Deep Creek Loop Trail

The Deep Creek Trail is a 5.4-mile loop located around 11.9 miles from Downtown Spokane in the northern section of Spokane's Riverside Park. From Downtown Spokane, take West Riverside Avenue onto North Maple. Head North on Maple for 2.3 Miles until you've reached West Northwest Boulevard. After turning left on to West Northwest Boulevard continue for 0.7 miles then turn right onto North Cochran Street. In 0.4  miles North Cochran turns into North Driscoll continue on this street for 2.2 miles. After this, you will be getting onto the 291 North toward 9-Mile Falls. Take the 291 Highway northwest for 6 miles, turn left onto West Charles Road, then take the first left onto West Carlson Road. At this intersection, there is a ranger station in which you can purchase your Washington Discover Pass if necessary. After turning onto West Carlson continue for half a mile, the parking area for the Deep Creek Loop will be on your right. 

The trailhead begins directly across the road from the parking area. With the trail being a loop, you have the option to start from either the Centennial Trail entrance or the northern trailhead parallel to the parking area. This post will describe the hike starting from the northern trailhead. The trail flora resembles many other trails in the Spokane area complete with Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, and Elderberry. The first mile of this trail will be trekking through dense forest with a steady incline and huge basalt cliff sides to the right of the trail. The network of trails in this area can be misleading so this description will be instructing direction at each intersection. A map or GPS app will be beneficial on this trail. At 0.2 miles in, the trail reaches the first 4-way intersection, continue straight through without making a turn. In another 0.2 miles there are 3 other trails, one on the left side of the trail and 2 on the right, continue straight again, bypassing these intersections. At half a mile in, there will be a fork in the trail, take Trail 25 to the left for 0.1 miles. At this point, you'll reach the junction of Trail 25 and Trail 401. Trail 25 will continue Northeast and Trail 401 will continue heading West, take Trail 25 on the right. This first mile will be the highest climb you will encounter on the loop. Continue on Trail 25 for another 0.8 miles. At this point, the incline levels out and the forest becomes more sparse. In 0.3 miles you'll reach another fork in the trail, take the trail on the left which makes it's way to the highest viewpoint on the trail. This viewpoint looks over the Deep Creek Canyon, the Spokane River, Mount Spokane, and in the distance, you may recognize the City of Spokane. After the viewpoint, you will begin a decline which makes switchbacks along the cliff side for a mile until you reach West Pine Bluff Road, a dirt road which makes up 0.3 miles of the loop. Take a left onto West Pine Bluff Road from the trail, the trail will descend and cross over a section of Deep Creek until it intersects with West Seven Mile Road. To the left of the intersection is a small parking area with a trailhead on the far side, take this trail for 0.1 miles until you reach a junction. At this junction you will take the trail to the right for half a mile, you will cross another section of Deep Creek and reach another parking area at the top of a brief incline. The loop continues as a wide gravel road on the east side of this parking area, there will be signs that clearly indicate this change. At 4.4 miles into the loop, you will reach the Deep Creek Overlook which provides a view into the deepest and most dramatic section of the creek as well as a view of the Spokane River. In 0.2 miles you will reach the paved Centennial Trail, an iconic bike path in the Spokane area that stretches all the way into Northern Idaho. Take a left onto the Centennial and continue for 0.8 miles. This last section will hug the shoreline of the Spokane River and will most likely be heavily trafficked with bikers and trail users. The loop will end less than 100 feet from where it began with the parking area clearly visible. 

In addition to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders the Deep Creek area offers a number of rock climbing routes ranging from beginner to advanced. It is common to see and hear local climbers while completing this loop. Being that you pass through 2 additional parking areas on this trail it is possible to start the loop from any of these but a Washington Discover Pass is required at each one.