when parking the car or the trailer, and a initials, or the toilet facilities are littered. regular check upon the whereabouts of Courtesy and consideration for other the children. Campground operators have campers is as vital outdoors as it is at some grim tales to tell about parents who home—almost more so, since four walls would let others assume the responsibility can contain noise to some extent. for their youngsters and teenagers alike. Happily, most campers are thoughtful, Camping at its best is a relaxing family considerate types who have a wide repu- adventure, but it's not a time for letting tation for being the friendliest people on the small fry roam at will—straight to a earth. They love to swap tales of their rushing stream. Nor can the campground adventures over well-brewed tea or hearty operators be expected to supervise teen- coffee. Advice and assistance from the age activities without the assistance of seasoned veterans can aid the beginner in responsible and concerned parents. getting out of all sorts of strange situa- Considering the increasing use of the tions. And the veterans are not above Nation's campgrounds, it's become more laughing at their own mistakes, both past important than ever for campers them- and present, like leaving the tent stakes selves to be interested in the maintenance at home for the first time in 15 years. of campsites. A campground quickly be- It's a congenial business, camping—in a comes a slum when trees are stripped of congenial outdoors. But do go armed limbs, tables are festooned with carved with a healthy taste for adventure.

On the Lewis and Clark Trail Across the Bitterroots

ED PARKER

ATOP a ridge of the Bitterroot Moun- by rugged, mountainous country, remote -^ÍJ^ tains in Idaho you walk a narrow from civilization, and looking much as trail. it did when Lewis and Clark first saw There's an excitement in you which it in 1805. Yet just a few hours ago you builds with each step, for this centuries- breakfasted at a hotel coííee shop back in old trail, in places worn almost knee deep Missoula, Mont. in the earth, is a significant part of our The Lewis and Clark Expedition was country's early history. one of history's greatest overland explo- Indians, explorers, prospectors, trap- rations. Altogether the expedition traveled pers, settlers. Army troops, and nameless some 7,500 miles through the wilderness others—all passed this way countless times from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and in countless numbers. And among those back. The trip lasted 2 years 4 months who found this trail in the wilderness 9 days, and by far the most difficult times and followed it on across the forbidding mountains were Lewis and Clark. ^ ^ Now the earth drops steeply from each Ed Parker, formerly with the Forest Service, is side of the trail, and the view is from now in the Bureau of Land Management, Depart- horizon to horizon. You are surrounded ment of the Interior. 67 of the journeys west and east were those American claims to the Pacific. Economi- spent in crossing the Bitterroots. cally it provided the first knowledge of The expedition west nearly failed as it the resources which eventually led to the struggled for 9 days around and across opening of our western lands for devel- the rugged mountains and through dense opment and for settlement. forests. The Indian trail that the party fol- It took the determined and brave men lowed was narrow and twisting, difficult of the Lewis and Clark Expedition—the to stay on, and often blocked by wind- Corps of Discovery—-9 days to cross the felled trees. The first snows had fallen, Bitterroot Range. You, today's automobile and game had left the high country. The traveler, can drive through the mountains men were reduced to a diet of horsemeat in an easy 4 hours along U.S. 12, the and soup before they breached the moun- Lewis and Clark Highway, which was tains and arrived sick and exhausted at completed during 1961. an Indian camp on the Weippe Prairie. I followed the trail of the expedition Their return trip in June 1806, under across the Bitterroots with keen anticipa- the expert guidance of three Nez Perce tion—I had never been in these moun- Indians, was less difficult, but still arduous tains—and with a purpose. The Forest and exhausting. By forced marches over Service was beginning planning for the snow which was packed so hard it sup- interpretation of historical sites and the ported their horses, they made the trip development of other visitor services from Weippe Prairie to Lolo in 7 days. along the highway and on the primitive Lewis and Clark did not find the easy Lolo Trail Road higher in the mountains. water passage to the West which they had Al Swift and I had come from Wash- sought, but the expedition is considered ington to work on this planning with by many historians as the single most Ken Keeney, Chief of Information and important event in the development of Education for the Forest Service's North- the Western United States. Politically it ern Region, and others of his staff. secured the recent American purchase of It was a clear-sky day when we left the Louisiana Territory and extended Missoula for our on-the-ground look at

The old and the new in outdoor travel, Bitterroot National forest. the historic Bitterroots. We took U.S. 93 Plan at least 2 days for your explora- south and west for 11 miles to the com- tion of the Bitterroot country; or more if munity of Lolo. Here we turned west- possible, for there's much to see and do. ward on U.S. Highway 12. This historic land is also rich with un- On September 9,1805, Lewis and Clark usual natural beauty—dense forests, deep had reached this same point after travel- canyons, high alpine meadows, mountain ing north from Lost Trail Pass through lakes, and white water rivers. Fishing is the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. By a creek excellent. So don't make yours a fast rush they called Travelers Rest (Lolo Creek), on down the highway when you travel they had camped for 2 days, their hunters out this way. shooting game for food and the horses We made ours a 2-day trip, traveling grazing the surrounding meadows. And the length of the Lolo Trail west for the here they, too, turned westward toward first day and staying overnight at Orofino. the imposing Bitterroots, taking a trail Here on the banks of the Clearwater used by the Nez Perce who lived west River the sick and hungry men of the of the mountains. Every year the Nez expedition camped while they hewed and Perce, including the women and children, burned out the "holler" of the five canoes crossed the mountains over this trail to that would carry them on to the Pacific. hunt buffalo on the plains farther east. We returned to Missoula over the high- Ahead of us then, as we left Lolo, were way, disappointed only that rain kept us the mountains which had nearly turned from crossing over one of the suspension back the expedition. For about the next bridges that span the Lochsa and hiking 160 miles we would follow Lewis and for a ways into the Selway-Bitterroot Clark's route across the Bitterroots, more Wilderness. than 100 miles of it through the Lolo and the Clear water National Forests. Tips for Campers U.S. 12 winds through the mountains along the water grades of the Lochsa and If you are camping, you'll certainly Clearwater Rivers, and roughly follows want to stay longer than 2 days. Along the expedition's route and the old Nez the highway are a number of the Forest Perce trail for some 50 miles to a point Service campgrounds from which you just beyond the Powell ranger station. can explore the country and enjoy its There the expedition left the valley of pioneer atmosphere. If you are not camp- the Lochsa, which had become increas- ing, a circle trip like ours—beginning on ingly narrow and choked with brush, and either side of the mountains—is an ex- climbed to the ridges above. cellent way to see this country. Take rain The rest of the way across the 6,000- gear in case it's needed and make the foot mountains the Nez Perce trail stayed wilderness walk which I missed. along the ridgetops, avoiding the steep- The interpretation of the historical sites walled canyons that the Indians had long and the development of the other visitor ago found impassable for men and horses. services along these roads are not yet Since about 1860 this trail has been called complete, but they are well underway. the Lolo Trail, a name which now is also Watch for Forest Service signs along the applied to a Forest Service road that is highway and the Lolo Trail Road. They often on and always very near the historic give mileage distances, locate off-highway Nez Perce trail. In a great many places trails and roads, and interpret points of along the road the old Indian trail is still interest and historic significance like the visible even today. campsites of Lewis and Clark and other So it is that the traveler today has his places associated with the expedition. choice of taking the modern highway U.S. 12 is a modern, 2-lane, all-weather through the canyons of the Lochsa and the highway, but to travel it your car should Clearwater Rivers or else the primitive, be in good condition and have a full gas and ridge-hugging, Lolo Trail Road. tank. A breakdown could delay you for Take both, and you will have a memo- several hours, and please note that there rable journey, I can assure you. .are no service stations for nearly 100 miles 69 between Lolo Hot Springs, Mont., and Indian Post Office—Two mounds of Lowell, Idaho. stones on the Lolo Trail, built before the The Lolo Trail Road is unpaved, nar- time of Lewis and Clark. The old trail row, and crooked, but the experienced turned ofi the divide at this point, and and careful driver can travel it safely in these mounds evidently marked the turn. the summer months. Before driving this Historians doubt the more romantic story road, however, take the precaution of that Indians passed messages by piling up checking its condition with a forest super- the stones in various arrangements. visor or ranger at Missoula and Lolo in Indian Grave—In 1893, an Indian fam- Montana; at Orofino, Kamiah, and Koos- ily picking huckleberries, hunting, and kia in Idaho; or at the Powell and Lochsa fishing along the Lolo Trail became ill. ranger stations which are on the highway A 14-year-old boy, Albert Parsons Mal- inside the forest. These Forest Service lickan, died and was buried here. offices also can supply you with a forest Indian Crossing—Near Indian Grave map showing roads, trails, and other the Nez Perce trail fords a creek. Here points of interest, among them: the trail cuts deeply into the streambanks, Fort Fizzle—Nez Perce Indians re- one reminder of the centuries that man volted in 1877 against living on a res- has walked along this trail. ervation, and in July they fled the Idaho Territory by way of the Lolo Trail. Led Lots of Big Game by Chief Joseph, 250 braves, 450 women and children, and 2,000 horses crossed Wildlife—Mountain goats, deer, elk, the mountains with Gen. O. O. Howard and moose may be seen any time of year. leading Army troops in pursuit. An at- Deer and elk gather on the south-facing tempt to block the Indians near Lolo slopes during winter, and as many as 100 failed when Chief Joseph kept his people of them may be seen along the highway high upon the ridges and simply slipped on a February or a March afternoon. Bear, past the fortifications in the night. coyote, and bobcat also are present. Fish Lolo Pass—Highest point (5,233 feet) include rainbow and cutthroat trout as on the Lewis and Clark Highway. On well as the steelhead, an ocean-going trout the crest of the Bitterroot Range, it marks that returns like the salmon to its head- the Montana-Idaho border. waters birthplace to spawn. Packer Meadows—Lewis and Clark fed Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness—Largest their horses and camped in this large in the United States, its 1.2 million acres alpine meadow near Lolo Pass. It was a are parts of four national forests: Clear- favorite stopping place for Indians. water, Nez Perce, Lolo, Bitterroot. Sus- Bernard De Voto Memorial Grove— pension bridges across the Lochsa River A stately grove of towering cedars on the connect with trails leading into this land Lochsa River, dedicated to the famous of primitive beauty which lies south of historian'and conservationist. U.S. 12. You can travel by foot or horse- Powell Ranger Station—The expedi- back. Horses are available from licensed tion camped here on the way west, and local outfitters and guides. from here left the valley to travel the These are only some of the things that ridgetops. The Lolo Trail Road begins you can see and do in the Bitterroots. You near the station. can also camp, fish, picnic, hike, climb Colgate Warm Springs—Named for mountains, hunt, or just enjoy it all. the cook of a hunting party that went You can enjoy, also, one experience into the Lochsa Valley in the winter of unusual for automobile travel. As you 1893. Heavy snows threatened to trap the drive the Lewis and Clark Highway and party, and when Colgate became ill he the Lolo Trail for some 100 miles through was abandoned. His grave is nearby. the forests, you will not see a commercial Jerry Johnson Hot Springs—Named building of any kind, nor even a single for an early-day trapper, miner, and out- billboard. Here is an unspoiled part of door sman. The saline waters of these our great American outdoors. warm springs attract elk and deer. And it's all yours to enjoy. 70