The question I get asked the most - Where is a good place to take my kids hiking near Spokane?
Here are some great locations to take your kids outside and enjoy nature. These hikes are in no particular order, and I will share my personal insights from the adventures my kids and I have had on these trails. This is a great opportunity to teach your kids about outdoor ethics, while still having fun. Please respect the trail rules and pick up after your pets, and I highly encourage you to bring a garbage bag to help pick up litter. This can become a fun activity for kids, especially if you make it a contest or prize for who can collect the most!
For those of you that are new to hiking, I highly recommend downloaded the app AllTrails. It’s great for getting directions to the trailhead, GPS trail maps so you don’t get lost, distance and elevation statistics, as well as recent trail reviews. Trail reviews are a great way to see if the trail is muddy, icey, or closed. Always check the weather and plan ahead. Always bring water, food and snacks, as well as a first aid kit (with bee sting aid) in your car.
(TIP: Use Locations/Geotags on Instagram to find most recent conditions. Search for the Location/Geotag of the place you plan to visit. Look at the most ‘recent’ posts. You can likely see what conditions looked like within the last few days. If no one has posted in that location in 3-4 month’s, it’s likely the access road is closed due to snow. )
“Big Rock” seen while hiking from the Stevens Creek trailhead.
Click Here: Directions to Trailhead
Rocks of Sharon is my go to hike with the kids, since I live in the southern part of Spokane Valley. With it only being about 15 minutes away, it’s a great place for an evening hike to catch a sunset overlooking the Palouse or Spokane Valley.
Stevens Creek Trail in the winter.
Be careful hiking here during the winter and early spring months. The trail tends to get compacted with ice and will often times stay muddy until April.
This short hike (1 mile to the top) offers sweeping views in every direction. The short quick incline (~600ft.) is great for those who are trying to get in a quick workout, without going too far from home. There are several rock outcroppings at the peak of the hike, a great place to stop and have lunch or enjoy the views. This is also a local hangout for rock-climbers, scaling the face of “Big Rock”, which can be really entertaining for the kiddos in the summer months.
Sweeping views looking over the Palouse from the top of Rocks of Sharon.
2. Deep Creek Loop Trail - 9-Mile Falls Area
The Deep Creek trail system features paved sections of the centennial trail.
Click Here: Directions to Trailhead
The deep creek trail system is an extensive network of trails on the north end of Riverside State Park, near the community of Nine Mile Falls. Although I had hiked in Riverside State Park several times, I was amazed at how unique the landscape is through this particular trail in the deep creek canyon. My kids love the towering basalt talus rocks that you must weave up through to reach the top. The landscape really makes you feel small, and has a number of unique features that differ from other areas of the park. After starting along the centennial trail, you’ll find a unique bridge where “deep creek feeds into the Spokane River. Deep creek has now diminished to a trickle, due to irrigation needs from upstream. After checking out the bridge and sandy beach, you will want take a sharp turn to head upwards into on a rocky trail. This will take you up into a mossy canyon that will reveal all sorts of amazing wonders.
I recommend the shorter 2.3 mile loop for hikes with young kids, although there is a 5.4 mile loop if you’re really looking to induce a good nap time. The return back through the woods offers great views of the Spokane River area and allows for varied landscapes through out the entire hike.