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Palouse, Washington
Palouse Falls, Lyons Ferry
Part 2
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| Howard Ranch, settled in 1882. The first person to live on this land was Henry Halsey, who came in 1873, and built a log cabin. In 1878 he sold to William Bradley, who in 1879, built the log fort which makes up part of the present house. |
Continues from Palouse Part l
Among the well-kept homes, we occasionally see an abandoned
homestead, reminding one of a time past when these former farms
were self-sufficient, producing all their own food, horses, and
life's necessities. Few trips to town were needed in those days,
only occasionally to sell goods and purchase metal tools.
Mechanization has changed the way of life, and the
overall population has declined since the turn of the century.
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| Abandoned homestead from the 19th century. |
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| Encountered this owl living by the old homestead. |
Later we arrive at prominent Steptoe Butte and have a picnic
at the base of the mountain in the State Park day use area.
After lunch we drive up the steep road circling the big rock
until we reach the top. From here we are rewarded with
panoramic views of the hills and farms of the Palouse,
and Idaho's snow capped mountains to the east.
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| On the way up to Steptoe Butte. |
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| View from the top of the butte. |
A side trip to one of the most incredible waterfalls in Washington
state, Palouse Falls. Here the Palouse River hurdles over a
wide semi-circle of volcanic rock into an enormous plunge pool,
almost 200 feet below.
We spend one more night camping at Lyons Ferry State Park.
The popular park has fishing, swimming, boating, and a
large campground. It's located in the remote and desolate
country at the confluence of the Snake and Palouse Rivers.
Below is a photo of the original ferry, dating back to the 1800's,
used to ferry horses and buggies across the river.
It was in use for over 100 years. The park is named after the
ferry operator, Mr. Lyons.
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| Roaring Palouse Falls. |
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| Lyons Ferry, over 100 years old. |
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