Clearwater Battlefield

Much of the battle area is now cultivated land situated on private property and inaccessible to the public. But while traveling the scenic route along State Highway 13 in Idaho, stop and take a stretch at the roadside pullout a few miles south of Stites, and take in the sweeping vista. During the lengthy Nez Perce War of 1877, the military fought the tribal members on the vast Clearwater Battlefield, but failed to subdue them. Remnants of the stone rifle pits and barricades built by the Nez Perce still exist, along with a smoking lodge used by tribal elders. After this battle, the Nez Perce crossed the Lolo Trail into Montana. Whitewater rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, camping, skiing and hiking the many trails in the unspoiled wilderness are popular outdoor activities, along with admiring and photographing the wildlife that roam the land and soar above it.