Where: The two floatable sections of the LSR flows are in the Little Spokane River Natural Area (LSNRA). The LSNRA is about 6 miles northwest of downtown Spokane. The natural area roughly parallels Rutter Parkway, and encompasses 7.3 river miles within its 1,993 acres. Washington State Parks and Spokane County Parks have both acquired lands in the area to guarantee its protection. The area is managed as part of Riverside State Park under a joint interagency agreement with Spokane County Parks.

The 3 mile long float starts at a put-in just before St. George’s School and, optionally, ends at the Indian Painted Rocks takeout on the right side of the river just below the bridge under Rutter Parkway. The lower 3.3 mile long float extends from Indian Painted Rocks to a takeout just above an old diversion dam on the left side of the river a few hundred yards below the Hwy 291 bridge.

The Riverside State Park website http://www.riversidestatepark.org/little_spokane.htm includes a map showing the water access points and trails, as well as other useful information. To get to the St. George’s put-in go N on Division and follow Rt 395 about 0.8 mi past the ‘Y’. Go left (west) on W Hawthorne Rd 0.6 miles. Take a right on Waikiki and go 0.7 miles to its intersection with Mill St. Go left and stay on Waikiki for 1.4 mi. At the point where Waikiki is about to make a 90 degree right turn, you will see a sign for the boat launch, St. George’s School, and a hatchery. Take a left towards St. George’s and go about .3 miles until you see a white gate on the right. That is the entrance to put-in. The gate will be open from dawn to dusk as long as the parking lot is not flooded and the road is not icy. If in doubt, call Riverside State Park for the latest information. Even if the gate is closed, you can carry (or wheel) your boat down the hill and park your car along St George’s Rd. Don’t block the gate!

To get to the Indian Painted Rocks put-in/take-out, continue on Waikiki Rd (which becomes Rutter Parkway) about 3 miles past the St George’s Rd intersection. Turn right into the Indian Painted Rocks parking area just before you cross the LSR. Access to the river is via a trail that runs parallel to the road.

To get to the Rte 291 takeout, continue on Rutter Parkway about 0.7 miles across the LRS and up the hill to its intersection with Indian Trail Rd. Take a right and stay on Rutter Parkway until it descends and intersects Rte 291 in Nine Mile Falls. Go right on 291 past the Nine Mile Dam about 2 miles. Take a left on Shoemaker Rd and go .25 miles. The non-motorized boat launch will be on your right.

Bathroom facilities exist at each of the three put-in/take-out locations.

Why: Floating down the LSR provides a peaceful, quiet experience and an opportunity to see many different types of animals and birds in a beautiful and natural environment. From Spring to Fall if you paddle quietly you are almost guaranteed to see ducks, geese, blue heron, and deer. If you are lucky you may also see moose, beavers, otters, raccoons, porcupines, or muskrats.

The 3 mile float from St. George’s to Indian Painted Rocks passes St. George’s School and includes part of an abandoned ox-bow lake. The 3.3 mile long float downstream from Indian Painted Rocks is further from the road and has more spectacular scenery.  Both sections have a few sharp turns and obstacles that require at least some degree of boat handling ability. In general, stay to the inside of the turns and plan ahead when approaching brush, trees or debris in the channel.

My favorite paddle is to put in at the St George’s boat launch and paddle/drift all the way through to the Rte 291 takeout, while quietly exploring all the side channels and bayous. Doing both sections avoids a fairly long ‘portage’ from the river to or from the Indian Painted Rocks parking area, and takes between 3 or 4 hours to traverse about 6.3 miles of the river, depending on how much exploring of the side channels you want to do.

When:  The  LSR is fed by a combination of runoff from the Mt. Spokane region and springs associated with the Rathdrum aquifer there is adequate flow for boating throughout the year. The river can be floated at any season if you dress warmly enough. In places the river flows rapidly towards the outside of the curves and contains downed trees and bushes which are generally east to avoid for paddlers having even rudimentary paddling skills.

Additional paddling skills are required during the Winter and Spring after heavy rain or melting events. The flow for the period from Nov 1, 2005 through Oct 31, 2006 is shown below.

At high water, the river is cold and may be blocked by newly fallen trees. At very high water levels (> 4 feet gage height), the river overflows it banks and it is necessary to both maneuver and duck while going beneath a private bridge to avoid getting caught under it. For water flow data see http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv/?station=12431000

Restrictions: To protect and preserve the Natural Area and its inhabitants for all to enjoy, including future generations, please observe the following restrictions, which are even more restrictive than usual park regulations:

• Leave your pets at home
• Floating on inner tubes or air mattresses is not allowed, nor is swimming
• Bicycles and motorized watercraft must go elsewhere for recreation
• No campfires or camping
• No alcoholic beverages
• Please hike only on existing trails, please do not wander elsewhere into established animal habitats
• Remember to pack out whatever you pack in
• A complete list of park rules and use restrictions is posted at the trailheads and park office.