Real Estate Service for North Central Idaho
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EXPERIENCE North Central Visitor’s Guide | 2016 | 2017 2 EXPERIENCE NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO 4 Idaho County 10 Osprey: Birds of Prey 12 Clearwater County 16 US Highway 12 Waterfalls 22 Lewis County From the deepest gorge in 28 Heart of the Monster: History of the Nimiipuu North America to the prairies of harvest 34 Nez Perce County (and everything else in between). 39 The Levee Come explore with us. SARAH S. KLEMENT, 42-44Dining Guide PUBLISHER Traveling On? Regional Chamber Directory DAVID P. RAUZI, 46 EDITOR CONTRIBUTED PHOTO: MICHELLE FORD COVER PHOTO BY ROBERT MILLAGE. Advertising Inquires Submit Stories SARAH KLEMENT, PUBLISHER DAVID RAUZI, EDITOR Publications of Eagle Media Northwest [email protected] [email protected] 900 W. Main, PO Box 690, Grangeville ID 83530 DEB JONES, PUBLISHER (MONEYSAVER) SARAH KLEMENT, PUBLISHER 208-746-0483, Lewiston; 208-983-1200, Grangeville [email protected] [email protected] EXPERIENCE NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO 3 PHOTO BY ROBERT MILLAGE 4 EXPERIENCE NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO PHOTO BY SARAH KLEMENT PHOTO BY DAVID RAUZI A scenic view of the Time Zone Bridge greets those entering or leaving the Idaho County town of Riggins (above) while McComas Meadows (top, right) is a site located in the mountains outside of Harpster. (Right, middle) Hells Canyon is a popular fishing spot and (bottom, right) the Sears Creek area is home to a variety of wildlife, including this flock of turkeys. Idaho County — said to be named for the Steamer Idaho that was launched June 9, 1860, on the Columbia River — spans the Idaho PHOTO BY MOUNTAIN RIVER OUTFITTERS panhandle and borders three states, but imposing geography sets this area apart from the rest of the United States. The famous Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805 found a struggle in the Bitterroot Mountains, near the present-day Montana state line. To the west, the Snake River carved the continent’s deepest river gorge – Hells Canyon – which today separates Idaho County from Washington and Oregon. Within this vast region, the Snake, Salmon and Clearwater rivers and tributaries fostered the Nimi'ipuu, the Nez Perce people, in ancient times. In 1875 Mount Idaho was named the county seat, in 1902 the county seat was moved to Grangeville following a 10-year struggle between Grangeville and Mount Idaho. During the centuries since Lewis and Clark charted their route to Oregon, gold rushes and timber booms have brought modern industries and conveniences to the area. Established in 1864, Idaho County has shepherded a frontier spirit into the 21st Century. Within its boundaries are parts of a dozen national parks, forests and wilderness areas that together total more than 4.5 million acres of federal public land. Together, Idaho County’s eight towns and 18 smaller communities are home to 16,000 people. PHOTO BY LORIE PALMER EXPERIENCE NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO 5 IDAHO COUNTY Events Grangeville •Border Days, July 1-4, Idaho’s oldest rodeo; GRANGEVILLEBORDERDAYS.ORG. •Summer Concert Series, July-August; WWW.GRANGEVILLEARTS.COM.WWW.GRA NGEVILLEIDAHO.COM; (208)983-0460. Clearwater •Ground Hog Feed, held the first Sunday in February. •Elk City Wagon Road Days, July 16-17. Cottonwood •Idaho County Fair, August 17-20; WWW.IDAHOCOUNTYFAIR.ORG. •Raspberry Festival, Aug. 7, at the Monastery of St. Gertrude; WWW.MYRASPBERRYFESTIVAL.ORG. Elk City •Elk City Days, Aug. 12-14, a civic celebration in August. Kooskia •Taste of the Clearwater, January, a food and wine tasting. •Kooskia Days, Aug. 6, a civic celebration. Riggins •Salmon River Jet Boat Races, April; WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SALMONRIVERJET- BOATRACES •Riggins Rodeo, May; WWW.RIGGINSRODEO.COM •Big Water Blowout River Festival, June; HTTP://FACEBOOK.COM/BWBRF •Hot Summer Nights, July; PHOTO BY DAVID RAUZI WWW.RIGGINSHOTSUMMERNIGHTS.COM •Salmon Run, a half-marathon, Sep- tember; WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/RIG- GINSSALMONRUN is the seat of Idaho County beyond the trails, untamed •Farmers’ Market, July through Grangeville government as well as a wildernesses suitable for October. The Camas Prairie is one of center of agricultural and backcountry backpackers of the breadbaskets of North timber industry located proficient skill. Stites Central Idaho, and •Stites Days, a civic celebration in astride the junction of Services available in July. Grangeville, with roughly highways. State Highway 13 Grangeville include small- 3,200 people, is its most and U.S. Highway 95 populous place. town amenities (restaurants White Bird connect Idaho County and groceries, fuel, lodging •White Bird Rodeo, June 17-18; Grangeville’s heritage as a residents to each other and WWW.WHITEBIRDRODEO.COM. and such) as well as tightly-knit agricultural the 8,500-square mile commercial dealers community was written county to civilization. (automotive, furniture, right into its name at the Beyond the pavement lie hardware, ag equipment) Motocross (top, right) is a draw to Idaho time of its founding. wild public forests that County residents with a private track located During the 1870s, locals harbor a wealth of and public facilities (county just outside of town. Organizers plan several courthouse, light aircraft events each year. On the following page, Rig- established the old Grange recreation opportunity: gins is the place to see the annual Jet Boat Hall to foster area grain- trails suitable for airport, hospital, museum, races each April. Here, the crowd watches growers’ ability to supply motorcycles and library, swimming pool and the boats come in. then-booming gold mining snowmobiles, mountain ski hill). The historic movie districts. Today, Grangeville bikes, horses and hikers, and theater is a destination year- 6 EXPERIENCE NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO round, and the drive-in theater is open during the summer. WWW.GRANGEVILLEIDAHO.COM (208)983-0460. Clearwater Just a step off State Highway 13, this community was once the first stop on the wagon road from Stites to Elk City which supplied miners at the gold PHOTO BY ANDREW OTTOSON fields around Elk City. Today, Clearwater is home to the Elk City Wagon Road museum. A similar route through the deep Warren and Elk City. It is now an Forest. The town has fuel, food, and fuel. woods is open to forest visitors agricultural hub with a population lodging and a small airstrip. Elk of 900. Services include a hospital, City offers a wide range of during the summer, from which Ferdinand there are vistas of places ancient restaurants, groceries, banking, a outdoors opportunities, such as Eight miles north of Cottonwood people considered sacred. micro-brewery, skiing, an off-road hunting, fishing, horseback riding, along U.S. Highway 95, Ferdinand vehicle dealership, and retail gold prospecting and has a post office, a full-service shopping. snowmobiling. veterinarian, and a brewpub. Cottonwood WWW.COTTONWOODIDAHO.ORG Cottonwood is located on the (208)962-3851 western edge of the Camas Dixie Kooskia Prairie at the foot of Located 32 miles south of Elk City, Kooskia rests in a river valley Cottonwood Butte. The town Elk City Dixie is a center of outdoor where the Clearwater River’s main began as a stage stop for Elk City is located about 60 miles recreation with services including forks flow together. State Highway journeys into the mining east of Grangeville in the heart of automotive repair and an airfield, 13 parallels the South Fork communities of Florence, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National as well as food, lodging, groceries Clearwater River to its junction. Where the most beautiful homes begin. Stop by KAMIAH ACE MARKETPLACE Come stay in our for a unique furnished cedar shopping experience. frame cabin... # nestled in a grove of old growth fir Hardware Housewares and cedar along the banks of the Furniture. Appliances. # Sporting Goods Little Smith Creek. Floor Coverings. Window Coverings. # It is historic, rustic, full of character, Souvenirs & Gifts yet comfortable and clean. 403 Main Street We are located near Hwy 12 at KAMIAH, ID Syringa, Idaho OPEN 7 Days a Week Call for info: 7am to 7pm (208) 926-4718 www.lindsleyshomefurnishings.com (208) 935-2522 www.airbnb.com/rooms/356491 EXPERIENCE NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO 7 with U.S. Highway 12 at the gas, groceries, dining and hardware. confluence, above which the federal highway follows the Middle Fork Clearwater River east toward Montana. Riggins Kooskia’s major industry is timber. By Among the Salmon River breaks in the virtue of its location, this town of 600 is shadow of the Seven Devils mountains, a gateway to some of the most isolated about an hour’s drive south of country in the continental United Grangeville, Riggins (pop. 400) States and a jumping-off point for all burgeons during the summer months kinds of outdoor adventures, including as river users flood to the famous camping and rafting. Services available “River of No Return.” Year-round in Kooskia include banking and services include fuel, restaurants, hardware, as well as food, fuel and groceries, sporting goods, and an office lodging. of the Hells Canyon National WWW.KOOSKIA.COM Recreation Area. (208)926-4362 WWW.RIGGINSIDAHO.COM (208)628-3320 Lowell and Syringa Syringa, located on the Clearwater White Bird River, is named after the state flower. White Bird is a creek-bottom The community of Lowell is located at community east of the Salmon River, the confluence of the Lochsa and located in a culdesac below the Selway rivers, where they form the towering grade where U.S. Highway 95 Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. climbs up and over the hills that define Services include fuel, seasonal the Camas Prairie’s southern boundary. restaurants and lodging. The community is home to a historical site – a battlefield of the Nez Perce War – as well as services such as dining, Stites lodging, RV parking, fuel, antiques and Stites is located along the South Fork of gifts. the Clearwater River, south of Kooskia, WWW.VISITWHITEBIRD.COM; on State Highway 13.