The Palouse
The Palouse Is a region of Southeastern Washington where there are no continuous valleys, and the hills do not connect to make long ridges. These hills were not created by rivers and streams but instead by silt deposits. The Palouse still is the world’s leader in the production of soft white winter wheat. The combination of mild winters, wet springs and dry summers creates the ideal conditions for the crop.
Admission
There are no fees to photograph in the Palouse, however it is mostly private property and you should ask permission before entering any fields or buildings. There are several locations that require a Washington state Discover Pass including Steptoe Butte, Kamiak Butte, and Palouse Falls. A one day pass is $11.00 or an annual pass is $33.00 and can be purchased online here.
What to Photograph:
The natural form of the land gives unique form, shape, and shadows. Add to this the lines and patterns of farming, a great deal of color, and you have the recipe for great photography. This time of year the Palouse offers rolling hills of green wheat, yellow flowering canola, and pea and lentil for as far as the eye can see. Toss in an old weathered red barn, a grain silo, and an old truck and you have picture perfect rural America.
Possible Photo Subjects
- Rolling Fields of Green and Yellow
- Vistas From Steptoe Butte
- Grain Silos and Elevators
- Old Barns
- Abandoned Houses
- Manning-Rye Covered Bridge
- T.A. Leonard Barn
- Farm Equipment
- Night Sky
- Windmills
- Small Town Rural America
Palouse Falls which drops from a height of 198-feet with high volumes of water flow in spring and early summer. The canyon at the falls is 377 feet deep, exposing a large cross-section of the Columbia River Basalt Group. These falls and the canyon downstream were created by the great Missoula Floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington and across the Columbia River Plateau.
Best Time for Photographers:
The Palouse changes thru the seasons and excellent photos can be made at anytime. The peak time for catching the bright green and yellow color of the fields is in May and June. In July and August the fields turn gold and harvesting is in process providing a whole new range of photo subjects. Early in the morning and late evening will bring out the full form and texture of the rolling hills sculpted by light and shadow.
Getting There:
Driving Directions
From Seattle, take I-90 east to Vantage, then SR-26 east to the starting point just past Washtucna. The 208-mile byway is neither a loop nor a straight line, but includes sections of various highways in southeast Washington that crisscross and connect several small farm communities. The byway begins when SR-26 reaches the Palouse River near Hooper and continues east, then north, south and west.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
Location Contact Information:
Pullman Chamber of Commerce
Colfax Chamber of Commerce
623 N Perkins Ave, Colfax, WA 99111
Mailing address: PO Box 706
Colfax, WA 99111
Phone: 509-553-9729
Palouse Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Washington:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
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