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Steptoe Butte State Park Heritage Site

north of Colfax, Washington

visited 21 May 2021

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Steptoe Butte is a geographic anomaly: a deposit of quartzite that has resisted the nature’s attempts to wash it away. Today it sits a thousand feet above the surrounding landscape and offers panoramic views of the Palouse hills.

2021 visitors please note: Check locally before going to the park. The State Parks web site states that there will be a project to rebuild the park’s access road, leading to a complete closure of the park for 3-4 months this summer. The start of the project had been delayed at the time I visited, so I was able to proceed; they did not offer a new start date when I enquired.

With slopes like these, I wouldn’t want to try this in winter, either.

Here are some of the views from the top:

Oh look, a guardrail!

For more information:

• State Parks web site