Idaho Road Trip

Lewis and Clark Trail

While passing through Shoshone territory at the Continental Divide, Lewis and Clark found an old man who had once crossed the Rockies with the Nez Perce, a tribe which lived on the western side of the Rocky Mountains. The Shoshone guide, whom the captains called Old Toby, led them through the Bitterroot Mountains via the Nez Perce trail, now known as the Lolo Trail. The terrain is so remote and rugged that it remains essentially uninhabited to this day, and the exact route they took is a subject of dispute. That famous portage through snow, fallen timber and steep precipices brought the men to the limits of physical endurance; for lack of available game they had to kill a few colts in order to survive.

The Lolo Pass Visitor Center features interpretive displays about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Nez Perce War of 1877, and the local geology. Nearby Packer Meadows provides an exemplary landscape that can entice daydreams of the explorers as they made their way through the tall grasses centuries ago. Two cliff trails descend to the Giant Springs Trail along the river, a grassland trail loop shows off the local flora including blue gramma, needle and thread, wheat grass and prickly pear, and the bluff trail opens up scenic river views of Black Eagle Falls as well as the steep cliffs and rocky islands.

Rainbow Trout Fishing

Surrounding a 104 acre lake at the foot of the Craig Mountains, the Winchester Lake State Park lies thick with Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. The Wolf Education and Research Center is only a mile from the entrance of the park and wildlife observers will have the opportunity to witness white-tailed deer, Canadian geese, muskrats, Steller’s jays, raccoons, osprey, bald eagles, and other wonderful creatures. With a modern campground featuring 69 campsites and 4 yurts (domed, circular tents furnished with a bunk bed, futon, table and benches), this is the perfect place to spend a vacation canoeing, fishing, picnicking, hiking, cross-country skiing, ice-skating, and ice fishing! Rainbow trout are planted annually and are the most popular activity at Winchester Lake State Park.

A National Forest Rich in Wildlife and History

The Lolo Trail National Historic Landmark, known to locals as the “Lolo Motorway,” brings your road trip through another wild vacation spot: Clearwater National Forest. Covering 1.8 million acres from the Bitterroot Mountains to the Palouse Prairie, this forest is rich in both wildlife and history. Elk, moose, whitetail and mule deer, black bears, gray wolves, cougars, and mountain goats populate the rugged mountains and the quieter sections of the Clearwater River and the Lochsa River are home to many migratory and resident fish. The ridges between the deep canyons were used by the Nez Perce Indians and the Lewis and Clark Expedition to travel across the mountains. The Lolo Trail allowed peoples of the Columbia Plateau to access the buffalo herds of the eastern plains while the people east of the mountains were given routes to salmon in the waters west of the mountains.

Take a Jet Boat Trip Through Hells Canyon

Hell’s Canyon and the Lewis and Clark trail in Idaho is preceded by Hell’s Gate State Park, where everything from water sports to camping to historic tours to horseback riding and hiking is available. The park is populated by pheasants, quail, Chukar hawks, geese, ducks, owls, cottontail rabbits, eagles, pelicans, herons, swans, deer, otter and bighorn sheep, providing a fascinating array for birdwatchers and wildlife observers. The Snake River is a prime spot for jet boats, power boats and water skiing, and Hells Gate Marina provides over 100 slips on daily to yearly basis with fuel and moorage. Anglers from around the world visit the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater rivers for the great catches. Don’t forget to stop in at the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center, featuring educational exhibits and a wonderful outdoor interpretive plaza on the shore of the Snake River.

Legends of the Nez Perce

In East Kamiah, Idaho, there is a mythic rock formation known as the Heart of the Monster. Nez Perce legend gave this famous landmark its name, and it was the site of a major Nez Perce crossing point on the Clearwater River (used during the 1877 war). There is an interpretive shelter with two exhibits including an audio program teaching about the role of legends in Nez Perce culture and part of the story that named the Heart of the Monster. The Heart of the Monster is known as a great site for wildlife watching.