▁water ▁feature , ▁a ▁ ▁trib ut ary ▁of ▁the ▁Columbia ▁River , ▁origin ating ▁from ▁Lake ▁Co eur ▁d ' Al ene ▁in ▁northern ▁Id aho . ▁The ▁river ▁flows ▁west ▁across ▁the ▁Washington ▁state ▁line ▁through ▁dow nt own ▁Sp ok ane , ▁meeting ▁L ata h ▁Creek , ▁then ▁turns ▁to ▁the ▁north west , ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁joined ▁by ▁the ▁Little ▁Sp ok ane ▁River ▁on ▁its ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁Columbia ▁River , ▁north ▁of ▁D aven port . ▁The ▁Ch anne led ▁Sc ab lands ▁and ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁area ' s ▁numerous ▁large ▁la kes , ▁such ▁as ▁Lake ▁Co eur ▁d ' Al ene ▁and ▁Lake ▁P end ▁O re ille , ▁were ▁formed ▁by ▁the ▁Miss ou la ▁Flo ods ▁after ▁the ▁ice - dam med ▁Gla cial ▁Lake ▁Miss ou la ▁ru pt ured ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁ice ▁age . ▁The ▁Turn b ull ▁National ▁Wild life ▁Ref uge ▁south ▁of ▁Chen ey ▁is ▁the ▁closest ▁natural ▁reserve , ▁the ▁closest ▁National ▁Forest ▁is ▁the ▁Col ville ▁National ▁Forest , ▁the ▁closest ▁National ▁Rec re ation ▁Area ▁is ▁the ▁Lake ▁Ro ose vel t ▁National ▁Rec re ation ▁Area ▁and ▁the ▁closest ▁national ▁park ▁is ▁Mount ▁Rain ier ▁National ▁Park , ▁approximately ▁a ▁four - and - a - half ▁hour ▁drive ▁from ▁Sp ok ane . ▁ ▁Flora ▁and ▁fa una ▁ ▁Sp ok ane ▁is ▁within ▁the ▁Northern / Can ad ian ▁Rock ies ▁e cor eg ion ,