Best Hiking Areas in Spokane
Local businesses, parks, and outdoor recreation areas are voted on every year by the readers of the INLANDER, which is the region's highly-trusted, uber-local media organization. In this blog, you'll find the three best hiking areas in Spokane.
![hiking in iller creek in the spokane valley](https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=27f1d271a1022d9c395f67c34f55cae9 320w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=ff37f712af957912f7c47f703edd1d52 540w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=239dfeb489c2f03449ac8465c4bdc4a8 768w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=35c06fc9be1af227c06c534dcd75e4ba 1024w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=efd8c29d38a791d303bf0dff23df0375 1200w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=855559937667c93a5f6f8d77cfa25088 1440w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=1f81a12defef83d9e76b6affa26b1e99 1920w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=cf851b50385cc98f25cbb6c8b5cf1cbe 2560w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/iller-creek-digital-Craig-Goodwin-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=9d06fca372912eacdd076324e3ca9b7c 3000w)
1st Place: Dishman Hills Including Iller Creek and Rocks of Sharon
With hiking trails crisscrossing more than 3,200 acres of public land from the floor of the Spokane Valley to the top of one of the Selkirk Range’s southernmost peaks, the Dishman Hills bring the beauty of the Inland Northwest’s natural environment directly into the city, and that’s by design.
“Our goal is to preserve in perpetuity,” says Isobel Smith, outreach director at the Dishman Hills Conservancy. “Our first goal is to outright purchase the land so that in 100 years or 200 years the land won’t be developed, it will still be there for [the] public and wildlife.”
The Dishman Hills Conservancy helps manage and preserve three distinct areas of public land, with the Dishman Hills Natural Area at its northern end; from Glenrose east to Phillips Creek across its midsection; and along Iller Creek to the Rocks of Sharon in the south.
In the natural area, hikers can meander around massive granite outcroppings. Glenrose and Phillips Creek provide sweeping prairie vistas and open skies. More adventurous hikers can follow Iller Creek along the forested eastern slopes of Tower Mountain up to the Rocks of Sharon, where even more massive granite monoliths stand atop the ridge and look out across the vast Palouse.
“Spokane is really unique in that it has a lot of different ecosystems,” Smith says.
The Dishman Hills are a contrast, where many of those ecosystems exist in their natural state while surrounded by urban sprawl that the conservancy has been working to halt on its land for more than half a century. That precarious position, with development fencing it in on three sides, is also part of its charm. It’s deep in nature, but at the same time it’s right here.
“What I love about the Dishman Hills is that you can get to any trailhead within a 20-minute drive from wherever you live in Spokane,” Smith says.
![Liberty Lake Loop Hiking in Spokane](https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=b9e453f4b8d355c7f4fdf048354790f8 320w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=3b44c6e534e8e23f02c6960440d9bcfb 540w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=65b792130ea4e3aea726103d73fa2b9f 768w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=ebd8f96d81b4f53dde81a61bcfc63539 1024w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=d29f596cca3a3a6a729c5139124b3431 1200w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=61480bd4249bd8c297f280f3a241524d 1440w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=5cabb934d259de4ec7c321e1c05ea4c1 1920w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=4aadc729e2ff5cd89eb486a45e861316 2560w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/IMG_0372.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=4f885f854bcf8537ffc1e125b21ad4ec 3840w)
2nd Place: Liberty Lake Loop
Liberty Lake loop is a prime spring hiking destination. About halfway up the loop trail, you'll come across the waterfall flowing perfectly. Taking the loop clockwise, the first two miles are relatively flat until the cedar grove but, the real workout begins within the rest of the 1,200 feet in elevation gain in the following 2 miles. The counterclockwise route has a steep grade for the first mile but, it flattens afterward with a gradual ascent to the top. The full loop is 8-miles so, it's an ideal day activity.
![Mt Spokane hiking](https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=cc5300b1453ad0cc484dc33b3c142d37 320w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=b4710047143a315be078c289f6e5f159 540w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=0cf52bcfc84e3901e8c49a3bc0d0af37 768w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=3bbfb80a6c916c5d0e294feab65402b8 1024w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=630187458daa8ea101ed1b876631e5af 1200w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=7625baf031528c5c120564a7103f9e71 1440w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=4f411d5bc975646bd418788e7ae4d4d9 1920w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=42b6fd0d0e5967d86142584aa377266b 2560w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/outdoors/15-2021-MtSpokane-NJames.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=39e0fcf9e0719115b5c8d276994ebb16 3840w)
3rd Place: Mt Spokane State Park
With over 100 miles dedicated to hiking trails, Mt Spokane is an obvious local choice when it comes to the best hiking areas. From moderate to easy trails, Mt Spokane State Park is a refuge for anyone needing some mountain air and stunning scenery. One trail of note is Mt Kit Carson. This hike is severely underrated so, it has the potential to be less crowded. Based on the starting point of the trail, mileage will vary but, the full length of the trail will take you 7 miles one way. Easily access the trail from Trail 130 or Trail 160. The shortest option is to start from Cook's Cabin trailhead off the Summit Road, which is only accessible in the late spring and summer months when the road is open. More on Mt Spokane State Park Trails here.