Lewiston

Understand

Founded shortly after gold was discovered in the nearby Clearwater River in 1860, Lewiston played an important role in the state's early history. The city became the capital of the newly-created Idaho Territory in 1863, but lost the distinction to Boise shortly thereafter in what proved to be an enormously unpopular decision in northern Idaho. To this day it is not unusual to hear locals lament losing the capital to Boise.

It's easy for visitors to confuse Lewiston's two main rivers. The Clearwater River is on the north side, and runs straight into the Snake River. However, the Snake on the city's west side makes a left turn at this point, going into neighboring Clarkston, Washington.

Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of both Nez Perce County in Idaho and Asotin County in Washington.

Get in

By plane

The next nearest airports served by more airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Southwest and United Airlines, at more competitive fares are in Boise BOI (273 mi south) and Spokane Geiger Field GEG (109 mi north).

By car

By car Lewiston is accessible by a series of US and state highways which become local streets. WA-Hwy 193/128 bypasses north of town, north of the river on a two-lane highway.

• US Hwy 12 comes in from Walla Walla, WA 101 mi in the west and Missoula, MT 219 mi in the east through the Nez Perce National Forest. Goes through Clarkston as Bridge St and along the river as Dikes Bypass in Lewiston.
• US Hwy 95 cnnects Coeur d'Alene 118 mi to the north and Ontario 242 mi to the south at its junction with I-84. If coming from Boise go north on SR-55 its junction with US Hwy 95 in New Meadows (119 mi north of Boise)
• US Hwy 195 comes in from Spokane, WA (the largest city in the region) from north 106 mi through Colfax and Pullman in the Palouse country via the Memorial Bridge just east of town.

By bus