PUNCTUATED BY ANCIENT rock formations, roaming wildlife, and reminders of days gone by, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (fs.usda.gov/wallowawhitman), located near the Washington- Idaho border and stretching along 75 miles of the Snake River to the Oregon border, is deeper than the Grand Canyon—and nearly as remote. Geologists believe the picturesque canyon was carved by the Snake River during the last ice age, and it is stippled with evidence of the Nez Perce people who populated the area for thousands of years.
Today the canyon is largely accessible only by boat, and much of the craggy terrain is designated as “wild” or “scenic” land. Those wishing to experience the pristine beauty need not despair. The Lewis-Clark Valley is the gateway to Hells Canyon and offers visitors accessible adventure.
The best way to explore Hells Canyon is to get your feet wet—literally. Visitors can lounge on a sandy beach, hop aboard one of the many tour boats that frequent riverways, go water rafting, fish, or take a jet boat tour of the canyon. The town of Clarkston offers marinas and parks.
Adventurers who prefer dry land can walk, jog, or bike the more than 25 miles of paved Lewiston-Clarkston Levee Pathway, near Hells Canyon Resort, lining the Clearwater and Snake Rivers. Historians may enjoy a visit to Buffalo Eddy, 18 miles south of Asotin, which features more than 240 ancient petroglyphs and pictographs. —HC
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EVER SINCE LEWIS AND CLARK paddled down the Snake River back in 1805, word has been getting out about Southeast Washingtons splashy outdoor scene.
Natural and man-made wonders in the Palouse
Dabble in Daytons diversions.
KNOWN FOR its fertile rolling hills and land-grant universities, the southeastern region has more to offer than just amber waves of grain.
Touring the Palouse with camera in hand.
PUNCTUATED BY ANCIENT rock formations, roaming wildlife, and reminders of days gone by, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area is deeper than the Grand Canyon, and nearly as remote.
Water, 200 vertical feet of it, shoots down a sheer rock face andcrash-lands in a fury of splashes. This is breathtaking Palouse Falls,made all the more dramatic by the fact that its tucked away in thishilly agricultural region.
Although best known for waves of grain, the Palouse has fostered other edible delights, too, including baked goods, fine cheeses, and even lentil ice cream.
THERES NO CONTEST when it comes to the depths of Hells Canyons black-and-buff walls.
Tucked in the heart of the rolling Palouse hills is Pullman, home to nearly 30,000 residents; Washington State University; a 4,500-pound bronze cougar; and, once a year, a very large bowl of chili.
Find Out More
Please visit our Tourism Partners
Ritzville Chamber of Commerce
509-659-1936
Clarkston Chamber of Commerce
800-933-2128
Dayton Chamber of Commerce
800-882-6299
Hells Canyon Visitor Association
877-774-7248
Pomeroy Chamber of Commerce
877-353-0118
Pullman & the Palouse
800-365-6948