The Course Spokane Valley sits inside Flora Park at 2520 N. Flora Road. Two weeks ago it was named the best new sports venue in the country. The park has 150 parking spaces. The city says its cross-country meets bring thousands of visitors to Spokane Valley.
Those two numbers explain how a race weekend on Flora Road works. Spectators don't park at the venue. For the two meets left in the 2026 season, they park at Spokane Valley Commons on Sullivan Road, at a lot on Tschirley Road, or at Mirabeau Transit Center, and they ride in. Anyone in the east Valley planning to watch, or just driving past on a Saturday, should know which lot serves which weekend.
Two weekends, two different lots
The city and its programming partner, Spokane Sports, booked 14 meets for this first season, running from mid-August through November. The NWAC Cross Country Championships ran on November 9. Adult tickets were $12, the event was cashless, and the spectator policy read "NO DOGS, NO BIKES." Two meets remain, and each uses its own parking plan.
| NCAA DIII Regionals | Nike Cross Regionals Northwest | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Friday–Saturday, Nov. 13–14 | Friday–Saturday, Nov. 20–21 |
| Spectator parking | Spokane Valley Commons, 2818 N. Sullivan Rd. | 3756 N. Tschirley Rd. |
| Shuttle | Free, about 5 minutes, every 10 minutes | Free |
| Shuttle hours | First bus 9:30 a.m., last bus leaves The Course at 2:00 p.m. | Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Saturday 7:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Other ways in | Drop-off at The Course, then the car goes to the satellite lot | STA Route 307 from Mirabeau Transit Center, Saturday only |
The NCAA DIII plan is the simpler of the two. Spokane Sports' parking sheet puts all spectator parking at Spokane Valley Commons. Teams, volunteers and event staff use the on-site lot, which also has limited ADA parking. Signs on arrival direct fans to the shuttle. The shuttle window closes at 2:00 p.m., so plan for a morning visit.
NXR Saturday runs from first light to mid-afternoon
The Nike Cross Regionals Northwest is the bigger day for local families. Spokane Sports describes it as a high school meet where runners from across the Pacific Northwest compete to qualify for the national championship. All NXR parking is off-site at the Tschirley Road lot. The parking guide says to allow about 20 minutes for parking, the shuttle and admissions, and to take exit 293 at Barker Road to avoid construction.
If you would rather leave the car at home, the same guide points riders to Spokane Transit Authority's new Route 307. On Saturday it runs from Mirabeau Transit Center to The Course every 20 minutes. Riders 18 and under ride free, and the adult fare is $2 per trip.
According to the NXR Northwest meet information, adult admission is $10 online or $15 at the gate. High school students with ID and children get in free, and athletes enter with their bibs. The posted schedule, all in Pacific time, sets the shape of each day:
- Friday, Nov. 20: Rising Stars girls at 2:50 p.m., Rising Stars boys at 3:35 p.m.
- Saturday morning, Nov. 21: grade and middle school 3K at 7:45 a.m., then Rising Stars races at 8:15, 8:55 and 9:30 a.m.
- Saturday midday: girls open races at 10:05, 10:45 and 11:20 a.m., then boys open races at 11:55 a.m., 12:30, 1:00 and 1:30 p.m.
- Saturday championships: girls at 2:15 p.m., boys at 2:55 p.m.
If you are going for the championship races, aim to be on a shuttle by early afternoon. The last Saturday bus is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Check the meet page on race morning for the final shuttle times.
Visitors' money keeps the turf running
The off-site parking makes sense once you see how the venue is funded. Flora Park was built to attract events, and visitors' spending supports its upkeep. In the city's award announcement, Mayor Laura Padden said, "By using lodging tax dollars paid by visitors, we've created a national-caliber facility that attracts even more customers to our hotels, shops, and restaurants, all within a beautiful new park that Spokane Valley residents can enjoy for many years to come." The award was the 2026 SportsTravel Award for Best New Sports Venue, presented at the TEAMS Conference & Expo in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 28.
The city has published what the park costs to run. A City Council recap from the Oct. 13 meeting puts 2027 operating and maintenance costs at about $302,596, covering turf for the course and upkeep of the community park. Rental fees are expected to bring in about $70,000, or less than a quarter of that. Council voted 6–1 to apply for $125,000 in lodging tax funds toward the rest. Grass meant for championship racing needs constant care, and the city is asking visitors' hotel stays to pay for a large share of it.
That arrangement explains this month's schedule. A national meet fills Valley hotel rooms, and the shuttles keep that crowd off Flora Road.
What the park becomes after November 21
Once the NXR shuttles stop, Flora Park is a 46-acre city park on the north bank of the Spokane River. Development was finished in October 2025, according to a Washington State Parks staff report. The build included race loops from one mile to 10K, a restroom, a paved ADA trail and the 150-space lot. The same report lists cyclocross, hiking and other non-motorized uses for the off-season. Future facilities may include a clubhouse, an announcer's crow's nest and a children's play area.
The park sits on the opposite bank from the paved Spokane River Centennial Trail and does not connect to it directly. The next phase is a trail along the river. At its July meeting, the State Parks Commission voted unanimously to authorize its director to grant the city a 30-year easement on about 16 acres of state land next to Flora Park, according to the commission's draft minutes. The proposed easement would allow a 14-foot-wide gravel walking trail about 3,000 feet long, built on an old primitive roadbed. It would have up to six river-view overlooks with benches and would connect to the park's perimeter path. The trail would also serve as a warm-up loop for runners during fall meets. The plan includes no formal river access points and no permanent structures on State Parks land.
Next fall, the park will host a bigger meet. The NCAA's host-site announcement names Gonzaga University and the Spokane Sports Commission as hosts of a 2027 Division I regional at Spokane Valley's Flora Park Cross Country Complex. Expect the same pattern of satellite lots, shuttles and a nearly empty Flora Road for that meet too.
When a public amenity this size opens a few minutes from home, it affects how a neighborhood works, and over time it can shape what the homes around it are worth. If you live near Flora Park and want to know how The Course might figure into a future sale, The Collection can walk you through it. Request a complimentary consultation and home valuation, and we will go over the east Valley with you.
