Scenic mountain views near Spokane
 

I'm going to a conference in Spokane in early March, and since I've never been to the Northwest before, I'm thinking of taking a few personal days, renting a car, and doing some sightseeing - I particularly love places with mountain views.

My main question centers mostly around the fact that since the trip takes place in early March, what type of driving conditions could I expect to find? Are there areas near Spokane where I could get the mountain views without wondering if the roads are passable? Thanks!

Rent the car and go east on I-90 to Coeur d' Alene.
Spokane is on the dry side of Washington.
The other option to consider is to take the Amtrak Empire Builder overnight from Spokane to Whitefish Montana and rent a car there. Drive around the south side of Glacier NP on US 2.

tomfuller - thanks!

I did some research, and decided to add Many Glacier Lodge to my bucket list, but I want to do that trip as a vacation, not a one-day trip after a conference.

So many places to see, so little time.... ;)

Roads ought to be okay, but it's a transitional time of year so you'll just need to play it by ear. Certainly late snow can happen; for example on Lookout Pass between Idaho and Montana on I-90 (maybe an hour to 90 min. east of Spokane.)

Are you only looking at day trips or would you be willing to spend the night somewhere?

If it's an early spring (some years it is) then a day trip to the Washington Palouse - 1 to 2 hours south of Spokane - can be really rewarding. The Palouse (home of Appaloosa horses) is a region of rolling hills covered in wheat (Washington is one of the biggest wheat producing states) which in the spring can be nothing short of stunning.

If you could spend a night away, this route for example - https://goo.gl/maps/HyZdrJA3ii92 - would include the mountain and lake scenery at Coeur d'Alene, then down into the Palouse with a stop at Steptoe Butte - a lonely place but with views to die for, e.g. http://gardyloo.us/20130409_190a.JPG and http://gardyloo.us/20130409_207a.JPG - then down to Lewiston Idaho (via the sensational Lewiston Grade on US 95.)

If time permits and conditions are okay, maybe take a jet boat tour on the Snake River into Hell's Canyon, incredible - http://www.gonorthwest.com/Idaho/Hel...tboattours.htm

Then back west through more gorgeous country - http://gardyloo.us/20130409_279a.JPG - to Palouse Falls, which in March ought to have quite a lot of water coming over - http://gardyloo.us/20130409_300a.JPG - then back to Spokane.

A second option, again, weather depending, and one that would require you to bring your passport, would be to head north through the beautiful Pend Oreille country (pine forest, pothole lakes) to the BC border then on to Nelson BC, an absolutely gorgeous town in the Kootenay mountains (a branch of the Canadian Rockies.) Nelson isn't at a terribly high altitude, so snow and ice are unlikely at road level (the route from Spokane isn't mountainous) but you'll be surrounded by mountains that probably <i>will</i> be covered.

Nelson is very pretty (been used in several films) and the driving around Nelson is fab. On your way back, head north to the free ferry across Kootenay Lake, then south back toward the border on beautiful BC 3A, and back to Spokane via Sandpoint. Map - https://goo.gl/maps/cpqReTjGUJL2

These both <i>ought</i> to be doable in March, but again, you'll have to keep a weather eye.

Thank you, Gardyloo - you've given me quite a lot of great options!

<i>Roads ought to be okay, but it's a transitional time of year so you'll just need to play it by ear.</i>

So true. My husband and I ended up stuck in Seattle in mid-March when snow shut down Hwy 2 and Snoqualmie Pass. We ended up going south to get back to MT. Another time in early March, my parents ended up stuck on top of Lookout Pass while trying to get to Seattle to visit us.

Gardyloo - your photos are beautiful!