Things to Do in North Central Idaho
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Things to Do in North Central Idaho |
Auto Tours in North Central Idaho |
Follow the historic Elk City Wagon Road from the community of Clearwater near Harpster to the Elk City townsite on the Nez Perce National Forest. The Elk City Wagon Road follows the divide between the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Clearwater River. This route, mostly on low-standard, dirt roads, offers excellent vistas at Corral Hill Lookout, China Point, and Baldy Mountain. The Elk City Wagon Road originated from the Southern Nez Perce Trail. It was constructed between 1894 and 1895 and was used as the main route to the gold fields near Elk City. Several way stations were built along the road in the late 1800s. A brochure and map of the wagon road are available and signs interpret historic sites along the route. For a map and information, contact the Nez Perce National Forest headquarters in Grangeville (208) 983-1950. The road is 53 miles in length and takes approximately four to six hours to drive. Large RVÕs are not recommended.
For a beautiful drive in the Salmon River Country, take the adventure tour that shows you unbelievable views of both the Salmon and Snake River Gorges. The trip length varies depending on how far you feel like going. Start at Deer Creek Road (#493) near White Bird, at Cow Creek Road (#242) near Lucile, or at Race Creek Road (#241) near Riggins. From any of these entry points, you can drive on gravel roads to the top of the divide for breathtaking vistas. Large RVÕs are not recommended. For road conditions, stop by either the Slate Creek Ranger office at Slate Creek or the Nez Perce Forest Headquarters at Grangeville.
A unique driving experience unlike any other in the continental United States is along the historic Macgruder Corridor Road (#468) in the Nez Perce National Forest from Red River Ranger Station to Darby, Montana. The ÒMontana RoadÓ is the only roaded corridor through four million acres of wilderness. It is about 113 miles of native surface road requiring about eight hours of driving time. Travelers could easily spend more time on the scenic road exploring trails and fishing along the streams and lakes along the way. This road parallels the southern Nez Perce Indian Trail, established by the Nez Perce for their travels between northern Idaho and western Montana. The trail was later used by explorers, trappers, prospectors and early forest rangers. In 1936, CCC road building crews from the Bitterroot and Nez Perce Forests constructed the road. Except for improvement work in recent years, the road system remains essentially unchanged. Several campgrounds, trailheads and scenic vistas are located along this route. The trailheads access the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness to the south and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness to the north. Burn Knob Lookout and Salmon Mt. Lookout are both located within a 1.5 mile walk from the road. Normally, the road is open to vehicles from mid-July to mid-October depending on the snow. For more information, contact the Red River Ranger District or Nez Perce Forest Headquarters office. White Bird Battlefield The first battle of the Nez Perce War of 1877 was fought here near White Bird, Idaho. In the winter of 1877, Ònon treatyÓ bands of Nez Perce Indians were given an ultimatum by the U.S. government to enter the newly established reservation. The events that soon followed sparked the famous Nez Perce War of 1877. The White Bird Battlefield south of Grangeville is the site of the beginning of that war, a place where the U.S. Army was soundly thrashed by Nez Perce warriors. The White Bird Battlefield is one of 24 sites that comprise the Nez Perce National Historic Park. An interpretive shelter on U.S. Highway 95 south of Grangeville provides a beautiful, panoramic view of the battle area. A self-guided auto tour guide is available at the Nez Perce National Forest office at Grangeville or the Slate Creek Ranger Station at Slate Creek and locations at White Bird. A park map and tour guide can also be obtained at the Nez Perce National Historical Park located 11 miles east of Lewiston along U.S. Highway 95 south of Spalding. You can also write the park for information at P.O. Box 93, Spalding, Idaho. 83551.
In July of 1989, the Idaho Department of Transportation designated U.S. Highway 12 from Lewiston to Lolo Pass and Idaho State Highway 13 from Kooskia to Grangeville as IdahoÕs 10th scenic routeÑIdahoÕs Northwest Passage. From this route and side roads branching out from it, you will be able to enjoy one of the most interesting and beautiful areas in Idaho. An auto tape tour providing fascinating details of the history, flora and fauna, geology and descriptive information is currently in process and should be available in the spring of 2000. Contact a local Chamber of Commerce office to obtain the self-guided tour. The scenic route takes you from an elevation of 700 feet near Lewiston to over 4000 feet on White Bird Summit near Grangeville. Most of the route is a riverside drive along the main Clearwater and the South Fork of the Clearwater River. The last few miles climbing up to Grangeville offers spectacular views of the Camas Prairie, the South Fork Canyon and the back country beyond. At the intersection of State Highways 13 and 14, you can take advantage of a fascinating side trip to the unique communities of Elk City, Red River and Dixie. This beautiful drive into the backcountry exposes you to a bit of IdahoÕs colorful past as well as outstanding recreational opportunities. As you travel the route, be sure to take note of the canyon walls towering above you over two thousand feet high. Be sure to explore the side roads, also. A map is available at the Nez Perce Forest Service Ranger Station in Grangeville for a fee.
The White Pine Drive area is a popular hiking and camping area. Scenic National Recreation Trails are accessible from the campgrounds. A picturesque grove of old-growth western white pines stands a short distance away at the Giant White Pine Campground. Continue north and the six mile corridor will be lined with majestic white pines. The campground area has several hiking trails, 14 camp sites and restrooms. Directions: It is located in the St. Joe National Forest approximately 40 miles N of Moscow. Take Hwy. 95 N to Potlatch and turn off on State Hwy. 6 and proceed through the small towns of Princeton and Harvard. Signs clearly mark the scenic route.
ÒThereÕs gold in them thar hills!Ó was the cry in 1860 that brought pioneers across the Clearwater River and up the mountain along the Gold Rush Historic Byway. Rich in history, scenery and wildlife, the route along State Highway 11 begins with an easy climb up the Greer Grade, affording travelers a breathtaking, panoramic view of the Clearwater valley. At the crest of the mountain lie beautiful rolling fields of grains and grasses, cultivated by area farmers. Not far away is the historic town of Weippe, where the Nez Perce Indians met and fed members of the starving Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. Yet another remarkable change in the scenery lies just minutes away as the fields transform to a splendid wildlife-inhabited forest. Nestled amongst the trees a few miles ahead lies the town of Pierce, where gold was first discovered in Idaho. It boasts the state’s inaugural government building, the old Shoshone County Courthouse, where law and order began in Idaho. Other main attractions are a logging museum, a city library filled with artifacts chronicling the adventures of Chinese miners and, finally, the last of five state historical sites featured along the way. Twelve miles beyond Pierce is the village of Headquarters, which marks the end of the route and the beginning of the area’s other “gold mine” -- the majestically beautiful and seemingly endless Clearwater National Forest. Begins east of Orofino at Greer, the junction of U.S. 12 and State Highway 11 on the Clearwater River. Length: 42.5 miles. Allow 1.5 hours each way. Roadway: State Highway 11 is a two-lane road, well maintained with several turnouts for scenic viewing When to see it: Year round. Summer offers outdoor recreation of your choice, including camping, fishing and hiking. Winter provides a wonderland of skiing and snowmobiling on 350 miles of groomed trails. Special Attractions: Lewis and Clark Historical Sites, First Courthouse in Idaho.
Enjoy an exquisitely prepared meal aboard a fully restored 1920 passenger train and conjure up memories of the golden age of luxury. Sit back, relax and enjoy the excursion trainÕs rhythmic clickity-clack, while tuxedo clad wait staff serve a succulent wild cherry smoked prime rib, Pacific Northwest salmon or mouthwatering chicken. The train travels over land explored by the historic Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1806; the last scheduled passenger train service on these same rails ended August 11, 1965. From boarding in downtown Lewiston to the breathtaking scenery while weaving through the Clearwater River Valley, the excursion passenger train, including cars from the American Freedom Bicentennial Train, will exceed your greatest expectations. Reservations are required and may be made by calling the Lewiston Historic Live Steam Railway Company at 888-RR-DINER or 208-743-2233. Cost is $75 plus tax.
Drive to the Wolf Recovery Center on the Camas Prairie
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