"I would never have pursued this project expecting to open in late fall," Rik Stewart said with a laugh in early September. He is part of the family behind Mica Moon Zip Tours, the company building the zip line over the Spokane River, and he was speaking to The Spokesman-Review about a project that had just missed the Fourth of July.
Late fall is now here, and the zip line still isn't running. The Spokane Journal of Business reported on Sept. 24 that the attraction is expected to open in spring 2027. Two of the other projects lined up for the park are on the same calendar, and the third is waiting on funding. That makes the coming winter the last full season Riverfront Park runs on what it already has. The ice, the Carrousel, the tree and the Pavilion are carrying the whole season. If you've been waiting to ride the zip line, the plans below are worth making in the meantime.
The Hillside Behind the Library Turned Out to Be History
The route is easy to picture once you know it. The line starts at A Place of Truths Plaza, 901 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., behind the downtown Spokane Public Library and next to City Hall. It runs 1,400 feet down the south bank of the river, passes under the Monroe Street Bridge, and ends at Redband Park, 216 N. Cedar, in Peaceful Valley. The project costs $1.5 million and uses two cables. It will run as Spokane Skylines, with an electric shuttle to carry riders back up the hill. The developer is Epiphany Applied Concepts, a Liberty Lake company that does business as Mica Moon Zip Tours.
The slope itself caused the latest delay. Stewart told The Spokesman-Review that crews ran into unexpected engineering problems driving steel piles into that steep ground. After the Great Fire of 1889, officials pushed debris into the area where the crews are now working. "The geological surveys we had didn't show some of the things we discovered along the way," he said.
How the Opening Date Has Moved
- January 2023: Park leaders hoped the zip line could be finished for the 50th anniversary of Expo '74 on May 4, 2024, but said construction was not guaranteed.
- January 2025: The Spokane Journal of Business reported that construction would start that spring and the attraction would run that summer.
- May 2025: The Spokesman-Review reported it could open as soon as late July, though Mica Moon also allowed for early the following spring.
- April 30, 2026: The City of Spokane set a window of late summer or fall 2026, with construction starting in May.
- Early September 2026: Stewart said construction could finish by mid-October if everything went perfectly, but could slip into November or later. The grand opening was set for spring.
- Sept. 24, 2026: Concrete footings for the landing platform at Redband Park were in. Silvey Construction was working on crane permits for the launch point at the top, and spring 2027 was the official target.
The September interview also mentioned something smaller. Depending on when construction wraps up, Mica Moon is considering some kind of teaser event for locals before the spring opening. No date has been set, so for now the hillside behind the library is a work site to watch.
The Rest of the Pipeline Points to 2027 or Later
The zip line is one of four projects, together valued at more than $4 million, that the Spokane Journal of Business tracked at or near the park. Two have 2027 construction dates, and one has no date at all.
Humane Society Paw Park. This dog park is planned for about an acre on the east end of Havermale Island, with ornamental fencing and separate areas for large and small dogs. The original plan was to start building in 2025. Riverfront Park director Jon Moog said fundraising and permitting slowed it down, and construction is now expected in spring 2027. Design is finished, and Moog expects the city to request contractor bids within a few months. The Spokane Parks Foundation is the main funder, and Spokane Humane Society has donated $250,000.
Lions Learning Center. The Spokane Central Lions Club is turning an existing Expo '74-era covered shelter into an outdoor classroom. The shelter sits northeast of Mobius Discovery Center, next to the Post Street Bridge. Plans call for a new roof, concrete seating, tables and electrical outlets, plus a pollinator garden. The club has raised $200,000 of the $300,000 it needs, including $70,000 of its own money. Construction is set to start in spring 2027 and finish by August. Past Lions Club president Gary Guenther said nonprofits, schools, charities and churches will be able to use it for meetings at no cost.
Snxw Meneɂ Island. The Spokane Tribe of Indians and the City of Spokane are partners on a $2 million renovation of this 2-acre island. Plans include an updated covered amphitheater, new tribal art and sculpture, and a main path with basalt pillars and claw marks that tell the Tribe's origin story of the Spokane River. Planning is essentially complete. The project is on hold until the Tribe's share of the funding is secured.
Moog described the approach behind all of it this way to the Journal:
"When we look at these capital projects and allow for flexibility and creativity to come into the space, that's the magic out here."
The one addition already in the ground this fall is the quietest. The Never Forget Garden sits near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial above the Washington Street land bridge, with 334 plants that will bloom red, white and blue. The Daughters of the American Revolution, Jonas Babcock Chapter, dedicated it on Sept. 25. The chapter also planted 25 Kwanza cherry trees, 15 of them alongside the garden and 10 in Red Wagon Meadow, where they fill two flower beds from Expo '74. Project lead Anne Oakes told the city she expects the cherry trees to bloom this coming spring, the same season the zip line is due to open and the dog park is due to start construction.
What the Park Is Running on Instead
The winter calendar uses only what's already there. The City's Riverfront Spokane calendar lists these dates:
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 11 | Carrousel rides for active and former military members plus one companion, starting 11 a.m. | Looff Carrousel | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Storytime at the Carrousel, 11 a.m. | Looff Carrousel | $1 rides |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Numerica Skate Ribbon opening day, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. | Skate Ribbon | $10.95 adults, $7.95 youth, $7.95 skate rental |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Numerica Tree Lighting Celebration, 4 to 7 p.m., countdown at 6 | Riverfront Park | Free |
| Weekends, Nov. 28 to Dec. 20 | Wheatland Bank horse-and-carriage rides, 5 p.m. | Riverfront Park | Free |
| Dec. 10 to 13 | Holiday Village | Gesa Pavilion | Free |
| Fri., Dec. 18 | Storytime at the Carrousel, 11 a.m. | Looff Carrousel | $1 rides |
A few details matter for planning. The city calls Nov. 21 the expected public opening of the ice season, and helmets are free on request at the ribbon. The tree lighting has food trucks and live entertainment, so plan to arrive well before the 6 p.m. countdown. The carriage rides run on Saturdays and Sundays: Nov. 28 and 29, then Dec. 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20. Holiday Village keeps different hours each day. It runs 5 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 10 and 11, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 12, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 13.
The SkyRide is the part of the park that faces the zip line's slope across the river. The city describes it as an enclosed, all-weather ride, but it can close without notice in high winds or extreme temperatures. On a calm day it's the easiest seat for a look at the hillside where crews are working. Winter hours for the SkyRide and the Carrousel aren't published yet, so check the Riverfront Spokane visitor page before you go. The same goes for the ribbon's regular hours after opening day.
One Winter Between Two Versions of the Park
Put the two halves together and the season looks like this. The tree lighting on Nov. 28 and Holiday Village in December will take place across the river from the slope behind the library, where the zip line's launch point is still to be built. The Carrousel storytimes run in the same park as the Expo-era shelter the Lions Club plans to turn into a classroom by next August, and the east end of Havermale Island is waiting for contractor bids on a dog park. Every planned addition is now set for spring or summer 2027, or is waiting on funding.
If you live near downtown, Peaceful Valley or along the river, the spring date to watch is the zip line's grand opening, plus any word of the teaser event Mica Moon has mentioned for locals.
I follow projects like this because they change how a neighborhood feels long before any new listing shows up. When you're ready to talk about what downtown Spokane's next few years could mean for your home, whether you're buying near the river or selling one with a view of it, Monique Thielman is glad to help. Start your waterfront search with a consultation.
