Little Spokane River Natural Area
Indian Painted Rocks Trailhead, W Rutter Pkwy
Spokane, WA
A slow, marshy river just outside the city, where great blue herons nest in the cottonwoods and ancient painted rocks watch over the water.
The Little Spokane River Natural Area protects a slow, reed-lined stretch of river on the edge of the city, a place of marsh, meandering current, and ponderosa-cloaked hills that feels far more remote than it is. A riverside trail and a gentle paddling route let you explore it on foot or by boat, and both begin near a set of ancient Native pictographs.
It is the kind of quiet that surprises people so close to Spokane. Herons stalk the shallows, turtles bask on logs, and the water drifts along at a pace made for a lazy afternoon float, all within a protected corner of the vast Riverside State Park.
What Guests Love
- A gentle, marshy river made for an easy canoe or kayak float past herons and turtles
- The Indian Painted Rocks, protected Native pictographs at the trailhead
- A great blue heron rookery in the tall cottonwoods along the water
- A riverside trail that feels remote yet sits right on the edge of Spokane
Worth Knowing
- The river is for non-motorized boats only, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards, which keeps it peaceful
- The pictographs are fragile and sacred, so view them from the marked area and never touch them
- Spring high water can be swift and cold, so check conditions before paddling
- A Washington Discover Pass is required to park at the trailheads
Details
Spokane, WA
Learn about Little Spokane River Natural Area
The Indian Painted Rocks
The trail into the natural area passes the Indian Painted Rocks, a protected cluster of pictographs painted onto the rock by Native people long before the city grew up nearby. The Spokane people and their neighbors have lived along these rivers for countless generations, and the paintings are a direct link to that long presence.
These images are fragile, sacred, and irreplaceable, so the site is fenced and interpreted, and visitors are asked to view them only from the marked area and never touch them. Treat the rocks as you would any place of living cultural importance, with quiet and respect.
Paddling and walking the river
The Little Spokane is one of the region's finest gentle paddles. Non-motorized boats put in near the Indian Painted Rocks and at St. George's, and the current carries you slowly through marsh, past overhanging cottonwoods, and around lazy bends where wildlife is easy to spot. It is a classic point-to-point float, so many paddlers arrange a shuttle between put-in and take-out.
For those who prefer to stay dry, the riverside trail traces the same water, threading through pine and meadow with the marsh on one side. Either way the pace is unhurried, and the reward is the same: a close, quiet look at a living river.
The heron rookery and the wildlife
About a mile along the river stands the natural area's most celebrated resident colony, a great blue heron rookery high in the streamside cottonwoods, where the big birds nest and raise their young. Watching a heron lift off from the marsh on slow, enormous wings is one of the trip's certain pleasures.
The wetland teems with life. Painted turtles line up on logs, ospreys and eagles hunt overhead, waterfowl work the quiet backwaters, and beaver, muskrat, and deer move along the banks. The mix of marsh, river, and dry ponderosa forest packs an unusual variety of habitat into a small area.
The seasons
Spring brings high, brisk water and the return of nesting birds, and the herons are active at the rookery. Summer is warm and gentle, the classic season for a slow float, though the current drops. Fall paints the cottonwoods gold along the water and thins the crowds.
Winter quiets the natural area and can ice the edges of the marsh, a stark and peaceful time for a walk when the herons have gone but eagles patrol the open water. Whenever you come, mornings are best for wildlife and calm.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Spokane
Riverside State Park
Adjacent
The large state park the natural area belongs to, with the Bowl and Pitcher basalt formations, the Spokane River, and miles of trails northwest of the city.
Downtown Spokane and Riverfront Park
About 8 miles south
The city center, with the Spokane Falls, Riverfront Park, the Looff Carrousel, and the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.
Mount Spokane State Park
About 20 miles northeast
The highest peak of the Selkirk foothills near the city, with summit views, hiking, and winter skiing.