Floating on the Spokane River can be a great way to cool off on a hot day, but there are mixed opinions on the best and safest spots to start your trip in the Spokane area.
One local company, Flow Adventures said they start at People’s Park at the Sandifur Bridge to keep their clients safe.
“"We've chosen this site because it takes out these four abutments in the background and those are typically one of the most hazardous things on the river," said Jon Wilmot of Flow Adventures.
Wilmot said they will launch rafts and kayaks upriver from Sandifur Bridge because you can navigate the water easier on those than on an inner tube.
“With inner tubes, you’re at the mercy of the river and your little hands,” he said.
We're at the Spokane River today and it's gorgeous! Will you be floating the river this summer? ☀️@KREM2 pic.twitter.com/0jmBopOmg4
— Amanda Roley (@KREMAmandaRoley) July 18, 2017
Wilmot recommended floating from People’s Park for about two hours and getting out of the river at the T.J. Meenach Bridge.
Any further, and you might be in for a bumpy ride.
"If you get to the treatment facility you probably want to get out,” Wilmot said. “Bowl and Pitcher, and the Devil's Toenail are the class three rapids and those are below that point."
If you plan to float down the river on your own, the safest time is July through mid-August, Wilmot said.
"We really gauge it based on how many branches, we call them strainers--branches and brush are left in the water,” he explained. “And once the rocks start to come out around those and you can't really get to them, that's when we feel it starts to become a family adventure."
Of course, if you decide to go, the most important thing is to bring a life preserver.