Backroads and new beginnings in Touchet Valley

While people often head to Walla Walla for a wine country visit, the places along the way are a great road trip destination on their own, particularly the towns of Waitsburg and Dayton in the upper Touchet River Valley. They offer scenery, history, outdoor opportunities and unique hospitality.

The Touchet River flows from the Blue Mountains, picking up tributaries along the way, before joining the Walla Walla River. The hills above the Touchet Valley are pure Palouse. The valley floor has a finer, and much more recent, silt – backwater deposits from the Missoula floods. This geology, coupled with the slightly warmer and wetter climate than Spokane, has led to verdant fields, wooded river corridors and a long history of human settlement.

We head on Interstate 90 to Ritzville, then south on state Route 261, through Washtucna (still struggling, but with opportunity on its Main Street). South of town, we cut through the basalt walls of Washtucna Coulee, with orange and yellow splashes of lichen. We arrive at Palouse Falls State Park, home of Washington’s state waterfall, which changes character with the season. During the snowmelt and spring rain, Palouse Falls roars, chocolate and foamy with soil that would have been better left behind, over its 186-foot drop.

Just watching it, I shiver remembering the video of Tyler Bradt, the first to kayak over the falls, setting a world record in 2009. Trails at this out-of-the-way but popular park give you a range of hiking and viewing options, with fencing and warnings that have increased over the years due to accidents. As spring proceeds, additional hazards include rattlesnakes and poison ivy (if you hike that far). Any time of year, Palouse Falls is worth a stop.

Leaving the day-use -only park, we turn south, enjoying the quiet scenery and curving road. Where the Palouse River meets the Snake River, Lyons Ferry State Park, another day-use area, provide water access with seasonal kayak and paddleboard rentals and nice picnic spots. We cross the Snake and turn off into downtown Starbuck (population approximately 140). If your timing is good, stop in for coffee and treats at Rebecca’s. We follow backroads to Waitsburg, where we’ll stay two nights.

The Royal Block hotel is an ongoing project of Joe Roberts and Tiina Jaatinen, among the “206ers” who’ve moved to Waitsburg. While on a drive in 2020, they happened through and “saw the beautiful Main Street and buildings … all for sale.” Those brick buildings are a legacy of a town that burned down in 1880, which was rebuilt, better than before. A new wave of incomers are appreciating them.

Wine writer Paul Gregutt (paulgregutt.substack.com) and his wife Karen have been witnesses to the transformation underway. When buying property in Waitsburg over 20 years ago, they “had no intention of making (it) our permanent home. But long before such a groundswell of talented creatives began moving in, we loved Waitsburg for its tranquility, small town traditions, clean air and abundant wildlife.”

The current efforts reflect an appreciation for those same attributes. The huge and comfortable rooms at the Royal Block blend the historic bones of the property with a modern Scandinavian design ethic, highlighted by a diverse sampling of original art. Joe and Tiina also offer the only tasting room in the area devoted solely to Walla Walla AVA wines, particularly smaller wineries lacking tasting rooms. They also host events year-round.

At Bar Bacetto, former Seattle restauranter Mike Easton creates delicious fresh pasta dishes while his wife Erin fires up the hospitality. Bar Bacetto reflects deep Italian inspiration, transplanted to the soil and seasons of the Touchet Valley.

Despite its high-falutin’ reviews, there’s no pretension here, just warm hospitality. I won’t describe what we had, because the chalkboard menu is new every day. The cocktails and wines are super. Just try anything, if not everything … you’re in good hands. An after-dinner stroll to the river and around downtown was the best nightcap before walking to the hotel for a quiet slumber.

Morning found us at Wolfling Coffee, opened in 2025 by Trevor Corbin and Caitlin Potts. After meeting in Michigan, their careers took them to Seattle for a decade. On a visit with Joe and Tiina, they were entranced by Main Street, and a former butcher shop in need of rescue. It seems like everyone in Waitsburg has a fascinating back story, but what matters more is the new one they’re helping write. All reflect a desire to create something fresh in Waitsburg while respecting the community that’s been there.

Trevor and Caitlin have created a gathering place for those seeking excellent coffee, baked items and a cozy spot to visit or hang out. We split a breakfast burrito, and each had a giant buttery biscuit with jam, extending coffee time to enjoy the atmosphere and read. People wandered in an out – often visiting with someone already there.

More work is underway downtown. At the location of the former Whoopemup Hollow Café, Todd and Carrie Alexander, with deep roots in Northwest wines and beyond, are creating Atelier Waitsburg, “a gathering space for wine, food, and conversation.” On Main Street, you’ll also find the Waitsburg Grocery, the Weller Public Library, a bank, post office, fire station and more. Plus, there are other shops and storefronts – you can learn printing, bluegrass, woodworking and who knows what else. Events are happening all the time, including Waitsburg Celebration Days, which just happened, on the third weekend in May.

We lucked into the April “Tongue and Groove” at the Royal Block our second night, with a Black Cod Kazusuke by chef Kenny Rudolph, paired with a flight of wines. It was easy to fall into conversation with the strangers/new friends on either side, conversation moving easily from living in the area, running trails, food and wine (of course), to music and just life.

The next morning, after lingering over breakfast at Wolfling Coffee, we reluctantly began the drive back to Spokane, heading east on U.S. Highway 12 to Dayton. Flood damage had temporarily closed the Lewis and Clark Trail State Park, between the towns, but it’s a great spot to picnic or camp (or rent a tipi).

In downtown Dayton we walked the Touchet River Levee Trail, about 4 miles out and back, with views of the river and hills. Cliff swallows swooped back and forth above the river, gathering their breakfasts. They parted for a pair of ospreys cruising the river. The trail passes Pietrzycki City Park, with a pond stocked by Washington Fish and Wildlife. On cue, three kids pedaled up on their bikes, hopped off and had their lines in the water in the span of about 15 seconds.

The Touchet and its tributaries are home to steelhead and bull trout, despite long-standing challenges. Local and state agencies, landowners, nonprofits and tribes are working to protect and restore the watershed and bring back chinook salmon.

In 2023, Padraic Slattery, an experienced renovator of historic properties in Seattle, bought the former Weinhard Hotel from historic preservation pioneers Dan and Ginny Butler. He’s updated and modernized the property while honoring its history. It’s now the Hotel Hardware (the original main floor use) with the Bobcat Room, whose cocktails come strongly recommended. Next time, I thought.

We peeked in at the Touchet Valley Golf Course. The nine-hole course, built at the Columbia County Fairgrounds, dates from 1910, is operated by a nonprofit, and there are no tee times – just stop in the restaurant/club house to check in for this beautiful course. Or just put your money in the box if they’re closed. Next time, I told myself.

East of Dayton, we followed Highway 12 past Hopkins Ridge, one of the earlier wind farms in the state, and down to the Tucannon River. The river road beckoned us to explore the opportunities at the state’s W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area, in the Umatilla National Forest, and more. Next time …

Leaving Highway 12, we turn up state Route 127 into the hills. This quiet stretch of road takes you to Dusty and state Route 26, then east to Colfax. We stopped at Rosauers for road trip snacks. On a sunny spring Sunday, we enjoyed the bright -green wheat, yellow Canola, and other familiar views on our way home.

We hardly touched the trails, hadn’t brought our bikes, skipped the plentiful history opportunities, and only scratched the surface of the food and drink scene. Exploring this part of the Touchet Valley deserves multiple visits, at all times of the year. But be careful. Like others, you may find yourself dreaming of sticking around.

An earlier version of this story misspelled the names of Caitlin Potts and Erin Easton.