Western Montana

Just eight miles south of Missoula on U.S. Highway 93 lies the town of Lolo, and one-half mile west of Lolo, on Highway 12, sits the newest Montana State Park, Travelers’ Rest. Of the 8,000 miles and many campsites on the Expedition’s two-year journey, this is the ONLY place that the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery left archeologically-verified evidence of their visits.

My wife and I have driven past Travelers’ Rest many times and never stopped. Now, with the new Visitor Center, modern restrooms, handicap accessibility, and a well-marked one-half mile self-guided tour, it was high time we paid a visit.

Since we ourselves were camped just a mile away, we could easily imagine what it was like here for the Expedition members. We tried to fit in a visit between rain showers. We were not successful in that, but we did have a terrific experience.

High spring runoff from Lolo Creek, which flows through the site, temporarily blocked normal access to portions of the Park, but that didn’t detract from the wonderful exhibits. As usual, I took many more photos than I can share.

The volunteer guest guides were courteous, well-informed, and, most pleasantly, they were EAGER to talk to us about the Park and Corps of Discovery. The exhibits are terrific, with many artifacts of Native American life in the 1800’s; and the visitor center, (which is a Yurt), can accommodate seating for about 30-40 people for special presentations. On the self-guided tour we were able to see the remains of one of the kitchen areas and campfire sites. There is evidence of a solid puddle of lead where new musket balls were formed.

During the summer months, there are daily interpretive programs, with special campfire programs twice per week. In winter, there are storytelling times, often presented by Native American elders; and winter workshops to learn to make soap or leather moccasins or to tie fishing flies.

Complete schedules (and more history) are available at the web site Travelers’ Rest.org

We were here on a rainy day, and I could easily imagine a rainy day 200 years ago, with the 33 members of the Corps camped out here. The site is beautiful: the creek, the black cottonwood trees, the meadow and nearby mountains. Their camp here allowed them to rest up, hunt for food, and trade with native tribes for fresh horses. The Bitterroot Mountains were a major obstacle for Lewis and Clark in their trek to the west. They remained here for three days, September 9-11, 1805, and then proceeded up what is now Highway 12 and over Lolo Pass, heading for the Pacific coast.

On the return trip they again visited this crossroads point from June 30 to July 3, 1806. The site had been long used by the Salish, Pend d’Oreille and Nez Perce tribes. There was ample food here, and medicinal plants as well. Even 200 years ago, there were well-worn roads heading out in several directions, and this was a natural gathering place for travelers. From this site, the Corp separated, with Lewis heading north and Clark heading south. The story of the Expedition is fascinating and the country owes so much to these early explorers of the Pacific Northwest.

How to Get Here:

From Missoula take U.S. Highway 93 South to Lolo (8 miles); turn west on U.S. Highway 12. The Park entrance is just one-half mile up on the left hand side.

Hours of Operation:

Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Park is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm.
After Labor Day, Mon.-Fri: 9 am to 4 pm; Sat-Sun: noon to 4 pm.
(The Park is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day, Martin Luther King Day and Presidents’ Day

Fees:

No fee for Montana residents. For non-Montana residents: $2 for adults; kids under 12 are free.
Tour Groups are also $2 per person, regardless of age. (The Park requires advance notice of tour groups)

Area location map provided by Travelers Rest.org