Sometimes things don’t always work as planned. More often than not, I find myself chasing ideas that don’t entirely end up the way I envisioned. That’s OK because I know that for every five times something doesn’t work, there will be that moment when things fall together better than I had planned. This sunrise dog photography session at Riverside State Park with a bloodhound was one that just came together perfectly.
Friends, this area is minutes from downtown Spokane! To reemphasize this vital point, 11 min from grabbing a coffee at Indaba I was putting my car in park at the trail. I may have clocked it a few times. For science purposes, of course.
When I first met Cash and his owner for this Spokane pet photography shoot, the ground was still frozen in early Spring. Like that in-between time where you wake up and nature thinks it’s still Winter until about 9 am and it slowly dusts off the cobwebs into Spring. I love seeing these transitions. Early Spring is one of my favorite times of the year to be outdoors. However, this time of year can be moody, so catching mornings like this makes it all the sweeter.
How to get to this sunrise spot
To get this view, you park at the Centennial Trail parking lot off Government Way. Taking the Centennial Trail will put you down to Bowl and Pitcher in a few miles, but for a quick walk, with a HUGE reward, head opposite the parking lot along the ridge, and you will find amazing views of the Spokane River and Riverside State Park below. In my experience, most of the Centennial Trail entrances, from Nine Mile Falls to Idaho, have some great, easily accessed walks and photographic opportunities.
Sunrise Photography is my favorite
This area is a gem any time of day, but sunrise is different. Time seems frozen. You aren’t battling with other people for a spot to take a picture or worrying about how your dog will react when they pass a rambunctious pup coming down the trail.
Much like the transition of the seasons, the shift from night to day is “in-between.” It’s almost like a hall pass where you and your dog can experience nature and time together before life gets going, and the world wakes up.
There are many things I love – Coffee, calazone’s from Pete’s Pizza, playing legos (with or without my son), finding free parking on Sundays downtown, but catching the light from the sun in the morning probably tops them all. Seriously, the light from the sunrise, a frosty morning, the views of the river, and a dog that couldn’t be a better model that morning. See what I mean about it coming together?
There are two things I hope you take from this post. One, you NEED to be outdoors a little bit early every so often. It’s worth it to catch those frozen moments while most of the world is still asleep. Two, these postcard-worthy views are only minutes from downtown Spokane and extremely accessible.
Grab your pup and get outdoors. The commitment is minimal, and the payoff is high.
Now the details
- Discover Pass is required as this is part of Riverside State Park.
- To get here, take Government Way from downtown to N Aubrey White Park Dr. Stay straight, and do not turn into the equestrian area. The road will end at the trailhead.
…and don’t be that person.
Poop happens, pack a bag.
Let me know what you think in the comments or drop me an email mb@mbbryantimages.com
Cheers and Happy Hiking!
MB – Your Spokane based photographer serving pets and their people!
PS. If you enjoyed this post, I’ve got more great posts about pet-friendly hiking in the NW. Two of my favorite are the Northern Oregon Coast and Mt Spokane.
