North of the Salmon River, where it enters the Pacific Time Zone, US 95 provides an important link to the cities of Grangeville (via SH 13), Lewiston (via US 12), and directly serves Moscow, Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint, and Bonners Ferry, before reaching the Canadian border at its northern terminus and continuing into the province of British Columbia as Highway 95.

It continues on to Midvale, Cambridge, and Council, then climbs into the Payette National Forest, passing the Tamarack sawmill site, and turns east to New Meadows.

[9] Northbound US-95 gradually descends with the widening river, crossing it two more times (re-entering the Mountain Time Zone and leaving it within a half-mile), until White Bird, where it climbs 2,700 vertical feet (825 m) in seven miles (11 km) to the cut at the top of White Bird Hill, peaking at an elevation of 4,245 feet (1,294 m) with an average gradient of over 7%.

Until 1960, US-95 was routed through Winchester and descended Culdesac Hill, considered the worst of the three major grades (White Bird, Lewiston), all of which were extremely twisty.

[26] The new route through Lapwai Canyon was built in three years and reduced the distance by over four miles (6 km) and saved 25 minutes of driving time.

[31][33] After crossing the Clearwater on the new Spalding bridge (1962),[34] US-95 joins with US-12 for seven miles (11 km) along its north bank, heading westward, adding lanes, and gradually descending toward Lewiston.

US-95 turns northeast, then westward to climb a steep grade, gaining over 1,900 feet (580 m) in five miles (8 km), ascending to the southern edge of the rolling Palouse region, referred to by many locals as the "Lewiston Hill".

[36] Similar to the White Bird Hill grade, the descending southbound lanes on the new route have three "runaway truck ramps" to halt any vehicles that experience brake failure.

US-95 continues north in Idaho on the Palouse as a four-lane divided highway (roadcam), completed in October 2007 to Thorn Creek Road, midway between Genesee and Moscow.

Scheduled to be completed first, the divided highway construction between Thorn Creek and Moscow was put on hold, due to new right-of-way and environmental impact concerns.

The original couplets of 1981[41][42] used existing streets and were later modified to eliminate sharp right angle turns which were difficult for large trucks to safely manage.

[46] The construction on the northeast couplet forced the demolition of a noted Moscow watering hole's original west end in January 1991,[47][48][49] after staving off its elimination for over a decade.

As it leaves Latah County, it gradually departs the Palouse and enters the lake country region of the north Panhandle.

[58] A proposal to expand the newly constructed expressway sections of US 95 into a full-fledged Interstate Highway was considered by the state government in the late 1980s.