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Need advise sightseeing Seattle - Pendleton - Twin Falls - Yellowstone

Need advise sightseeing Seattle - Pendleton - Twin Falls - Yellowstone

Old Aug 21st, 2016, 06:01 AM
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Need advise sightseeing Seattle - Pendleton - Twin Falls - Yellowstone

In a week we (me and my husband) are starting our holiday with a trip to Seattle. Than take a car to Pendleton, stay over for 1 night. Next day drive to Twin Falls, also stay over for a night and than go to Yellowstone! But we have enough time to do some sightseeing along the way. Does anybody have some good ideas for sightseeing along our trip to Yellowstone?
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Old Aug 21st, 2016, 07:59 AM
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Unless there is something specific you want to see in Pendleton, I would continue to Ontario Oregon the first day.
Twin Falls is not that great IMO. Try to go through Craters of the Moon instead and end your second day at Idaho Falls or even West Yellowstone.
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Old Aug 21st, 2016, 10:35 AM
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Pendleton has a underground tour that I found much more interesting than the underground tour in Seattle. Aside from that, there really isn't much sightseeing on your route.

Once we stopped at Craters of the Moon, but we found the name of the place more intriguing than the place itself.

Is there a reason you are stopping in Pendleton and Twin Falls?

HTtY
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Old Aug 21st, 2016, 12:34 PM
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Just before Baker City off I-84 on Hwy 86 is the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. It is quite interesting and you can even walk on the wagon wheel ruts made all those years ago.
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Old Aug 21st, 2016, 02:27 PM
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Strange selection of stops, unless you just picked them as quick highways stops based on distance/location. So as others have asked, why?
Where are you coming from? You say "a trip to Seattle". Where from may make a difference.

And beware that the Pendleton Roundup runs Sept 15-17 ... it's one of the 3 top rodeos in North America ... lodging will be hard to find near that time either in Pendleton or nearby. It sounds like your dates won't overlap that.

A couple of thoughts based on my speculation that you may most interested in 2 things: Seattle and Yellowstone.

Seattle to Yellowstone is apx. 14 hours driving time via Pendleton/Twin Falls I-90, I-82, & I-84.
It's quicker (apx. 11 hrs driving time), through more interesting mountain terrain via I-90 to Spokane and Missoula MT.

And interesting alternative to that which would take 2 hour longer is to take US 2 from central WA to Missouls .. a 2 lane but good highway through interesting mountains.

If you are set on your route for some reason you may want to consider the following:

Drive I-5 to Portland, thence I-84 through the Columbia Gorge to Pendleton. That would be about 6 hrs to Pendleton plus stopping at a number of sights along the Columbia Gorge.

Or drive WA - Route 410 into Mt Rainier Nat'l Park, thence to I-82 & I-84 ... that'd be a bit more than 5 hrs plus stopping and sightseeing
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Old Aug 22nd, 2016, 04:15 AM
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We're from the Netherlands so it's a little bit bigger than "a trip". We've already booked our flight and hotels way ahead.
We just cut the trip from Seattle to Yellowstone in 3 so we needed 2 stops and choose Pendleton and Twin Falls to be the best. So we don't have to drive the whole day, just for a couple of hours and have time to do some sightseeing. Too bad we're not able to change the hotels anymore so we have to make the best of it.

Indeed Seattle and Yellowstone are to 2 places we wanted to see during our stay. Our stops in Pendleton and Twin Falls are just for the night.

After Twin Falls we're going to West Yellowstone so have plenty of time to check out Yellowstone. And of course also go to Grand Teton.

Thanks a lot for all the information I've already received. Will check the internet tonight to plan some part of the routes
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Old Aug 22nd, 2016, 05:24 PM
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You may want to check with the Pendleton and Twin Falls motels ... most motels here in the US allow cancellations without charge up to a day or two in advance.

However, since you are from Netherlands, stopping in Pendleton may prove interesting to you. In many ways its an unremarkable (dying?) town - but because of the Pendleton Roundup has a western horse/wheat/cow country ambiance ... sort of a step back into the 1950's and far earlier. Do take time to take a peek into the saddle and western wear shops (and if you have time, the underground tour through the past of the town).

The trip you have outlined will give you a great intro to the *expansive* and *great distances* between towns typical of the great basin. The view will be mainly of dry-land crops and sagebrush through undulating terrain. Manye find it tedious and boring (but I always try to take my European friends to such country once just to have them experience it.)

Having said that, the first 100 miles Seattle will be through mountain passes thence fruit orchards for a short bit. And from Pendleton east for about 100 miles you will be in mountains, But in either case don't expect anything like a Swiss alps experience ... these mountains are more mundane than that.

Although it will take several hours longer driving (plus more time for sightseeing stops), instead of the direct I-90, I-82, I-84 route, you could take a route through Mt. Rainier National Park ... it'll take several hours longer at the minimum. But don't try it without good maps ... the first 40 miles out of Seattle are easy to get lost in. (Seattle on I-5 & Washington Highway 18 to Auburn, thence Washington 164 to Enumclaw, thence Washington 410 to Mt Rainier & US 12 to Yakima, thence I-82 to Pendleton.)

In any case, east of Pendleton absolutely be sure to stop near Baker City to visit the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center -- its the best museum I've seen showing the early pioneers making their way to the western US.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2016, 05:42 PM
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PS to above
Some online resources:
For Washington State: http://www.experiencewa.com/
For Oregon: http://traveloregon.com/ (and its guide for around Pendleton: http://online.fliphtml5.com/nxcu/eezd/#p=1 )
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Old Aug 23rd, 2016, 08:40 AM
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I too endorse the idea of EITHER driving around (and up close to) Mount Rainier along the way... OR going due south from Seattle, to Portland, and then EAST along the Columbia Gorge... with both having you on a longer path toward Pendleton.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2016, 04:08 PM
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FYI, since you are from the Netherlands and may not have heard of the Columbia Gorge ...

the Columbia Gorge in this area has a reputation *somewhat* similar to that of the Rhine between Koblenz and Bingen (differences: the Columbia River is much bigger, the surrounding mountains are of the same or larger size, it has many more high waterfalls, and it has lots of wind surfers near Hood River and The Dalles, but - not unexpectedly - there are no old castles.) Many think its a highlight of the region. (near Portland take the cutoff I-205 around the east side of Portland to avoid horrible traffic delays in Portland.)

On a clear day you will see on the near horizon snow-covered peaks of Mt. Rainier, Mt St. Helens (of volcano fame), Mt. Hood, and Mt Adams.

The tradeoff:
on the main I-92, I-92 route you would drive through forested, below-sub-alpine Cascade Mountains between Seattle and Ellensburg, and the dry very-non-North-European mountains (sort of similar to some dry monutains in Spain) between Ellensburg and Yakima. On that route, south of Ellensburg and just north of Yakima, there are a couple of roadside rest areas that you should be sure to stop at - they have great views of the countryside and, on clear days, 3 or 4 snow covered peaks in the distance.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2016, 08:55 PM
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slight correction:


That's I-90 going east from Seattle...


and if going to Pendleton, from Seattle, one is still much better taking Highway 410 from Enumclaw, WA, and around Mount Rainier, (toward Yakima, WA than taking Interstate 90.

Also, while the rest areas on I-82 offer great views at night, of amazing skies with lots of stars and minimal surrounding light... during daylight hours, the 30-ish-mile path along the Yakima River (State Highway 821) is much preferable to the dull, boring path through the bland hills along I-82.
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Old Aug 24th, 2016, 11:28 AM
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Thank you for all your help and advise. Couldn't have found this kind of information for planning a route just by Googling.
We're probably going to go through Mount Rainier Park and than to Pendleton. And the next day make a stop at the Oregon trail interpretive center just before Baker city. And ofcourse do some stops along the route.
Now just have to wait for a coupe of days before our holiday starts.
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Old Aug 24th, 2016, 12:43 PM
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Here is the raw data for a potential detour after a passage by Mount Rainier on the way to Pendleton.

(since most any path you take via Mount Rainier will send you to Yakima, WA, I will use Yakima as a "start" point for the following: )


Yakima - Maryhill, WA - Pendleton = 3 hours, 32 minutes and entails 190.6 miles.

Yakima to Pendleton (most direct path) = 2 hours, 24 minutes, and entails 142.6 miles.


Which means that IF you would be willing to add just over an hour of additional driving time... to what would surely be increased sightseeing time as well, you could visit Washington State's full-sized replica of STONEHENGE near the town of Maryhill, WA.

The views of the Columbia Gorge and of Mount Hood beyond are quite impressive from Stonehenge, and you could then drive east along the river on Highway 14 for additional scenery until you reach Interstate 82 and the path to Pendleton.

(if you take the detour to Maryhill, and are pressed for time after seeing Stonehenge, then you would likely cross to Oregon AT Maryhill and take Interstate 84 east for about 90 minutes to reach Pendleton)


small warning: The path from Toppenish, WA to Maryhill is mostly along dull, very desolate and rural highway, which eventually finds a clearing from which you can see four significant volcanoes (Mount Hood, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams)...

... three of which are among the 11 most topographically prominent peaks in the "Lower 48" states. (Mount Rainier is #1 by a whopping 30 percent

(you could add 3 additional peaks, among the top 13 in the "Lower 48" for topographical prominence, from various spots in or near Seattle, by including Mount Olympus, Mount Baker, and Glacier Peak )


The alternate/main road, from Yakima to Pendleton, is more green, yet doesn't have much at all in the way of exceptional scenery that you'd be missing, if inclined to opt for Maryhill instead.
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Old Aug 24th, 2016, 09:57 PM
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I totally agree about Maryhill .... even if you didn't have time to stop at either the stonhenge replica or the Maryhill Museum the view of the Columbia River and Gorge from the road is spectacular.

But it may make it too long da ay ... you can decide whether or not you have time when you get to Yakima or Toppenish ... but I totally agree that would be a much more spectacular route than taking the I-82 from Toppenish directly to Pendleton.

The route from Toppenish to Maryhill is US 97 (southbound).

Incidentally, I doubt if you'll have time to stop there, and the museum pales in comparison to many European museums, but the Maryhill Museum has one of the largest collections of Rodin anywhere - 80 pieces - though most are studies by him for other works. It's very incongruous: it sits in a large concrete former mansion isolated in the middle of nowhere ... on a bluff with a spectacular view.

Here are some images typical of what you'll see from the road when you approach the Columbia on US 97:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNDe50nywh...640/mnmrt5.jpg
and
https://adventuresofacouchsurfer.fil...iver-gorge.jpg
and
http://alg.umbc.edu/usaq/images/Colu...bCam_ideal.jpg


Here's a link to a good summary of the Maryhill museum: http://www.oregonlive.com/art/index....rt_inside.html
A link to the museum's website: http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/visit
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Old Aug 27th, 2016, 06:14 PM
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When you return home be sure to let us know your impressions
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 08:23 AM
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I agree that the gorge and Maryhill area are stunning. I also like the drive on 97 from Topprnidh to Maryhill. However, as someone who has lived in Toppenish ( as well as Yakima), I just can't recommend stopping in Toppenish for anything.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 10:14 AM
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LOL - I drove through Toppenish last year... and while I'd seldom if ever been there before, so I saw a few *impulses* which MIGHT have drawn me to stop on various days, I have to admit that the only things I stopped for in Toppenish were red lights.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 11:01 AM
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The important thing about Toppenish to a tourist is that its the place to leave I-92 to get on US 97 headed south.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 03:06 PM
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Northwestmale--the first time we drove through Toppenish with our kids, they asked us if the car doors were locked lol. That was right as we passed by the elementary school where I went to kindergarten. They just wanted to hurry and get through town.

Elbegewa--So true 82, but yes.

The only redeeming thing between Yakima and Toppenish is Miners Burgers in Union Gap.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 05:13 PM
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Just a short update. Today we left Seattle, picked up a car at the airport and drove to Pendleton. We took the i-5 south, the i-18 east and than the 164. From Enumclaw took the 410 through Mount Rainier Park. That was very beautiful. Scenic drive with beautiful sights so we made a few stops.
After the 410 took the 12 to Yakima and than on to the 97 and 14. Beautiful road and we made a stop at the Stonehenge. Great view over the gorge and seeing the river. Also was very amazed about the difference of the landscape. From green in Mount Rainier Park to very dry land. And from nice temperatures to very very hot.
Tomorrow up to Twin falls. Will check the comments tonight and pick a route to the next hotel.
Again thank you for all your help. Had a great day with scenic drives and the best info on where to stop
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