Manito Park
Five gardens, a conservatory and a duck pond on Spokane's South Hill, all free
If you only have time for one park in Spokane, make it Manito. It sits on the South Hill about a mile and a half from downtown, and it packs several very different gardens into one walkable stretch of lawn and old trees. Entry to the whole park is free.
You can see a formal European-style garden laid out in 63 flower beds, a Japanese garden with a waterfall and koi, a greenhouse full of palms and cacti, a hillside of roses, and a lilac collection that peaks in May. Then you can finish at the duck pond.
It works for a quick 45-minute loop or a slow half day with a picnic. Locals come here for weddings, photos and Sunday walks, which tells you it is the real thing and not a tourist trap.
What to see and do
A pond with an island, a waterfall and koi, set along winding paths. It is open seasonally, from April through October.
A glass conservatory with tropical, sub-tropical and temperate plants in three sections, with seasonal shows such as poinsettias at the holidays. It is free, and a good rainy-day or cold-day stop.
A three-acre formal garden in the European Renaissance style, with 63 beds of annuals planted in patterns.
More than 1,500 rose bushes representing 150-plus varieties. Peak bloom is usually early summer, with another flush later.
Over 100 named lilac varieties. If you are here in May, follow your nose.
The Joel E. Ferris Perennial Garden holds 300-plus plant species, and the duck pond is a calm place to sit between gardens.
Local tips
- Check the Gaiser Conservatory day before you go: it closes on Wednesdays and on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
- The Japanese Garden is seasonal, April 1 through October 31. In winter the rest of the park is still open and quiet.
- No tripods or portrait photography inside the conservatory. Phone snapshots are fine.
- Park near the conservatory lot west of the Ferris garden. The spaces right in front are reserved for ADA parking.
- Park Bench Cafe runs late May through September, so plan lunch elsewhere or bring a picnic outside that window.
- Come on a weekday morning for the Japanese Garden. Weekends and sunny afternoons get busy.
- Walk the Duncan Garden first, then climb up toward Rose Hill. It keeps the gardens in a natural order and the uphill part comes early.
- Pets are not allowed inside the conservatory (service animals only).
A little history
The land was home to the Spokane people long before it was a park. In the late 1800s newspaperman Francis Cook bought about 160 acres and called it Montrose. After Cook's finances collapsed in the Panic of 1893, mining investor Jay P. Graves took over, renamed it Manito, and donated the land to the city in 1903.
The Olmsted Brothers landscape firm drew up a master plan for the park in 1913, and its formal bones are still there. The Japanese Garden came much later. It opened in 1974 as a gesture of friendship with Spokane's sister city, Nishinomiya, Japan, and was renamed the Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden in 2008 to honor Ed Tsutakawa, who helped build that sister-city bond.
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Photos
Happening nearby
Questions visitors ask
Is Manito Park free?
Yes. The park, the Japanese Garden and the Gaiser Conservatory are all free to enter.
What are the Manito Park Japanese Garden hours?
The garden is open seasonally, April 1 through October 31, with 10 am to 6 pm listed. Check the city's site for current hours.
When is the Gaiser Conservatory open?
It is open 9 am to 3:30 pm daily and closed Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
When do the lilacs bloom at Manito Park?
Lilacs typically bloom in May. Exact timing shifts with the weather, so look for local bloom updates.
Can I bring my dog to Manito Park?
Dogs are not allowed in the Gaiser Conservatory. Check Spokane Parks and Recreation for current rules on the rest of the park.
How long should I spend at Manito Park?
Plan 1 to 3 hours. An hour covers the Japanese Garden, Duncan Garden and conservatory; add time for roses, lilacs and the pond.
More outdoors staples
Trail · Riverfront Park / Spokane River corridorSpokane River Centennial TrailA paved river path from Nine Mile Falls through downtown to the Idaho line.
State park · Riverside State Park / northwest SpokaneBowl & Pitcher at Riverside State ParkWhitewater, basalt boulders and a swinging bridge, 15 minutes from downtown.
State park · Selkirk Mountains, northeast of SpokaneMount Spokane State ParkSummit views, huckleberries in summer and night skiing in winter.