Exploring the Spokane & Little Spokane Rivers Confluence by Paddleboard | Long Lake Launch
Where the Spokane River widens into Lake Spokane and the Little Spokane River joins from the north, a quiet launch point near Nine Mile Falls offers some of the most peaceful flatwater paddling in Eastern Washington. This stretch is ideal for paddleboarding.
Protected by the downstream Long Lake Dam, the water here is calm and stable—perfect for a slow afternoon glide. Forested hills and basalt cliffs frame the shoreline, while shallow inlets and back eddies host a range of wildlife.
On this paddle, signs of beavers, deer, and nesting birds were visible along the banks, with ospreys and bald eagles soaring overhead. The area’s low boat traffic in spring makes it easy to drift and observe.
But it’s more than just a scenic paddle. This confluence has long been a natural meeting place. For generations, the Spokane Tribe and other Indigenous peoples gathered here to fish, camp, and trade.
The rivers once ran thick with salmon during seasonal runs. In 1810, fur traders from the Northwest Company built Spokane House just downstream—the first permanent European trading post in the inland Northwest.
Today, paddling here offers more than exercise or escape. It’s a connection to the rivers’ layered past, where nature and history still move in parallel.
Whether you’re watching an osprey dive for fish or tracing the path of early trade routes, this confluence offers quiet discovery at every turn.
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