Dayton Prescott Walla Walla Loop.
Brief
105-mile loop
All Pavement.
Pleasant country roads, historic sites, and interesting rural towns.
This tour is a good way to get off the beaten path and explore small towns.
The Whole Story
This all-pavement loop can be run in either direction. The GPX track runs clockwise, but could be enjoyed as a counter-clockwise ride.
From Pioneer Park, take a quick ride through downtown, past the prison to Harvey Shaw Road. Then, ride the sweepers through wheat country to Hwy 124.
Make a stop at the Lamar Cabin. This is the old Lamar log cabin, originally built in the late 1850s by the Lamar brothers, some of the very early settlers and homesteaders here in the county. This cabin was originally set across the Touchet River but was moved to its current location sometime in the 1860s by the brothers themselves to a higher plain away from the river for fear of flooding. The Blue Mountain Land Trust now maintains it.
Follow Hwy 124 eastbound for a few miles. Don’t miss the left turn to Piper Canyon Rd. Then to Smith Springs road south to the small town of Prescott. Take a tour around town. There is good bar food at the Tuxedo Tavern.
Now we head to Dayton, but the route takes you on small country roads. Bolles Road, McKay-Alto Road, Kellogg Hollow, Thorn Hollow, eventually coming to Dayton.
Be sure to take the 3-mile ride out Patit Road to the Campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. On May 2, 1806, Merriwether Lewis and William Clark and the Corps of Discovery passed through what is now downtown Dayton and camped near Patit Creek. As part of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, Dayton residents created a full-scale restoration of the campsite with life-size metal silhouette sculptures.
The town of Dayton is interesting. It has a historic train depot, the oldest operating Courthouse in the State, interesting 19th-century architecture, and a fun and interesting coffee/breakfast/lunch stop at Locally Nourished.
The route now takes you to another interesting old town, Waitsburg, which was built from the prosperous wheat farms in the 19th century. Take a detour through town.
Now head back to Walla Walla on the Middle Waitsburg Road. Nice pavement, good corners.
Hope you enjoyed the tour.