The Course Spokane Valley: A New Home for Championship Cross Country

Cross country just got a permanent home in the Pacific Northwest. The Course Spokane Valley—a 46-acre venue built along the Spokane River—opens on August 15, 2026, and the fall calendar is already stacked with some of the most competitive high school, collegiate, and community races in the region. If you’re directing an event, coaching a team, running a race, or cheering one on, Spokane Valley hotels put you minutes from the start line with easy access to I-90, the airport, and everything else you need for a smooth race weekend.

A VENUE BUILT FOR CROSS COUNTRY

Most cross country venues are temporary: a golf course, a city park, a state fairground that gets taped off for a few hours. The Course is different. It was designed from the ground up as a dedicated cross country running venue.

The site covers 46 acres along the north shore of the Spokane River, with terrain running through grassy meadows, past rocky outcrops, and under hundred-year-old Douglas fir trees. It’s Pacific Northwest scenery at its best.

Before breaking ground, Spokane Sports traveled to the country’s most respected dedicated cross country sites to study what worked and what didn’t. They talked to NCAA governing bodies, interviewed event directors, and vetted every specification that separates a good course from a great one.

The result is a venue purpose-built to meet NCAA and USATF specifications, with a 70-meter-wide starting line, 10-to-15-meter course width, 600 meters of clear running from start to first turn, and customizable layouts that support 5K, 6K, 8K, and 10K races. At the end, there’s a permanent finish line arch, a signal to athletes and event organizers that this is serious competition.

And the location? Forget the remote fields. The Course sits 20 minutes from Spokane International Airport and 5 minutes from hotels, restaurants, and shopping in Spokane Valley, so race weekends feel less like a logistical workout. Arrive, compete, and be back at the hotel before your calves start asking questions.

BOOK YOUR STAY IN SPOKANE VALLEY

THE 2026 SEASON AT A GLANCE

The Course opens in August and doesn’t stop until late November. Here’s the full event calendar:

• Aug. 15 — The Course Grand Opening & Switchback Series Opener
• Aug. 23 — Inland Northwest XC Invitational
• Sept. 4 — Gonzaga University Clash of the Inland Northwest
• Sept. 10 — CVSD Middle School Jamboree
• Sept. 25–26 — Nike Bob Firman Invitational XC
• Oct. 3 — Whitworth University XC Invitational
• Oct. 7 — EVSD GSL High School Meet
• Oct. 15 — CVSD Middle School All-District Meet
• Oct. 22 — Idaho District I/II XC Championships
• Oct. 23 — Gonzaga University The Tyson Invite
• Nov. 8–9 — NWAC Men’s & Women’s XC Championships
• Nov. 13–14 — NCAA DIII Men’s & Women’s XC Regional Championships
• Nov. 20–21 — Nike Cross Northwest Regional Championships

EVENT PREVIEWS

AUGUST 15: GRAND OPENING & SWITCHBACK SERIES OPENER

The day starts with a ribbon cutting ceremony, then transitions straight into competition with the Switchback Series Opener, Spokane Sports’ new cross country event series. Race day registration opens at 7:30 AM, followed by the Youth 3K at 9 AM, Women’s 5K at 10 AM, and Men’s 5K at 11 AM. Food trucks and community activities round out the celebration.

AUGUST 23: INLAND NORTHWEST XC INVITATIONAL

One week after the grand opening, the Bloomsday Road Runners Club brings the Inland Northwest XC Invitational to The Course. The event is part of the BRRC’s Fall XC Race Series and is open to the community, with a general entry fee of $20 and a reduced rate of $10 for athletes 17 and under. There are two 5K races, a women’s and a men’s. Awards go to the top three finishers overall, top three in the high school division, and top three masters. All finishers receive a 1970s style headband. Registration closes August 22.

SEPTEMBER 4: GONZAGA UNIVERSITY CLASH OF THE INLAND NORTHWEST

The college cross country season officially kicks off with the Clash of the Inland Northwest. Past races have drawn programs including Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State, Whitworth, Whitman, and Spokane CC, giving coaches an early look at the regional field. It’s a Friday morning meet, which means families and spectators traveling for the event still have time to explore Spokane Valley over the weekend before heading home.

SEPTEMBER 10: CVSD MIDDLE SCHOOL JAMBOREE

The Central Valley School District brings its middle school jamboree here in September, giving young athletes their first taste of competitive cross country on a venue designed to host national championships.

SEPTEMBER 25–26: NIKE BOB FIRMAN INVITATIONAL XC

The Bob Firman Invitational has been one of the premier high school cross country meets in the country for decades, and in 2026, it moves to The Course. The event’s track record includes 63 Nike Cross Nationals team finalists, 6 NXN team champions, 291 state team champions, and 34 Footlocker finalists. The 2026 meet runs across two days. Middle school races run Friday evening, September 25. High school races fill Saturday, September 26, with divisions including 9th Grade Boys and Girls, DII Varsity, DI Varsity, Elite Varsity, JV, and Freshman races, all at 5K. Packet pickup opens Friday at 1:00 p.m. Registration is through Athletic.net.

OCTOBER 3: WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY XC INVITATIONAL

The collegiate season picks up the following weekend with Whitworth University’s XC Invitational. A week after Bob Firman’s high school showcase, college runners take the same terrain, a nice window into what the venue looks like at the next level.

OCTOBER 7: EVSD GSL HIGH SCHOOL MEET

The East Valley School District brings Greater Spokane League high school competition to The Course in early October.

OCTOBER 15: CVSD MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL-DISTRICT MEET

The Central Valley School District returns for its all-district middle school championship. For young athletes who ran the September jamboree here, this is their postseason.

OCTOBER 22: IDAHO DISTRICT I/II CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cross country programs from across northern Idaho make the trip to Spokane Valley for this district championship. The Course’s proximity to the Idaho border—and I-90’s dead-straight line from Coeur d’Alene—makes this a natural fit. Athletes and families traveling from the Boise and Coeur d’Alene corridors will find Spokane Valley the easiest home base on the route.

OCTOBER 23: GONZAGA UNIVERSITY THE TYSON INVITE

The Tyson Invite is Gonzaga’s collegiate invitational, named for Pat Tyson, the longtime head coach who’s spent decades building one of the most respected distance programs in the Pacific Northwest. The 2026–27 season will be Tyson’s last, which gives this year’s edition of his namesake invite an added layer of weight for programs and fans who’ve followed his career.

NOVEMBER 8–9: NWAC MEN’S & WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Northwest Athletic Conference Championship comes to The Course in November, bringing the best men’s and women’s programs from two-year colleges across the Pacific Northwest. Men race 8K, women race 6K. This is a full championship weekend with conference titles on the line.

NOVEMBER 14: DIVISION III MEN’S & WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

This is where the national picture comes into focus. The NCAA Division III Regional Championships at The Course Spokane Valley sends qualifiers to the national championship. Programs from across the region bring their full rosters. Athletes know what’s at stake. The Course will be running on all cylinders.

NOVEMBER 20–21: NIKE CROSS NORTHWEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The season closes with its biggest stage. Nike Cross Northwest is one of eight regional qualifying meets for Nike Cross Nationals — the unofficial team national championship of United States high school cross country. Programs from seven states compete: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. The top teams and individuals earn spots to race at nationals in Portland.

YOUR RACE WEEKEND HOME BASE

The Course is open, and the fall calendar is stacked with reasons to travel. Whether you’re bringing a middle school runner to their first jamboree, cheering on a high school team, following a college championship, or watching Northwest athletes chase national qualification, Spokane Valley keeps you close to every stride.

Hotels sit just 5 minutes from The Course, with a dozen options clustered along I-90, each with the practical amenities you want on race weekends. Free parking makes team vans, family SUVs, and gear-packed vehicles easier to manage, while complimentary breakfast, family suites, and indoor pools help runners, coaches, and cheering sections settle in before and after competition.

Nearby grocery stops, coffee shops, and Spokane Valley Mall make it easy to handle pre-race errands for forgotten gear, team snacks, and caffeine runs without adding extra miles to the day. After crossing the finish line, the Valley’s dining scene gives teams and families room to gather more easily than crowded downtown spots.

When you want a downtown outing, Spokane’s city-center restaurants, entertainment, and riverfront attractions are only 15 minutes west. If a lakeside trip sounds like the right reward, Coeur d’Alene is 30 minutes east. Spokane Valley sits right in the middle, giving race weekends a practical pace with less driving, easier planning, and more room to breathe.

For coaches, the Valley simplifies schedules. For parents, it removes parking headaches and downtown congestion. For runners, it creates the calm, comfortable reset every competitor needs.

Book your stay today