Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95 in Idaho

Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95 in Idaho

June 26, 2007.

We are staying at: Hells Canyon Resort in Clarkston, Washington. Hells Canyon Resort is a top notch RV-Resort at $30 per-night with cable and wifi FHU totally paved interior roads and pads. This is the RV-Park we would recommend when staying in the Lewiston, Idaho/Clarkston, Washington area. Cell phones work, TV reception works, it is clean and safe and very convenient to shopping and sightseeing.

On the north side of Lewiston is a BIG hill as in a 2,000 foot grade. There are two routes up and down this hill. This travelogue covers the NEW US-95 route over Lewiston Hill. The other route over Lewiston Hill is the Old Spiral Highway completed in 1917 that we covered in another travel log.

This is going to document our trip down Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95 in our Saturn.

Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95

We have been on a scenic drive through the Palouse Region of Washington and Idaho and are returning to Lewiston, Idaho on US-95. Of course US-95 traverses Lewiston Hill just like the Spiral Highway, only it drops much more precipitously as it eliminates the switchbacks. It is a hoot to drive just in a different manner than the Spiral Highway.

As you can tell from the signage we are going down Lewiston Hill not up.

Runaway Truck Ramp

Abundant warnings make sure than no one is surprised by the long steep grade. This is a real grade and heavy trucks can "get-away" from truckers if they are not extremely careful.

This is a steep grade on US-95 as it traverses Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade

Truckers we see are heeding the warnings.

Steep grade on the new Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95

Lewiston Hill is one of the more severe grades in the Northwest. US 95 drops dramatically down from the Palouse Country to the Snake River.

3 miles of 6% grade followed by 4 miles of 7% grade!

There are five runaway truck escape ramps.

You know it is a steep grade when you see these signs and we saw one after the other on Lewiston Hill aka Lewiston Grade on US-95

There are five of these runaway truck ramps on Lewiston Hill. This truck was creeping down the grade at 20 mph or less.

Runaway truck ramp on Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95

This is another one of those runaway truck ramps.

I read somewhere that an average of one truck per-week makes use of these runaway truck ramps.

7% grade sign on Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95

We have already passed several runaway truck ramps before we see this sign.

Everyone is being careful as we drop down Lewiston Hill

Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95 approaching Lewiston, Idaho.

Mercy this is a steep grade on Lewiston Hill or Lewiston Grade on US-95 heading into Lewiston, Idaho

And this is some of that 7% grade.

This is a terrible grade going up or down

Yet another runaway truck ramp. With this grade I can see why another one would be necessary.

Wow, this is a grueling grade that demands everyone maintain a controlled speed

Dropping down Lewiston Hill on US 95 is a quick descent.

This WAS the end of our downhill trek down "Lewiston Hill".

Mike & Joyce Hendrix

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