Spokane Parks to rent kayak on the Little Spokane River this summer
Spokane Parks and Recreation is offering kayak rentals on the Little Spokane River this summer.
“It should be fun,” said Ryan Griffith, assistant recreational director of Spokane Parks and Recreation. “I hope people use it.”
The new program starts on July 3rd. Rentals will be available every weekend through September 5th. The rent is $ 49 per person.
Groups of five or more can rent the sit-on-top kayaks for one person for $ 40.
The rental includes a paddle, PFD and shuttle service. Spokane Parks will also email attendees a safety video and self-guided tour map prior to their trip. The rental is possible from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
12 kayaks are available per day. The kayaks are located at St. George’s Put-In and must be reserved online in advance. There won’t be any rentals on site, Griffith said.
Kayakers can then cruise down the Little Spokane River, which ends at the confluence with the Spokane River on Highway 291. The journey takes about three hours.
Griffith told people to park on Highway 291 and take a shuttle to St. George’s Put-in. Parking is limited at St. George’s, although it is possible to park at St. George’s driveway if space permits.
The Little Spokane Natural Area is a 1,500 acre nature reserve along a river that would otherwise be closed to the public.
“It’s also a kind of educational partnership,” Griffith said. “We really want to educate people about the use of natural space. What a gem to have in our back yard. “
In 1900 the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the Little Spokane River was not navigable. This gave property owners the right to cease public use of the river where it flows through their land.
The former director of Spokane County Park, Sam Angove, worked with the late river residents Morey and Margaret Haggin and others to secure the natural area for public use in 1985. “
Last week, Washington State Parks banned stand-up paddleboards on Little Spokane, citing that particular state law, arguing that they were more likely to get into the water. The decision sparked a flurry of convictions.
The county eventually transferred administrative powers to Riverside State Park. A Washington Discover Pass is required for vehicles parked in the Little Spokane River entrances, including the St. George’s entrance and Highway 291 exit.
It’s a beautiful stretch of river and it’s not uncommon to see moose and other wildlife, Griffith said.
Few places in the United States have such a variety of bird species according to birdwatching. The spring-fed river is blooming with reptiles, water birds, fur bears, fish and more.
“We want to leave this area as untouched as possible,” he said.
Shuttle program also starts
Spokane Parks and Recreation has been offering a shuttle between Highway 291 Snack Bar and St. George’s Put-in since 2013. The shuttle, which costs $ 10 per person per trip, runs every weekend between July 3rd and September 5th.
Other outdoor leisure programs are in full swing
After most of the outdoor recreational programs were canceled in 2020, Spokane Parks and Recreation is preparing for a full summer list of activities, Griffith said.
Apart from a few pandemic-related restrictions, the programs run as usual. In particular, an outdoor adventure program for teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 and stand-up paddleboard programs are back.
“We’re going for it,” he said. “Everything is open.”