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Northern Idaho

Lewiston-Clarkston Art Tour

The confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers was an important geographic point passed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the fall of 1805. The Snake appeared on William Clark’s resulting map as Lewis’s River. The native Nez Perce called the Snake Kimooenim, meaning “the stream/place of the hemp weed,” and they termed the stretch upstream from the confluence with the Clearwater River, Pikúunen. The Clearwater was referred to as Koos-Koos-Kia, meaning “clear water,” and they called the confluence itself Tsceminicum, or “meeting of the waters.” French fur traders later gave the main waterway the name “Snake” when they […]

The Lolo Trail

Due to steep hills and canyons, the Lewis and Clark Expedition was not able to follow the present route of US Highway 12 between Lolo, Montana and Kamiah, Idaho. Their route instead followed the ridgelines roughly 2000 feet above the highway. The Lolo Motorway is a primitive dirt road that follows many of those same ridges, but for many historic travelers, the modern highway a better option when following the Historic Trail. The highway follows two National Wild and Scenic Rivers—the Middle Fork Clearwater and Lochsa. Stunning mountain forests and plenty of historical sites await the traveler.