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One of the famous rivers of the US winds through this region, the Snake river. This water corridor was taken by the famous Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805-1806 which was the first "white" people exploration to reach the Pacific coast. Indeed, the Snake river is a tributary to the Columbia river,which runs into the Pacific. Two towns, about 30 miles South of Moscow, were named Lewiston and Clarkston in honor of these pioneering days.
Just West of Lewiston, a little road (193) parallel the Snake river, where spectacular views from inside its canyon with its sheer basalt walls are to be enjoyed. I also saw a paddle-wheel boat going down the river, presumably for tourists from Lewiston (see white speck on picture).
Updated Jul 17, 2005
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A huge and beautiful water fall is the highlight of this nice little park. The white of the water is enhanced by the black of the basalt, very photogenic! There are numerous trails around, along the rim of the canyon. This part of Washington state is very dry, pretty much a desert in comparison to the surroundings of Moscow and Pullman.
It cost $5 per car.
Restrooms and camping grounds are available.
Updated Jul 17, 2005
Phone: 509-646-9218
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This magnificent canyon is where it started all: the huge Columbia basalt province poured out from this very spot. If you are geologist you might notive the "feeding dykes" criss-crossing the basalt layers, i.e. the lava conduits where the basalt was brought to the surface and poured out, all the way to the Pacific coast about 14.5 million years ago. Go see my "General Tip" for a map of this.
One can drive down a winding road to go to the bottom of the canyon with beautiful views all along.
Updated Jul 17, 2005
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The rolling hills of the Palouse, covered with rich fields of wheat, canola and peas are absolutely stunning. When I went in the spring, shades of green or bright yellow under blue sky dotted with white clouds were spectacular. The hills are quite big and at places steep. Although my description might make you think "so what, wheat fields under blue sky!", you need to go there and see how photogenic this area is. Finally, the old traditional barns, most of them red, and the pretty villages with painted wood houses, add to the colorful ensemble.
One hill, Kamiak Butte, in Washington state, not far from the Idaho border is taller than most and offers a great point of view and hiking opportunities.
Updated Jul 16, 2005
Phone: (509) 397-6238
1 Review and 118 Opinions A typical Best Western. Very nice, comfortable, good service. We had a quiet room in the back and...
59 Opinions
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The other major university of the area is that of Washington State. Also located on a hill overlooking Pullman, it has quite an extensive campus. I went to visit the Geology department there and I took a picture from their building in February 2006; the view from up there was absolutely spectacular, with the Palouse rolling hills up to the horizon.
Updated Sep 13, 2006
Website: http://www.wsu.edu/
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Even if Moscow and Pullman seem to be quite isolated as no major freeway goes by or no major airport is present, they each harbor major universities of their respective states. The University of Idaho is where our conference took place. the campus is very nice located on a hill. The presence of an agricultural farm as part of the university makes it appear very rural, half farm, half campus.
Updated Jul 17, 2005
Website: http://www.uihome.uidaho.edu/uihome/
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The Palouse hills are dotted with colorful farms, most in the old style of painted wood houses. The barns are particularly quaint with this characteristic American shape of the roof with 2 different slopes, and walls generally dark red. I could not help snapping pictures of them, so pretty! Se my travelogue on barns!
The one on the picture belongs to the people who helped us when our car got stuck in the mud nearby.
Updated Jul 17, 2005
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Be careful if you decide to drive on dirt roads! Although most of them are nice gravel roads, sometimes they are just plain dirt. It means that if it rains, they become mud baths where even a 4-wheel drive can get in trouble. We did not see this one coming as going up the hill it was gravelled, but over the hill and it was too late we were skipping uncontrollably (but slowly!) into the ditch.
And yes, by the way, the contract of your rental car is likely to say specifically that you are not supposed to drive on dirt roads...
Luckily, we were helped by extremely nice locals, a couple of farmers/teachers of Palouse living nearby. They took us inside their charming house in the country side (my intro picture is taken from their balcony) while we were waiting for a tow-truck. We are very grateful for their help.
Updated Jul 17, 2005
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If you are as careless as us and get your car stuck in some Palouse mud, I can suggest you a good address to help you tow it away: Baggot's motors in the town of Palouse in Washington state. Triple A never got to even bother to help us, and we waited for 4 hours for them to no avail. So we tried a local guy and he did a great job.
Here is the address:
"Bud" Baggot
P.O. Box 5, E. 405 Main Street, Palouse, WA 99161
Updated Jul 17, 2005
Phone: 509-878-1541 or 800-473-5483
Website: http:/www.bagottmotors.com
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Favorite thing: Between 17 and 15.5 millions years ago, this region was a very fierce furnace of relentless flowing lavas, simply gigantic flows not ever again witnessed since Homo Sapiens time. So much of it, that some of the flows reached what is now the Pacific, 300 miles away! These magmas covered a huge area called the Columbia River Basalt Province (grey area on map). Most of it originated from Grande Ronde canyon location (GR on map) in the Southeast corner of Washinton state. This "large igneous province" is one of the biggest basaltic province on Earth. There are only a few of them, for example the "Deccan traps" in India, the "Siberian traps", the "Karoo" in Southern Africa.
Fondest memory: Please go see my travelogue on Columbia River Plateau basalts for a glimpse of these gigantic flows!
Picture and some of the info from website below:
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_america/crb.html
Updated Jul 17, 2005
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The Palouse, Idaho-Washington States border
The Palouse, a region of big rolling hills covered with wheat, lentil or canola fields, stradles the border between the states of Idaho and Washington. The 2 main towns, both with a University, are......
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