike. Lastly, parking can be difficult in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Independence Point is a popular area to park, but they do charge by the hour and every spot was occupied when I arrived in the middle of the day. I resorted to parking on a sidestreet next to the Coeur d'Alene shopping district. Though, cars on side streets are only permitted for 2 hour intervals at a time. Overall, Tubbs Hill Trail was a pleasant hiking activity. Pair it with maybe taking a cruise out on the lake or walking around the Boardwalk Marina (the "world's longest floating boardwalk" if you can believe) and you'll discover the best of what Coeur d'Alene has to offer.

Beautiful place to hike near the lake with plenty of scenic views and places to rest.read more

Insanely beautiful park. There is so much to see here, and so many beautiful "secret" spots. The…read morebiodiversity is gorgeous and I loved walking on the trail. My partner and I walked about 8 miles, feeling completely immersed in the nature. We hadn't even planned to hike, but ended up doing it anyway because of how fun it was. There was a cool man-made structure, amongst other sights. This place is great for photographers. Of course, the magnum opus of the park appears to be the bridge, which allows you to stand over the beautiful blue water. I love that the park offers picnic benches to sit and enjoy the space. My only complaint would be that there should definitely be more trash cans in the populated areas.

This hike is amazing! If you're looking to cool down and enjoy a short walk, this is the perfect…read morechoice. The open camping area is spacious with ample parking. The area is super clean (let's all help keep it that way), and the people are very friendly--everyone greeted us with a cheerful "good morning." Overall, it was a fantastic experience. Keep in mind there's a pass for $10 or a season pass for $30, which grants access to multiple trails. Make sure to do your research to get the most out of your visit.

Fish Lake is a warm water lake on the southwest side of Spokane. It's in an area with few other…read morelakes so a weekend visit in the summer is not advised unless you like crowds. The best way to explore the lake is on watercraft, canoe, kayak, or paddleboard, to escape the crowds and appreciate the natural weed growth with pine tree backdrop. I quickly fished the boat launch once, catching a fish about the size of my fishing lure, and was about to fish one of their docks when I noticed that a group of teenagers had decided to use the dock as a diving platform to practice cannonballs. Fishing Fish Lake should probably be restricted to early morning hours, before the local teenagers are up.

Wonderful paved road. Hiking, biking or walking. Need discovery pass ( 10 dollars /a day or 30/ a…read moreyear). Small Parking lot off the Cheney spokane road. Beautiful lake and grounds!

We found this state park while driving to Canada. Excellent little campground with trails. The…read moretrail was easy not steep at all. Not gravely either. I am glad we found this place. Very few people were on site when we visited.

We stayed this last weekend at round lake with some friends and family. We rented three sites next…read moreto each other. As soon as we arrived the people in front of us quickly got stuck because of the boulders that are placed everywhere. The people that work there sat in the golf cart and proceeded to watch them for thirty minutes. My spouse had to help with 3 others to jiggle a boulder so they can gain an inch of room. The area where they ask you to put up tents on are white rock filled area next to our fire pit and picnic table. We were asked to not use the "ground" dirt to camp but did point out many tents using this. The rules are ridiculous, no hammocks , and if you are disabled and use a cane like I do good luck maneuvering around the unnecessary costly boulders that are not an improvement but a waste of cost. Never again will I or seventeen others visit again. Enjoy your boulders.