Steptoe Butte Washington

We've driven up to the top in a toad (Jeep Wrangler), but I don't think I'd try in a rig that size. It is a tight spiral climb on a narrow road that I'd guess is only about a lane and a half wide. Two cars can squeeze past, but a big rig on a curve might be a problem.

Thanks Art and Barbara. That's what I was afraid of. I did look at the road on Google Maps, and it did look like it was not two full lanes

I have a photograph of my mother going to the top of Steptoe in a wagon in about 1925. There used to be hotel at the top.

Yikes! Street View Link

Yikes is right!

I did decide to "follow" the road down a bit on Street View, to try to get some perspective. Is it really as narrow as it looks? And I found a spot where the Google car showed an approaching car, and there is definitely room for two CARS to pass.

Two motorhomes or a truck and a motorhome would be a different story, however. And I sure wouldn't want to be the one who had to back up!

I think we'll get our views of the Palouse elsewhere. Thanks.

The Google car passes a red Honda Fit at a relatively wide spot of the outer loop - south side. At this point there's even room to pull off on to the shoulder and view, maybe even turn a truck or RV around. It gets narrower further up, and the side slope steeper. Just judging from the Steetview, it would be best if one or other of passing cars pulled half way off on to the nearest wider shoulder.

Convention is that the downhill car pulls off to let the uphill car pass, but on this road downhill is on the inside, next to the drainage ditch.

In streetview there is a pickup camper in the lower upper lot.

There is also a good perspective of the Palouse from here.

Kamiak Butte County Park

I think you'd be okay - I did it towing the Jeep - the only difficulty you could encounter is if there are a lot of cars (or even a few cars) parked at the top it could be difficult to turn around.

bighatnohorse wrote:
I think you'd be okay - I did it towing the Jeep - the only difficulty you could encounter is if there are a lot of cars (or even a few cars) parked at the top it could be difficult to turn around.

As an experienced bus driver once told me, the big difference between a bus and a tractor-trailer is that the bus doesn't bend in the middle. But I appreciate the encouraging words. Maybe I'll call the state park and see if they have any restrictions on the road.