Explore Recreation
Enjoy Palouse through our natural resources: water, sky, hills, fields, and friendly folks. Whether you are hiking, birding, skating, swimming, or celebrating, there’s a right-size adventure for every season.
Park
Palouse people love gathering outdoors and all are welcome to enjoy the oasis that is Hayton-Greene Park in Palouse. There’s room for everyone with playgrounds, swing sets, riverside paths, picnic pavilions, a gazebo, and our town’s most beautiful shade trees.
↳ City of Palouse Parks & Trails
Pool
Water and fun right in our own backyard! The Palouse Community Pool is a wonderful place to spend those hot summer afternoons. Our pool is supported in part by a Maintenance and Operations Levy. Guests from outside the city limits are charged a per-visit fee to support expenses.
Skate Gardens
Enjoy world-class family-friendly small town skate culture at the Palouse Skatepark. The park includes a pool-like bowl, a flowing plaza-like transitional area between elevations, and an occasional multi-use, skate-able amphitheater with an outdoor stage and seating for 80+ people.
Non-skaters can enjoy the Tony Kettel Skate Gardens, a beautiful community garden of area of native plants and conversational space.
Regional Attractions
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Kamiak Butte
Kamiak Butte is a beautiful 298-acre natural area just a few miles south of Palouse. It is host to over 130 bird species (both migratory and permanent), more than 170 plant species, and upwards of 30 mammal species.
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Palouse Scenic Byway
Take a leisurely day’s drive through the 208 miles of the beautiful Palouse countryside that has been designated as the Palouse Scenic Byway. Explore the eleven communities along the byway – each has its own distinct history and charm and is well worth a visit.
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Rose Creek Prairie Preserve
Experience a glimpse into the historical Palouse prairie ecosystem. This idyllic area, cherished by bird enthusiasts, offers the opportunity to reconnect with native habitats and their restoration. It’s also rumored to be home to the World Famous Giant Palouse Earthworm.
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Steptoe Butte
Rising from the silty loess of Palouse hills, Steptoe Butte juts into the sky and offers panoramic views of the Palouse prairie. The peak is accessible by a spiral highway that climbs all the way to the top in good weather.
Paddle the Palouse
Renowned for canoeing and kayaking, the Palouse River offers diverse wildlife, stunning rock formations, and memorable trips for adventurers. Witness the region's charm from a fresh perspective as sparkling channels wind through lush landscapes.
Trip 1: Launch at Hayton-Greene Park, end at Eden Valley Bridge (2-3 hours).
Trip 2: Launch at Hayton-Greene Park, paddle through Eden Valley, end in Elberton (5 hours).
Trip 3: Begin 3 miles upriver from Palouse at North River Road bridge in Idaho. After 3 hours, pass under the city walking bridge and end at Hayton-Greene Park.
Ideal flow levels are in late spring.
NWS Palouse River Flow Rates | USGS Palouse River Flow Rates
The undulating dunes of the Palouse region are a photographer's dream, offering breathtaking vistas that change with the seasons. As the sun casts its warm glow upon the fields, you'll find yourself lost in the serene expanse, where every turn offers a new perspective to appreciate.
Sightseeing
Photograph courtesy of Claire Echanove
Photograph courtesy of Jim Fielder
Photograph courtesy of Libby Akin
Photograph courtesy of Sharon White
Photograph courtesy of Robby Schoepflin
Photo courtesy of Jim Fielder
Photo courtesy of Libby Akin
Photo courtesy of Sharon White