I am going to be in Seattle in July and have a couple of days to spend scouting around, is the Palouse worth it at that time? Are there campsites or places you recommend staying at?
If not, I think I might go down to Cape Kiwanda...any thoughts?
Thanks
July is a great time for the Palouse. Early in the month there will be alot of green and yellow (as the wheat begins to turn), late in the month there should be alot of gold. I was there a couple of weeks ago and am going back the end of July. It is about a 4 1/2 hour drive from Seattle. I usually stay in Colfax at the Siesta Motel. It's not the Ritz but the rooms are clean and they have air conditioning. There is also a relatively new Best Western in town but is considerably more expensive.
Sweet! Exactly the kind of info I needed. I'll be there on July 11-13..so hopefully something good will come of it. I will still get a chance to shoot the coast later that week, so thanks for making my decision easier
Posted by Greg Vaughn on June 17, 2009 at 12:58 AM
As of a few days ago, the Palouse was looking very good. Like the wildflowers all over the PNW, the wheat is 1-2 weeks behind schedule but there were plenty of solid green fields to be seen from Steptoe Butte and surrounding farm roads.
Camping is very limited in the Palouse area. There is a campground at Kamiak Butte county park, but the gate is locked from dusk until 7am - which means you can't do sunset or sunrise at Steptoe Butte and stay at the Kamiak campground. There's a very nice 3.5 mile loop trail in the park, to the top of Kamiak Butte, and it is a great place for wildflowers April-early June, but views of the wheat fields are pretty limited.
There is "camping" (note the quotes) in the towns of St. John and Steptoe - a couple of small parking-lot style "RV parks", which work fine if you're just looking for a place to sleep between dusk and dawn.
In addition to the hotels that Mark mentioned, there's quite a selection, from Motel 6 on up, further south in Lewiston-Clarkston, not far at all from the southern end of the Palouse, but a bit far from Steptoe Butte.
If anyone is thinking of going to the Palouse, I would say that it should be prime for the rolling hills of green this coming week.
Discussion
4 repliesIf not, I think I might go down to Cape Kiwanda...any thoughts?
Thanks
Camping is very limited in the Palouse area. There is a campground at Kamiak Butte county park, but the gate is locked from dusk until 7am - which means you can't do sunset or sunrise at Steptoe Butte and stay at the Kamiak campground. There's a very nice 3.5 mile loop trail in the park, to the top of Kamiak Butte, and it is a great place for wildflowers April-early June, but views of the wheat fields are pretty limited.
There is "camping" (note the quotes) in the towns of St. John and Steptoe - a couple of small parking-lot style "RV parks", which work fine if you're just looking for a place to sleep between dusk and dawn.
In addition to the hotels that Mark mentioned, there's quite a selection, from Motel 6 on up, further south in Lewiston-Clarkston, not far at all from the southern end of the Palouse, but a bit far from Steptoe Butte.
If anyone is thinking of going to the Palouse, I would say that it should be prime for the rolling hills of green this coming week.