Bowl and Pitcher is a Class III rapid on the Spokane River in Riverside State Park, Spokane County, Washington, where the river runs between giant basalt boulders below the park's suspension bridge. It is one of the two major rapids on the river's best-known whitewater section.
The falls
The basalt here formed from lava flows that erupted nearly 17 million years ago; where lava met the water of an ancient lake it cooled into rounded pillow basalt. The largest boulders were likely set in place by Ice Age floods 12,000 to 18,000 years ago.
Bowl and Pitcher and nearby Devil's Toenail are rated Class III, within a reach that is otherwise mostly Class II. The runnable range spans 2,000 to 30,000 cfs on the Spokane River at Spokane gauge. Both rapids lie on the run from T.J. Meenach to Plese Flats, which should be paddled only with a professional guide or an experienced whitewater boater.
Getting there
The Bowl and Pitcher entrance is on Downriver Drive in Spokane. Parking requires a Discover Pass: $10 per day or $45 per year. The park is open from 6:30 a.m. to dusk in summer and from 8 a.m. to dusk in winter. The swinging bridge links the day-use area and campground to the trails across the river, with a 2.1-mile riverside trail that passes both rapids. Wildfires burned into the park from August 1, 2026. As of August 28, 2026, Bowl and Pitcher and the bridge are open, but trails on the west side of the bridge remain closed.
On site
The day-use area has picnic shelters, the campground has restrooms with showers, and dogs must be on a leash. The park calls the Spokane River hazardous in places and says it should not be run without whitewater experience and local knowledge. The river has been fatal here: on July 3, 2018, a guided raft carrying 12 people capsized near Bowl and Pitcher, and a visitor from Colorado drowned even though she wore a life jacket. Stay out of the water unless paddling with a guide or an experienced crew.
History and name
The Civilian Conservation Corps built the suspension bridge in the 1930s, along with trails, parking and a kitchen shelter at the campground. The rebuilt bridge, which kept the original design, was dedicated in 1999 and survived the 2026 fires undamaged. The land was originally part of the Northern Pacific railroad grant.
Nearby
Ne'słiqhwum is about 17.9 miles away, Łq'e'ykwe' Rapid about 51.8 miles and Chipmunk Rapids about 57.1 miles. Devil's Toenail, the other Class III rapid on the same run, can be seen from the same riverside trail.
Distances are straight-line.