Local Treasures with Pia: Spokane Transit

It can be tough to get around in Spokane if you don’t own a car, but perhaps not quite as difficult as you think. Did you know that you can go to the lake on the Spokane Transit Authority bus? Or go to a trailhead and take a hike? Or to High Bridge Park for some disc golf or to take a walk along the Spokane River? Yes, you can do all that.

It may require a little planning and now, because of COVID, some special precautions that you are already used to: you must wear a facemask, use hand sanitizer where available (or carry some with you) and you must spread out throughout the bus to maintain social distance.

Your first stop for trip planning is Spokane Transit Authority online – if you know from which address to which address you are traveling, you can simply type in that information and STA will tell you which bus to catch and when – simple as that.

A two-hour bus pass for any one from 6 to 64 is $2 and it can be purchased with exact change on the bus, or you can buy passes online or at the downtown STA Plaza. Children 5 years old and younger ride for free with a paying adult.

Read all about STA passes, discount fares and other programs online - you can also sign up for text alerts or email updates from STA.

Now to the super fun part: What are some of the exciting destinations you can travel to?

Would you like to go swimming? Take the 66 or the 64 to the West Plains Transit Center and change to number 62 to go to Medical Lake – easy peasy. Swim all day and jump back on the bus for your trip home.

Hiking you said? Well, take the 90 out Sprague and Appleway Boulevard and get off by Dishman Hills trailhead. Hike the Dishman Hills Conservation Area to your hearts content and rest your tired feet on the bus on the way home.

If you are more in the mood for a little coffee and shopping – or maybe you want to catch the Thursday afternoon Farmers market – take the 45 up South Perry Street.

If a nice stroll along the river or in High Bridge Park is more to your liking, take the 20 and get off near the People’s Park Parking lot at the bottom of Riverside. It’s a short stroll over to the Sandifur Bridge, or you can head south toward High Bridge Park and the disc golf course, and miles of trails.