This Stunning State Park In Washington Makes You Feel A Million Miles Away From It All
One of the many benefits of living in the great state of Washington: Our state parks are second to none. And quite a few of them are located close to town, so you don’t have to go far to get back to nature.
The city of Spokane’s motto happens to be “Near Nature, Near Perfect,” and it’s an appropriate slogan since they’re so close to Riverside State Park. The park is located just a few miles from the city in Nine Mile Falls, but it feels like it’s much farther away.
Riverside State Park is a 14,000-acre recreational area that sits right on the Spokane and Little Spokane rivers. The beautiful terrain consists of running rivers, freshwater marshes, and the kind of beautiful countryside that you’ll only see in Eastern Washington.
Camping is available at the park at the Bowl and Pitcher Campground. The campground has 16 standard campsites and even a Retired Ranger vacation house. There’s also an equestrian campground with corrals. Reservations can be made online or by calling 888-CAMPOUT.
The park also includes the beautiful Nine Mile Recreation Area, which is a beautiful place to camp, swim, fish or enjoy a picnic.
This area was originally inhabited by the Spokane and other nearby tribes. In fact, many tribes gathered together in the Spokane Falls area for various reasons. In 1810, David Thompson opened Spokane House, an outpost for fur trading. The outpost was the first permanent settlement in what is now the state of Washington.
By the late 1800s, settlers were establishing farms along the Lower Spokane River. Dairy cattle were being raised in large numbers. Development was slow, but it was steady. By the early 1900s, Spokane was one of the Pacific Northwest’s major cities.
Riverside State Park was born in 1933 and 1934 thanks to the hard work of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the great foresight of the local community. The Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal to help young unemployed men have a chance to earn a living wage and contribute to the country. The CCC constructed quite a few of the facilities that make the park so special, like the Aubrey L. White Parkway.
The park is open all year, so you don’t have to wait until next spring to enjoy a peaceful escape from the city. They’re open from 8 AM until dusk (you can start your park day at 6:30 during the summer). With 55 miles of hiking trails and biking trails, 25 miles of horse trails, boat ramps, freshwater fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and fire circles (just to name a few), there’s certainly no shortage of fun things to do.
Riverside State Park is a must-see for anyone in Eastern Washington. Here’s a list of more beautiful Washington state parks to explore.
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