Travel
Idaho
By
Cathy Orr
Sandpoint
Chamber
of Commerce: (800) 800-2106; www.sandpointchamber.org
We take you to North Idaho, where evergreens cover
mountainsides divided only by winding rivers
and vast, glistening lakes.
This
is North Lakes country, and you can’t miss Lake Pend
Oreille, Idaho’s largest and deepest
lake
(1,200
feet) and the setting for Sandpoint. Daily and dinner cruises
are available as well as private and special occasion
charters from April through October,
(888) 726-3764; www.lakependoreillecruises.com.
In
Sandpoint, take in the Bonner County Fair and Rodeo,
held during the last full week in August each year.
This is a
traditional country event
complete
with livestock, 4-H auction, crafts, produce, and more, and
don’t miss the rodeo! (208) 263-8414.
For
background on Bonner County, the Bonner County Historical
Museum offers a glimpse at railroading,
Native American culture, and pioneer
memorabilia.
Somehow knowing the history of a place makes a visit more
meaningful.
(208) 263-2344; www.bonnercountyhistory.org.
Moscow
Chamber of Commerce: (800) 380-1801; www.moscowchamber.com
Still in North Idaho but further south lies Moscow
in what’s known as Palouse Country, a region of rich,
rolling farmland
and forest that stretch
out
as far as you can see. Horse lovers won’t want to miss
visiting the Appaloosa Museum and Heritage Center
to explore the role
of the Appaloosa in the
lives
of cowboys and rodeos. (208) 882-5578, ext. 279; www.appaloosamuseum.org.
For
a bit of turn-of-the-19th-century history, spend some
time at the McConnell Mansion, built in 1886 by Idaho’s
third governor
and Moscow’s
most prominent
merchant, William McConnell. Enjoy its Victorian elegance
and discover Latah County history. On July 31, treat
yourself
to
the mansion’s Ice
Cream Social
and Chautauqua. (208) 882-1004.
Held
Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and 2, the Palouse Country Cowboy
Poetry and Western Music Festival offers music, Western
art, tack, and a barbecue
as well
as poetry. (509) 334-4109.
Lewiston
Chamber of Commerce: (800) 473-3543; www.lewistonchamber.org
Lewiston sits smack-dab in what was first Nez Perce
Indian country then Lewis and Clark country, so there’s
plenty
to see of the West here. You
might start
at the Nez Perce County Historical Society and Museum,
founded in 1960.
To
mark the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, exhibits
reflect the chronological
highlights of the county history from antiquity to
the present. (208) 743-2535. Find out
about more Lewis and Clark commemorative events and
exhibits in the area by calling the Lewiston Chamber
of Commerce
for a brochure.
Once
you’ve filled up on Indians, you can don your cowboy
boots during the weekend after Labor Day for
the annual
Lewiston Roundup. Watch
topnotch cowboys
and rodeo at its professional best, and join in the
fun of the annual rodeo parade. While you’re downtown,
you
can take
a walking tour of historic
Lewiston. For more information, call the chamber.
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