In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Cottonwood, Idaho
Half a day to see the Monastery of St. Gertrude and sleep in a giant beagle; not a base for longer.
Cottonwood is a tiny town on US-95 in North Central Idaho, best known for the Monastery of St. Gertrude and the Dog Bark Park Inn, a beagle-shaped B&B. Most travellers pass through in under a day on the way to Grangeville or Lewiston.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–September
- Avoid
- December–February (snow possible on US-95)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $100–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Dinner at the Hangout or Country Haus | $15–30 |
| Dog Bark Park Inn (single occupancy) | $126 |
| Dog Bark Park Inn (double occupancy) | $132 |
| Village Motel double room | $80–130 (check) |
| Gas (regular, per gallon) | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LWS · Lewiston–Nez Perce County Airport
- About 45 min north on US-95; limited flights via Horizon Air/SkyWest to Seattle and Salt Lake City.
Typical fares
- Lewiston Airport → Cottonwood (taxi or rideshare)
- about $60–80, 45 min (check)
- Cottonwood → Grangeville (car)
- about 20 min, no public transport
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. The town is small enough to walk between the few restaurants and the motel, but the monastery is about 2 km (1.2 mi) south on US-95.You need a car. The town is small enough to walk between the few restaurants and the motel, but the monastery is about 1.2 mi (2 km) south on US-95.
See and do
Known for
- Monastery of St. Gertrude
- Dog Bark Park Inn (beagle-shaped B&B)
- Nez Perce National Historical Park nearby
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Grangeville | US-95 south, about 20 min | 20 min |
| Lewiston | US-95 north, about 45 min | 45 min |
| Orofino | US-95 south then ID-7 east, about 1 h 15 min | 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- US-95 corridor (town centre)
- The Dog Bark Park Inn and Village Motel are on or just off the highway; walkable to the Hangout and Country Haus.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the restroom? | Where is the restroom?where is the restroom |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Dog Bark Park Inn check-in is 3:30–5:30 PM; arrive before 5:30 or call ahead.
- No gas station in town? Check before you arrive; the nearest is in Grangeville or Cottonwood itself (verify).
- US-95 is a two-lane highway; watch for logging trucks and deer at dusk.
Very safe; the main risk is a car accident on US-95, especially in winter or at dusk. No nightlife to speak of.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cottonwood, Idaho yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Monastery of St. Gertrude
- Dog Bark Park Inn (beagle-shaped B&B)
- Nez Perce National Historical Park nearby
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit North Central Idaho: visitnorthcentralidaho.org/
- Wikivoyage: Cottonwood (Idaho), revision 5325913 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5325913
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Cottonwood, Idaho
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is universal; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cottonwood-idaho). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.