DAYTRIPPING: See what all the fuss is about: Check out Lower Granite Dam

This story was original published in our Daytripping section on May 19, 2022.

We spend a lot of time talking about federal dams on the lower Snake River and whether they should stay or go.

But have you ever visited one? Ever seen a salmon? Now is a great time to go to Lower Granite Dam, especially if you are interested in the debate over how best to recover imperiled salmon and steelhead.

The dam is the last one returning adult salmon and steelhead bound for Idaho must pass, and its visitor center, on the south side of the river, has a popular fish viewing window. May is fairly reliable for those interested in seeing spring chinook. Adults are passing the dam as they return from the Pacific Ocean and head toward spawning grounds or the hatcheries where they began life. At the same time, juvenile salmon and steelhead are streaming through, over and around the dam on their way to the ocean.

Visitors can take in interpretive displays explaining the salmon and steelhead life cycle, the extensive adult and juvenile fish passage infrastructure constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers and the specialized barges used to ship some of the young fish through the Snake and Columbia rivers hydropower system.

Also at the visitor center is information on the hydroelectricity produced at the dam and the locks that make river transportation possible. Riverborne transportation and hydropower production are both central to the dam-versus-fish debate.

Guided tours of the dam are available at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Vehicles can drive across the dam 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.

But there’s more to see at the dam and its immediate vicinity. The Corps maintains recreation facilities such as boat ramps, fishing sites, camping, seasonal beach access and access to habitat management units. Popular spots include Illia Dunes on the south side of the river and Boyer Park on the north side.

More information about the dam and nearby recreation opportunities are available at bit.ly/3E8WPih and bit.ly/3KLlI64. n

Lower Granite Dam

LOCATION: From the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, travel west on U.S. Highway 12, just past Alpowa Summit, then turn right and head north on Ledgerwood Road. After 2 miles, continue north on Kirby Mayview Road and follow it, Casey Creek Road and Almota Ferry Road to the dam. This route approaches the dam from its downriver side and ends on the south side of the river. From Pullman, follow State Route 194 to Almota, to Lower Granite Road and the downstream side of the dam at Boyer Park. To reach the visitor center, cross the dam.

WHAT YOU’LL DO: Watch salmon as they access the dam’s fish ladder, learn about salmon passage infrastructure, river transportation and hydroelectric generation.

DIFFICULTY: 2 out of 5.

DON’T FORGET: Sunscreen, drinks and snacks. If you plan to cross the dam, make sure crossings are offered at the time of your visit.

NEARBY SITES OF INTEREST: Boyer Park, Illia Dunes.