*Hiking around the summit of Mount Spokane*

The city of Spokane, Washington is an outdoor lovers dream. From hiking and trail running, to rock climbing, and even luxury hotel stays, Spokane truly has something for everyone. Recently, my partner and I spent a long weekend in Spokane, WA to explore the local climbing areas and state parks. Here is a list of my top five outdoorsy things to do if you visit the Spokane area.

Top 5 Outdoor Activities for Hikers and Climbers

See details below for a description on each:

Multi-pitch climbing at Rocks of Sharon
Sport climbing at Deep Creek in Riverside State Park
Bouldering at Minnehaha
Hike Quartz Mountain Fire Lookout at Mount Spokane State Park
Trail run at Riverside State Park and check out Bowl and Pitcher

Rock climbing at Rocks of Sharon in Spokane, WA — **Rock Climbing**

Did you know Spokane has outdoor rock climbing? I had no idea until we started planning this trip that there was quality cragging so close to the city. If you are a climber visiting Spokane, these are three must visit crags.

Rocks of Sharon - Just a 30-minute drive from Downtown Spokane, this cluster of granite out-croppings overlooking the Palouse of Eastern Washington and Idaho includes 60+ climbs both single and multi-pitch. The 20-minute uphill hike is well worth it to reach grippy granite and a variety of climbing from slabby sport routes to multi-pitch trad that will get you to the top of the towers. This was our favorite climbing destination of the trip because we love multi-pitch! (Discover Pass needed to park)

Deep Creek - Located in Riverside State Park, Deep Creek offers a wide range of sport climbs on basalt. The approach is short and easy from the parking lot. There are easy climbs in the 5.5 to 5.8 range great for new leaders, all the way up to steep and overhanging 5.13 routes. This is probably the best sport climbing in the area, and some of the hardest (mostly overhanging) routes in the area. (Discover Pass needed to park)
Minnehaha - The closest crag to downtown, Minnehaha is only a 17-minute drive and has a mix of trad climbing and bouldering. There are a couple sport routes, but the reason for coming to this crag is for trad. The approach is nonexistent and the main wall is a few feet from the parking lot. This is a great crag to visit on a week day and a lot of the routes have top rope access so you can climb harder than you lead and try out some quality routes. We did a little bit of bouldering here as well which was a blast.

**Day Hiking**

With so many hikes nearby, it can be hard to choose the right day hike for you. All of the state parks in Spokane are amazing and should be on your radar when looking for a hike. Mount Spokane was my favorite for amazing sunset views! We drove the summit road up to Vista House and then headed to Quartz Mountain (also in the park) for sunset. In the winter, Mount Spokane turns into a ski and snowboard park with downhill and nordic trails. All of the local state parks also have campgrounds that you can stay at.

Quartz Mountain Fire Lookout - Inside of Mount Spokane State Park, at 4 miles round trip, Quartz Mountain is a perfect day hike with amazing views. We hiked to the top for sunset and had it all to ourselves. There is a fire lookout and beautiful vistas looking out over Spokane and into Idaho. Large quartz outcroppings make this a great destination for photos. Part of the hike is on an old road, but then turns to a walking trail about half way up. This hike is in Mount Spokane State Park, so a Discover Pass is required to enter and park inside of the park. If you have the time, it’s worth driving up to the summit of Mount Spokane to walk around and view the Vista House.

Riverside State Park - We went for a hike and trail run in the park. There are so many trails that this can be a short hike or a full day. We opted to head across the suspension bridge and run on a loop trail before lunch. It’s worth heading up to the Bowl and Pitcher overlook as well as look down on the river and rock outcroppings. This is a great outing for the whole family as all of the trails are large and flat. (Discover Pass needed to park)

Those are just five fun outdoor things to do while you are visiting Spokane, but there are so many other hikes in the area. I highly recommend checking out all of the state parks nearby as they each have something unique to offer. If you are looking for more to do, check out the Washington Trails Association hike finder map for other hikes in the area, and the Visit Spokane blog for ideas on more outdoorsy things to do in and around the city.

*This post is part of a paid partnership with Visit Spokane. As always, my opinions are my own.

Visit Spokane

Hi, we're Skye and Garrett; husband-and-wife travel bloggers and outdoor athletes chasing big landscapes and bigger adventures. Now in our fourth year of full-time travel, we've hiked and backpacked thousands of miles, summited countless alpine peaks, and explored adventurous destinations across the U.S., Canada, and around the world. From remote backcountry routes, to scuba diving off islands in SE Asia, we live for adventure travel. We want to share our real-world travel experiences and trusted gear knowledge with our readers, to help you travel better and make your next adventure the best one yet.