Wandering Wallace: The historic Silver Valley town is a wonderful, quick trip with plenty to see, do, eat

Wandering Wallace: The historic Silver Valley town is a wonderful, quick trip with plenty to see, do, eat
Chey Scott photo
Quite the underground scene in Wallace, Idaho.

For the longest time, I've had this on my summertime to-do list: Explore Wallace, Idaho. Finally, it's been crossed off. My partner and I took a quick overnighter, although at just under two hours from Spokane, it's also possible to pack a lot in to a day trip. If you go, these Silver Valley highlights are highly recommended!

SIERRA SILVER MINE TOURS

By far, the top feature of our Silver Valley adventure was a brief spelunk into an abandoned silver mine about a mile north of town. While I pictured a deep descent into the earth and actual mine carts ferrying us through the cool, wet tunnels, you actually just need close-toed shoes and a light jacket, plus the provided hardhat. Retired silver miners lead these 75-minute tours and demonstrate old mining equipment used over the decades. We were delighted with our quirky guide, Fast Freddie, who sprinkled in fun, old-timer humor and stories into his tour. Details: 509 Cedar St., Wallace; open daily, May through October; $9-$16; silverminetour.org

RADIO BREWING CO.

This stop is in Kellogg, Idaho, just off I-90 on the way to Wallace. Drive up the hill to the center of this charming town and you'll find Radio Brewing on Main Street. With all-ages seating and a roomy bar, the retro-themed brewery boasts a quaint patio out back with shade coverings, a small stage and plenty of places to enjoy a pint or two on a summer evening. For solid sustenance, I can't recommend the maple, bacon and blue cheese burger enough! Details: 319 Main St., Kellogg; radiobrewingcompany.com

NORTHERN DEPOT RAIL MUSEUM

Although the Silver Valley was built on the backs of its mines (or more aptly, of its miners), that industry couldn't have thrived for over a century without railroads. Those rails are the highlight of this immersive museum inside the town's 1901-built Northern Pacific Railroad depot. Wander through the main floor with a ticketing window, stationmaster's office and waiting area, then climb twisting stairs to the second level, formerly lodging quarters of railroad agents. The depot is packed with artifacts and ephemera, plus model trains, gift items and more. Details: 219 Sixth St., Wallace; open daily 9 am-5 pm, April 15-Oct. 15; npdepot.org

OLIVER'S MERCANTILE

While many of Wallace's dining and drinking establishments were closed when we visited, Oliver's Mercantile was happy to welcome us for a beer. Half bar, half gift shop, Oliver's stocks sleekly designed North Idaho lifestyle apparel and a couple coolers filled with regional craft beer to build your own six pack. On the bar side, all taps feature local brews, which you can order in a red plastic cup to enjoy walking around town. Details: 605 Bank St., Wallace; facebook.com/oliversmercantile

THINGS WE MISSED

We inadvertently picked a less-ideal time to visit, as much of the town still seems to be recovering from pandemic-caused labor shortages or closed for a break on Mondays and Tuesdays. This meant we missed the highly recommended Wallace District Mining Museum. We also didn't get to tour the famous Oasis Bordello, which ceased operations in 1988 and is now a museum. (Apparently, due to lack of volunteers, the Oasis has been closed all summer.) We also didn't have time to hike the Pulaski Tunnel Trail, or enjoy dinner at the The Fainting Goat wine bar. We enjoyed Wallace so much, though, it looks like we'll have plenty of things to check out next time. ♦

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Chey Scott

Chey Scott is the Inlander's Editor, and has been on staff since 2012. Her past roles at the paper include arts and culture editor, food editor and listings editor. She also currently serves as editor of the Inlander's yearly, glossy magazine, the Annual Manual. Chey (pronounced “Shay”) is a lifelong resident...