2018 Parks Section

Spokane area parks with aquatic facilities are offering several amenities this summer. The Spokane County Parks, Recreation and Golf Department, in partnership with the Spokane Federal Credit Union, the Spokane Parks Foundation and iHeartMedia, is continuing its swim-and-a-movie series for a second year.

Mystic Falls is a hidden waterfall in Indian Canyon Park, near Chief Spokane Garry’s last camp. Getting to the waterfall requires a steep descent into a ravine, but it’s an enchanted spot.

Nothing says Spokane quite like the Dishman Hills Natural Area.

A voter-approved bond in 1998 paid to remake about half of the city of Spokane’s playgrounds. Nearly all of them are still entertaining kids.

From inside a classroom at Manito Park, Dave Lennstrom opens the door, letting light flood the room. He points outside to the native shrubs on the hill beyond the manicured gardens. “That’s where the Owl Castle used to be,” he said. To the left, he points to parts once occupied by polar bears, monkeys and elk.

Drive around Spokane and everywhere you look, you’ll detect a common theme: May were designed by the Olmsted Brothers.

Rambling across the thousands of acres of pristine nature or tumbling over playground equipment in Spokane-area parks, you might wonder, “Who’s paying for all this?”

Recent rule changes outlawed camping, prohibited pot smoking and created new hours for the city’s park system. Here are some other regulations to know within the city’s neighborhood parks.

Whether you’re looking to hike to the top of a scenic bluff or tumble down the side of a hill on a sled, there’s something for everyone in the region’s park system. Here are a few ideas to get you started.