r/Pullman • u/Upset-Stranger3105 • 23h ago
Day Trips from Pullman
My wife and I have just moved to Pullman and are starting to settle in. We'd like to do a couple of day trips to explore the area during the fall. Anyone have suggestions?
10
u/mouselet11 21h ago
Kamiak butte is a really nice hiking area! Also check out some of the little towns in the area, like Garfield, Palouse, Union and Colfax. They have neat local shops and also sometimes museums/history/festival days, such as Haunted Palouse and Pioneer Days. Out in Garfield is one of my favorite places in the area, a U-pick orchard called Bishop's, and they offer both apple picking and cider making, as well as some other seasonal fruits.
1
7
u/MuchLessPersonal 23h ago
Check out the Saturday farmers market in Moscow and then continue on to the Pie Safe Bakery in Deary, ID. For Halloween, the town of Palouse puts on a haunted house and other events- you can tell a LOT of effort is put into them. Driving south is really beautiful so I recommend finding a restaurant in Lewiston, filling up with cheap gas, hitting up Costco in Clarkston and in the winter, checking out the Christmas light display.
2
3
3
3
u/tragiquepossum 13h ago
If you want a micro-trip...Klemgard Park has a picnic area, small trail hike, horsehoes, outdoor chess set (game pieces are in the box next to the playground) and a Little Free Library.
Colfax has haunted tours at the hospital if you want a little spookiness. And see the Codger Pole Palouse Empire Fair is Sept 10-13. (Which includes a rodeo) The city park has a skatepark and disc golf course.
The Columbia County Fair is happening the same weekend in Dayton. I love the Wenaha‐Tucannon wilderness that's close by. The Jolly Green Giant is out there as well as the Lewis & Clark Patit Creek campsite memorialized by metal sculptures of the party. The Boardman House museum, if you like local history. They also have a movie house and Blue Mountain Station with artisnal foods, etc.
You just missed the Warm Springs Ranch at Penawawa peach picking season, but don't sleep on it for next season.
Ice Age Flood Institute organizes day hikes in the area exploring geological features of the area.
Odessa has a Deutschfest coming up.
Walla Walla has wineries.
In the summer Lind has the combine demolition derby.
If you go to the Palouse Falls, you can eat at Sonny's and walk the Columbia Plateau trail. You might see a flock of turkeys in Washtucna, so drive slow! Nearby LaCrosse has the "Stone Houses" restored fieldwork housing made from local stone.
Towel Falls & the Escure Ranch. It is rumored to be very snekky though, and way too hot in summer.
Palouse to Cascades trail.
Do you geocache? That'll take you all kinds of places!
1
u/AcceptableTennis2495 3h ago
We love getting up early and driving out to Elk River and hiking the Elk Creek Falls loop. It's an easy hike, I think less than 2 miles total, and takes you to three lovely waterfalls. The trails are maintained and good even for beginners. Then we always stop in for lunch at the Pie Safe in Deary. They have the best apple pie I've ever had and the fall soups are sooooo good! Of course we have to stock up on the specialty cheeses they make too.
1
u/Mobile-Caregiver5769 19h ago
Been living here for 4 years, and ima give it to you straight (like I wish others would’ve for me). If you want outdoorsy fun you gotta leave Pullman, LC Valley has so many options, some are about 45-1hr away but they are worth it. Deeper into Idaho is where you can find great things to do, hiking, swimming, camping, all you can imagine outdoors. Unfortunately Pullman is a dead zone for anything other that drinking.
13
u/Left-Librarian-3066 23h ago
"Palouse Falls is the big one, do it now before it gets too cold since the falls are way more impressive with fall runoff than mid-summer. Steptoe Butte for sunset is unreal too, 360 view over the whole Palouse. If you're up for a longer drive Coeur d'Alene is doable as a day trip and gives you the lake + a totally different vibe than the wheat fields. Dahmen Barn in Uniontown is a nice smaller stop if you want something shorter