Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing, border crossing between Canada and the United States
The Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing is a road link between Idaho in the US and British Columbia in Canada. The building on the American side is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and contains standard customs inspection facilities where officers check documents and cargo.
The crossing opened in 1883 when John Rykert established a customs station on the Canadian side to monitor river traffic, while Charles Plummer Hill became US customs officer in 1893. The station buildings were rebuilt several times, with structures added in 1967 and again in 2017.
The crossing links two small communities whose identities formed around mining and logging activity. You can see how daily border procedures shape life on both sides, and how residents use the crossing for business, family connections, and leisure.
The crossing opens early morning and closes late afternoon, with short wait times except on busy summer weekends. Bring a valid passport and for Canada possibly an electronic travel permit (eTA), drive carefully on paved but winding roads, and check hours before your trip.
Until the mid-1960s a ferry service transported people and cargo across the river, with one memorable incident involving a logging truck that tipped over on the ferry. The truck floated thanks to its cargo of logs and was later pulled from the water to continue its journey.
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