Lewis & Clark Expedition Trail
Idaho, Montana, Washington

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Last month we visited much of the Lolo Motorway from Wendover Staging area to Hungry Creek.

HISTORICAL SITES ALONG THE TRAIL
Horsesteak Meadows
Fish Creek Meadow
Eldorado Creek
Cedar Creek
Liz Butte
Weitas Butte & Meadows
Rocky Ridge Lake
Pete's Fork
Lewis & Clark Cedar Grove
Pheasant Camp
Weippe Praire

Lewis & Clark February Newsletter

By Cheeta Brown

   As heavy snow fell, the Corp. of Discovery dropped down into Hungry Creek but we are going to stay on the ridgetop and the Lolo Motorway.

   The Corp will struggle with steep canyons, heavy forest growth, cold and hunger. At what is now called Horsesteak Meadows, Clark and his troop came upon a lost Indian horse and had a portion of it for breakfast. They hung the remaining portion in a tree so Lewis and his men could have a meal.

   William Clark wrote, on Sept. 16, 1805, “I have been wet and as cold in every part as I ever was in my life, indeed I was at one time fearfull my feet would freeze.”

   The Corp traveled on down Hungry Creek to Fish Creek Meadow, over the next mountain to Eldorado Creek with Clark and his men making camp on Cedar Creek. Of his journey into Hungry Creek Lewis wrote, “the road was excessively dangerous along this creek being a narrow rocky path generally on the side of a steep precipice, from which in many places if either man or horse were precipitated they would inevitably be dashed in pieces.”

Although this stretch of the route is probably the only remaining section of the Lewis and Clark Trail that is in pristine condition as experienced by Lewis & Clark in 1805, don’t try. As recently as last summer a Forest ranger was lost for three days there.

    As the Corp follows Hungry Creek, you will enjoy following the Motorway past the road to Liz Butte (extremely rough), past the beautiful Weitas Meadows and maybe a side trip to Weitas Butte where the vista is again magnificent. Back to the main road don’t bypass Rocky Ridge Lake. This small high mountain lake is noted for moose watching and a cool dip. There is a small campground with fireplaces and a toilet for an overnight stay.

   Following the marked route, you will pass Pete’s Fork to Full Stomach Camp, Salmon Trout Camp and Small Prairie Camp on Eldorado Creek. A side trip on Road 520 off the Eldorado will take you to the Lewis & Clark Cedar Grove, where Clark and his men camped Sept. 19, 1805.

   If you really want to hike a portion of the original trail, this is the place to begin. This marked and well-maintained trail will take you from the Grove to the forks of Lolo and Eldorado Creeks, a fairly easy hike of a few miles.

   When Clark reached the forks of Eldorado and Lolo Creeks from the Cedar Grove, he went down Lolo Creek about a mile to “Pheasant Camp” and up a steep canyon for seven miles to a level prairie arriving on Sept. 20, 1805.

   Pheasant Camp is readily recognized from a viewpoint about a mile down the creek on the paved 100 road.

   Lewis had been delayed waiting for his men to catch strayed horses. Then following Clark’s route past the Cedar Grove to Lolo Creek. At Pheasant Camp, Lewis and crew shot a wolf and a few grouse. Some of the men caught crayfish in the creek. All of which afforded the starving men a rather sparse meal. Lewis and his men arrived on the Weippe Prairie on Sept. 22 1805.