Ferry County, Washington · Eastern Washington
Republic
Washington's fossil capital, where you can dig your own 50 million year old plant impressions in the morning and catch trout at Curlew Lake in the afternoon.
Republic is the county seat of Ferry County in northeastern Washington, a small town of about 1,000 people sitting at 2,600 feet in a wide valley carved by the San Poil River. It is surrounded on all sides by the Colville National Forest and sits at the geographic and economic center of one of Washington’s least visited corners.
The town’s defining attraction is the Stonerose Interpretive Center, where a working fossil site sits directly above the main street. Visitors can dig in Eocene-era lakebeds and take home three fossil specimens per day, including plant impressions, insects, and fish preserved in stone for 50 million years. It is one of the few places in the world where casual visitors can participate in active paleontological excavation.
Beyond the fossils, Republic is surrounded by outdoor recreation. Curlew Lake State Park is 10 miles north. Sherman Pass, the highest year round highway pass in Washington at 5,575 feet, is 20 miles east on Highway 20. Columbia Mountain offers hiking with views across the Kettle River Range. The San Poil River provides fishing and floating through the valley floor.
Getting Here
Republic sits at the intersection of Highway 20 (east-west) and Highway 21 (north-south). From Spokane, drive north on Highway 395 to Kettle Falls then west on Highway 20, about 120 miles and roughly 2.5 hours. From Winthrop and the Methow Valley, drive east on Highway 20 over Sherman Pass, about 70 miles. From Omak, take Highway 20 east about 65 miles.
Things to Do
Nature
Stonerose Interpretive Center
One of the few places in the world where casual visitors can participate in active paleontological excavation, Stonerose sits on a 50 million year old Eocene lakebed directly above Republic's main street. Members can dig on site and take home three fossil specimens per day including plant impressions, insects, and fish preserved in fine grained shale.
Water
Curlew Lake State Park
Ten miles north of Republic, Curlew Lake offers swimming, fishing, boating, and a campground in a setting that feels genuinely remote despite being a short drive from town. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout and has a boat launch. The surrounding hills are part of the Colville National Forest and the campground sits directly on the shoreline.
Scenic
Sherman Pass Scenic Byway
At 5,575 feet, Sherman Pass is the highest year round highway pass in Washington, crossing the Kettle River Range on Highway 20 east of Republic. The drive passes through old growth forest, offers views across the Kettle Crest, and provides access to trailheads including the Kettle Crest National Recreation Trail.
Hiking
Columbia Mountain
The Columbia Mountain Loop Trail climbs through Colville National Forest to a former fire lookout site with views across Ferry County, the San Poil River valley, and into British Columbia on clear days. The trailhead is accessible from the Sherman Pass highway and the route has moderate elevation gain through open forest.
Fishing
San Poil River
The San Poil River runs through the center of Republic and down through the valley to Lake Roosevelt. It is a designated Wild and Scenic River in its lower reaches and provides fishing for smallmouth bass and other species. The upper reaches near Republic are accessible from pullouts along Highway 21.
History
Ferry County Historical Museum
Housed in the former courthouse in Republic, the Ferry County Historical Museum covers the mining, ranching, and indigenous history of the region. Republic was founded during the gold rush of the 1890s and the museum holds mining equipment, photographs, and artifacts from the town's boom years.
Outdoor
Colville National Forest
Republic sits inside the Colville National Forest, which covers nearly 1.1 million acres of northeastern Washington. The forest provides access to dispersed camping, hiking, hunting, and snowmobiling in winter. The Kettle River Range and the Okanogan Highlands define the geography surrounding town.
“You split open a piece of shale at Stonerose and there is a 50 million year old fern inside that nobody has ever seen before. That is the whole point of the place.”
Explore Washington State
Food & Drink
Republic’s dining options are modest and reflect the scale of the town. There are a handful of local restaurants serving the community along the main commercial strip. For provisions and supplies, a local grocery store serves the area. [VERIFY: current open restaurants before publishing]
Day Trips
Kettle Falls is about 45 miles east on Highway 20 and 395, with Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area nearby. Colville is 50 miles southeast and is the largest commercial center in the region. Grand Coulee Dam is about 90 miles southwest via Highway 21. Winthrop is accessible by driving west over Sherman Pass on Highway 20, about 70 miles.
Planning Your Visit
Summer (June through August) is the primary season, when Stonerose is open daily, Curlew Lake is warm enough for swimming, and all recreational facilities are fully operating. The fossil site is open May through October. Sherman Pass is open year round but can close temporarily in heavy snow. The area sees far fewer visitors than western Washington, meaning trails and campgrounds rarely reach capacity even in peak season.
