Rural Northeast Washington, covering a series of forested mountain ranges in a quiet corner of Washington State, is an all-season recreation area for hiking, climbing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
Cities
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This article includes Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens County.
- 1 Colville — seat of Stevens County
- 2 Ione
- 3 Kettle Falls
- 4 Newport — seat of Pend Oreille County
- 5 Republic — seat of Ferry County
Some also include the Okanogan Valley as part of the region, which Wikivoyage covers as part of the North Central Cascades.
Other destinations
[edit]- 1 Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area — The mighty Columbia River has drawn people to its waters for over 9,000 years
- 2 Colville Indian Reservation — home to descendants of 13 First Nations: the Colville, Nespelem, Sanpoil, Lakes (after the Arrow Lakes of British Columbia, or Sinixt), Palus, Wenatchee, Chelan, Entiat, Methow, southern Okanagan, Sinkiuse-Columbia, the Nez Perce of Chief Joseph's Band, and the Spokane.
Understand
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The state's northeastern quadrant is largely covered by the rugged Kettle River Range and Selkirk Mountains, sub-ranges of the broad Rocky Mountains complex.
This area, some of it protected as the Salmo-Priest Wilderness, is home to mule deer and white-tailed deer, elk, black bears, cougars, bobcats, red fox, bald eagles, golden eagles, osprey, great blue heron, porcupine, badgers, coyote, martens, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, gray wolves and moose. Grizzly bears are also known to roam through this region.
The Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Colvile in 1825, and made it the main trading center on the Upper Columbia River. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 set the boundary between Canada and the United States at the 49th Parallel, and the U.S. Army established a new Fort Colville. The arrival of railroads to the Pacific Northwest made this area enticing to the timber industry and especially to miners. Prospectors and low-paid Chinese miners working claims in the Kettle River Range produced more than 839,000 ounces of gold between 1896 and 1959.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]There are no commercial airports in the region.
Spokane International Airport (GEG IATA), just south of the region, has connections to several cities in the Western United States.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA IATA) is a major international airports with many more direct flights, but the drive takes 5-6 hours.
By car
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US Highway 2 (US-2) goes northeast from Spokane through Northport and into Idaho.
US Highway 395 (US-395) goes north from Spokane through Colville to the Canadian border.
State Route 20 (WA-20) runs east-west though all three counties and connects Newport, Colville, and Republic.
Get around
[edit]Public transportation is negligible. The best way to get around is by car.
See
[edit]- St. Paul's Mission in Kettle Falls, one of the oldest churches in the state.
Do
[edit]- Boating on Lake Roosevelt
- Dig for fossils at the Stonerose Interpretive Center in Republic.
- Railriding along the scenic Pend Oreille River from Ione.
- Skiing at 49 Degrees North near Colville.
Events
[edit]- Newport Rodeo, June
Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Although Northeast Washington is not known as wine country, there are a few wineries in the area.
Stay safe
[edit]Go next
[edit]- The Palouse, with rolling hills and farmlands, lies to the south, including Spokane.
- North Central Cascades, to the west, offers more scenic wonders to explore.
- Northern Idaho, to the east.
- West Kootenays of British Columbia, Canada, famed for its laid-back lifestyle and endless outdoor adventure opportunities.