Newport, the county seat of Pend Oreille (say pond-o-ray) is located on the Pend Oreille River, about 40 miles north of Spokane. The name means “the land of the dangle earring people” in French. From the moment you cross the county line you will be in nature.
This is one of the last rural frontiers in the state of Washington. Eagles, osprey, heron and a plethora of songbirds make this their home. We are the Gateway to the International Selkirk Loop National Scenic Byway (selkirkloop.org) stretching up the county through Canada and down through Idaho.
Look for the Corliss Big Wheel steam engine next to the Pend Oreille Historical Museum where the Visitor Information Center, operated by the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce, is located. We hold the Newport Rodeo in June, the Pend Oreille Valley Lavender Festival in July, and Kalispel Tribe Pow Wow and the Pend Oreille Valley Bluegrass Festival in August.
Autumn is glorious in this landscape and the Lions Club antique train ride – 90-minutes long – snakes along the River, through the 810-foot long Mail Tunnel and across the trestle over Box Canyon. |