Clarkston, WA - where you can be in three states at once

Our final port of this cruise had us visiting Clarkston, WA from 10AM until we all had to disembark the next morning by 8AM. There were three options for tours today and one extra session scheduled for early on debark day in conjunction with a transfer to the Lewiston, ID airport.

Hells Canyon Flight Seeing Adventure (Duration of 1.5 hours/Signature Excursion at a cost of $475 per person/Low Activity Level/Not Wheelchair or Scooter Accessible)

Enjoy a flightseeing experience over, through, and around the Nez Perce's "land of the winding rivers" as you set off on a helicopter exploration through Hells Canyon. With guided narration by an experienced pilot, soar over rugged canyons, rolling hills, clear rivers, and timbered wilderness, as you learn about the region's amazing ecology, geology, and history. View where Chief Joseph led the Nez Perce tribe across the Snake River, hear about the history of the 1800's gold rush mining areas, and pass over the Camus Prairie, as well as the Salmon and Clearwater Rivers - a major tributary of the Snake River. Note: Time of excursion subject to change based on availability. 

I would presume that the final statement of the ACL provided description would also be a disclaimer about weather conditions. Our schedule offered excursion times of 11AM, 1PM, 2:30PM, and 5:30PM on the first day. On debark day, this tour was offered at 7AM but you must have planned to fly out of Lewiston, ID's airport later that day.

Rivaura Winery Tasting (Duration of 3 hours/Premium Excursion at a cost of $40 per person/Low Activity Level)

There is no disclaimer on this excursion about prohibiting wheelchairs and scooters. However, perhaps "Don't Drink and Scoot" should be a new warning and/or rule on cruises.

Enjoy a tasting and exploration of the family owned Rivaura Winery. Perched gently on a vineyard covered hillside with breathtaking views of the Clearwater River Valley, the Rivaura tasting room provides an idyllic setting for savoring their delicious wines while soaking in the surrounding natural beauty of the Lewis-Clark Valley AVA. This is a winery that is new to the market. They grow and produce Bordeaux blends as well as produce and bottle in single varietals. Included is a tasting of wines, an exploration of the winery and the vineyard, and a presentation of the history of grapes in the LC Valley. You may purchase wine at the vineyard and have it shipped to your house. The coach ride is 30 minutes each way. 

Hells Canyon Boat Adventure (Duration of 4.5 hours/Signature Excursion at a cost of $160 per person/Low Activity Level/Not Wheelchair or Scooter Accessible)

Enjoy a smooth sail up the Snake River as you head into North America's Deepest River Gorge in a fully covered boat guided by local, licensed river captains and crew. This once in a lifetime four-and-a-half-hour exploration will take you into Hells Canyon, stopping at the historic Garden Creek Ranch where you will enjoy fresh cookies and refreshments as you walk around the beautiful orchard. Along the river, you will discover abundant wildlife, ancient rock formations, and hear the history of the Native Americans, steamboats, pioneers, missionaries, miners, and much more!

This is the excursion we chose to do. There was only the one session at 1PM. While the helicopter is limited to small groups, we had a full boat with each row filled with 2-3 people. They probably would have fit up to 4 if our tour group had been bigger. The boat does have plastic windows and a topper so we had no concerns about getting wet. I've seen a lot of upcoming passengers asking for recommendations on waterproof clothing for this excursion and after having been on it, I say to save your money. You won't get wet from any splashing and you won't have to step in any water to get in or out of the boat. The only time you might get wet if it is currently raining during your excursion since there is an extended steep walk up from the dock to the Ranch property. Our jet boat ride was run by the relatives of the owners of the Garden Creek Ranch while the rest of their family ran the gift shop. One of the family members offered golf cart rides from the dock to the top of the steep hill to those with limited mobility. I would suggest, based on the time of year, that you plan to wear or bring along a jacket. Our cruise was in mid April and it gets even chillier on the water, especially when the wind whips through the open roof and back sections where they didn't bother to close up the plastic partitions. 

Boat crew were happy to help anyone maneuver the steps in and out of the boat. Our guide was gregarious and funny cracking jokes while pointing out local landmarks. During the ride to the ranch, we passed sections of rock painted to look like "Welcome to Oregon," "Welcome to Washington," and "Welcome to Idaho" style road signs drawn into the cliffside. Did you ever think in one excursion you would visit three different states? Well, maybe if you also went on a Viking Mississippi excursion but more on that later. 

The plastic windows worked perfectly for keeping us dry from the spray and did not obstruct our views or photos.

Drawings carved into the cliffside:

The floating dock as we arrived at Garden Creek Ranch:

The steep hill to walk up from the dock. It was super windy this day and we were all super chilly. At the top of the dirt and gravel road was the orchard and restrooms (with an outdoor sink trough for hand washing). 

After we used the facilities and refroze our hands in the cold sink water, we headed into a trailer style building. The building featured a few displays of local artifacts and animal bones. Carafes for coffee and lemonade were set up along with chocolate chip cookies (didn't think you'd get through an ACL excursion without cookies did you?) but several fellow passengers lamented about how fast the coffee ran out. After refueling with a cookie and bottled water, we browsed the gift shop full of merchandise referencing having "been to Hell and back." So just in case being warm and sunny in Grand Cayman isn't your thing, check out this excursion instead for all of your punny needs. 

The gift shop lets out onto an expansive deck where you can look out over the water and enjoy the views.

The orchard:

On the ride back to the American Harmony, our boat driver and his deckhands helped point out and spot all of the wildlife along the rocks. Stay tuned for the final installment of this cruise featuring our last day's dining choices and our transfer experience to the airport.