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Riverside State Park Hikes

Bowl and Pitcher Trail

Parent Category: Spokane
in Riverside State Park
Created: 18 May 2014
Location: Riverside State Park
4427 N Aubrey L White Pkwy
Spokane, WA 99205
Roundtrip: 5.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 100 ft
Highest Point: 1,750 ft
GPS Coordinates: N 47 41.775 W 117 29.746
Activity type: Hiking, Mountain biking
Visitor’s Information:

Discover Pass Required

Photo from Eastern Washington, Spokane, Riverside State Park, Bowl and PitcherPictures and the video below will take you on a virtual tour along this gorgeous trail! The views are perfect!

General Information:

The Bowl and Pitcher at Riverside State park is one of Spokane’s best wonders. This area is filled with natural and historical treasures. Bowl and Pitcher hike has something for everyone: from beautiful nature with basalt formations to a great picnic area and a campground. The Bowl and Pitcher is the jewel of Riverside State Park. It opens access to the unique trail; the campground of the park offers more than 14, 000 acres for exploration. This park offers great opportunities for recreation and is full of history.

Photo from Eastern Washington, Spokane, Riverside State Park, Bowl and Pitcher

The Bowl and Pitcher Trail is a perfect escape from the city life and a wonderful place for walks around the nature, beautiful birds and other small creatures. This trail is wide and spacious, which makes it easy accessible.

Start your journey crossing a very beautiful swinging bridge that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s, that connects Riverside State Park, and enjoy large basalt knobs that are situated along the Spokane River.

Photo from Eastern Washington, Spokane, Riverside State Park, Bowl and Pitcher

The Civilian Conservation Corps was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in order to give young, unemployed men a possibility to earn money. The CCC constructed many objects in the Riverside State Park: the swinging bridge at the Bowl and Pitcher; and Aubrey L. White Parkway and the rock walls which is situated on both sides of the river.

The Bowl and Pitcher is a geologic phenomenon with its bountiful basalt formations. Basalt is any kind of lava with less than 53% silicon. Basalt formations cover the largest southeastern part of Washington giving the idea of geological past of the region. The most famous basalt formations of Spokane are situated at Bowl and Pitcher.

Photo from Eastern Washington, Spokane, Riverside State Park, Bowl and Pitcher

You may choose either upstream or downstream destinations for your walk. Both directions will open wonderful views.
Downstream direction will open views on rapids on the Spokane River on Devil's Toenail and will take you to the most beautiful basalt bench with gorgeous views of Mica Peak, Mt. Spokane, the South Hill, and West Plains. Upstream direction opens views on peaks of basalt formations where the Spokane Tribe was settled. Spokane Indians used basalt to carve and paint on it.

The Bowl and Pitcher offers great opportunities for hiking, cycling, picnicking, and much more.Bikers adore this wonderful singletrack. It is clean but cannot be called simple. This is a very popular trail among bikers, it is crowdy. So if you want more privacy, you will need to choose another trail. The trail has 3.9 miles singletrack, 0.9 miles forest road/doubletrack, and 2.1 miles pavement on dedicated trail.

Because this trail is so close to town it opens great opportunities for an afternoon walk.

 

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://beautifulwashington.com/eastern-washington/hiking/spokane/riverside-state-park/200-bowl-and-pitcher-trail.html#sigProId8bda3a1ac8

These pictures were taken on May 2, 2014

Directions:

From I-90

Take Exit 280 - the Maple Street Bridge exit. Go north across the Maple Street Bridge, and then further north to Maxwell St. for about one mile, Turn left and follow Maxwell as past the golf course and into Riverside State Park. The trailhead is at Bowl and Pitcher, about two miles north of the park there is an entrance along Aubrey L. White Parkway. 

Click on the map below to get the directions to the park

Photo: Roman Khomlyak

Photo Editing: Pavlo Petryshyn

Information: Marina Petrova

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