Fall in Spokane: Green Bluff, Fall Colors & a Calendar of Autumn Activities

Ask anyone who lives here and they will tell you: fall might be Spokane's best season. The mornings turn crisp, the maples along the river go gold and red, and the farms up on Green Bluff open their gates for apple picking, pumpkins and fresh-pressed cider. Here is how to make the most of autumn in the Inland Northwest.

Green Bluff: Spokane's Fall Tradition

Green Bluff is a community of family farms just north of Spokane near Mead that has been growing fruit since the early 1900s. Around 30 member farms belong to the Green Bluff Growers, and each one runs on its own schedule with its own specialties.

• What is in season: apples, pears, plums, grapes, pumpkins and winter squash.
• Apple Festival: Green Bluff's biggest celebration, traditionally held on weekends from late September through October, with u-pick orchards, live music, corn mazes, hayrides and pumpkin donuts.
• Tips for your trip: Try to go on weekdays, just check openings. Weekens are backed.  
• Come back in winter: several farms sell Christmas trees once the pumpkins are gone.

Our current fall favorite Greenbluff Farms are: Hidden Acres, Farmhouse on Greenbluff and Cherry Shack Orchard.

Where to See Fall Color

• Manito Park - the gardens and the surrounding South Hill streets put on a show.
• Finch Arboretum - 65 acres and more than 2,000 trees and shrubs, with easy walking paths.
• Centennial Trail and Riverfront Park - walk or bike along the Spokane River under changing leaves.
• Iller Creek - a roughly five-mile round-trip hike with big views over the valley and the Palouse.
• Riverside State Park - the Bowl and Pitcher area is a favorite when the leaves turn.

A Fall Calendar for Spokane

Dates shift a little each year, so confirm with the organizers before you go.

October

• Green Bluff Apple Festival weekends, corn mazes and pumpkin patches
• Cross country meets at The Course Spokane Valley
• Peak fall color in city parks

November

• Gonzaga basketball season tips off
• Christmas tree farms open on Green Bluff
• Holiday lights start going up in downtown Spokane and Coeur d'Alene late in the month

Fall Is a Smart Time to House Hunt

Autumn is also a practical season to shop for a home here. You get to see how a property handles the first rains and frost, how the furnace runs and what the yard looks like without summer's help. If you are looking at acreage, fall is a good time to walk the land before snow covers it.

Come See It for Yourself

The Fowler Group helps buyers find acreage retreats across Spokane and North Idaho, including the Mead, Colbert and Green Bluff area. Reach out to Ryan and Danielle and we will show you around.