History
The Lolo Trail
is an ancient Indian route that follows the ridgetops parallel and
to the north of Highway 12. This trail provided access to buffalo
on the eastern plains for those on the Columbia Plateau, and led
people living east of the mountains to salmon-rich waters in the
west. During the Nez Perce War of 1877, Chief Joseph and nearly
750 Nez Perce fled General Howard's army along this trail to reach
the Bitterroot Valley.
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Today
The Lolo Motorway
provides breath-taking views in every direction, and allows modern explorers
to escape the rush of daily life. One can imagine a time with no paved
roads, but quiet trails winding their way through thick, lodgepole forests,
open Ponderosa stands, and lush, green meadows. Along the motorway, you
can hear the soft trickle of mountain streams, songs of mountain birds,
and gaze in wonder at this vast, wild landscape.
Location
The Lolo Trail in
Idaho is located along Forest Roads 100 and 500. Forest Road 500, known
as The Lolo Motorway, is a primitive, winding road built by the Civilian
Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Access to the Lolo Motorway in the Powell
area is via FS Road 569 (Parachute Hill Road), and in the Wilderness Gateway
area via FS Road 107 (Saddle Camp Road). Access to Forest Road 100 in
the Kamiah area is at the junction of U.S. Highway 12 and the Kamiah bridge
over the Clearwater River.
Management
Management of the trails and treads and the Lolo Trail National Historic
Landmark on the Clearwater National Forest is an ongoing process; a long
list of involved groups and related legislation guides management decisions,
which are dynamically developed with advice and input from dozens of sources.
There is long and diverse history along this route, beginning with foot
travel and later horse travel by Indian tribes, Lewis and Clark's Corps
of Discovery (1805-06), construction of the Bird Truax Trail (1866), the
Nez Perce War (1877), heavy Forest Service use (1900-1930s), extensive
wildfires (1910-1930s), widespread sheep grazing with sheep driveways,
(1920s-1940s) construction of the Lolo Motorway (1930s), tremendous migrating
elk populations and related hunting pressure (1940s - 1980s) timber harvest
on the east and west ends (1940s-present), and National Historic Trails
(1980s-present).
![Primitive Road](lolo_trail/images/lolom_pic.jpg) |
The
Trail Treads and National Historic Trails within the Lolo Trail Corridor
are managed and maintained in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes
related to recreation, historical preservation, and cultural significance.
The Clearwater National Forest is responsible for the day-to-day
management of the Lolo Trail National Historic Landmark, and the
Department of the Interior (through the National Park Service) has
oversight responsibility. The Clearwater consults with and works closely
with the Nez Perce National Historical Park. The Clearwater and the
National Park Service jointly participate in the monitoring program.
The evolution of the trails on the Clearwater National Forest -- and
their management -- are marked by eras of contrasting uses and different
users. |
Where
Are The Trails?
There has been much interest among history buffs over the years on precise
locations of the old trails. Quite a few "tread tracers" have
attempted to identify precise locations of the historic trails. Today
people often ask, "Which one is the trail that Chief Joseph followed
in 1877?" Or "Where exactly did Lewis & Clark travel?"
Forest Service staff asked those same questions while contemplating the
locations for designation of the national historic trails. Answering those
questions will keep historians, researchers, and "tread tracers"
busy -- and probably disagreeing -- for a long time. It is impossible
to identify and designate with precision every section of each one of
the trails -- for a variety of reasons:
The trails overlap in many areas
Some sections of trail tread have been obliterated by other uses,
e.g. sheep drives
Some sections -- e.g. the Lolo Motorway -- have been overlaid by
roads
Many sections of trail were "naturally" adjusted
Some sections of trail were intentionally adjusted
Sections that had no use for many years may have disappeared
Many trail enthusiasts believe that the "original" Lewis &
Clark Trail still exists -- and that they know exactly where that trail
is. While there are certainly segments of historic trail that still exist,
it is virtually impossible to conclusively identify the precise trail
that Lewis and Clark took. At the heart of this debate are a number of
questions -- are they talking about where Clark walked, where Lewis walked,
where they both walked, or where the main party walked? Even with answers
to those questions, though, it would be impossible to conclusively prove
identification of a stretch of trail that was used for just a few minutes
in 200 years ago. There are literally hundreds of stretches of trail tread
throughout the Lolo Trail National Historic Landmark; which if any of
them is "The Real Trail"?
Are The Trail SIgns Located Where The
Trail Really Is?
During the 1990s the Clearwater National Forest began providing a maintained
trail along the historic route. Decisions on locations for signs along
the trail were based on the "corridor view," meaning that we
focus on maintaining and restoring the original character of the route.
The debate, however, over one section of tread versus another section
of tread and which might be "the real tread" will continue for
years to come.
Lolo Trail Tread
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