The Bozeman courier., 1927-01-14
TRAILS
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building InrOugn WnaC are now Montana,
Idaho and southeastern Washington. and
he constructed what was undoubtedly the
best made wagon road in the earlV his
tory Of this state. This was United States
military road which led from Fort Rem
ton to Walla Walla, Washington. It was
625 miles long and was DESIGNATED to CON
meet the head Of navigation on the Missouri
with navigation on the Columbia. Actual
work on it's construction Started in 1870
and over three years time and S23O OO0
we're required to bring about its connie
ton. Thirty miles were blasted tbronSb
rock and dirt, and 124 miles were emf
through dense forest. Its course in Mon
tana left Fort Benton in a sOuthwesterIv
direction through what are now ChouteaT
Cascade, and Lewis and Clark counties to
the vicinity of Helena. This route crossed
Sun River near the present town which
bears that name, and Dearborn river and
Little Prickly Pear creek, along somewhat
the general course Of the present "BirdtaiI''
road, keeping, however, a little to the west
of the site OF Helena. It crossed the main
divide of the Rockies through what has
been called the Mullan Pass. Today, it
is the grade used by the Northern Pacific
railroad from Helena to Garrison Follow
ing down the valley of the Little BlackfOOt
and Hellgate rivers, across Powell Granite
Missoula, and Mineral counties, it left tho
state by the valley of the st. Regis river
1t was this Mullan road which furnish.
ed route for emigration between the head.
waters Of the Columbia and Missouri riv.
ers, and many prOspectors and settlers
| from Idaho and the coast states entered
Montana IN the early days by this trail"
The LO LO Trail"
| over In western Montana there is an his
tOric, primitive, indian trail. around
which centers much of the romance of tn,
early days. From time immemOriaI IN,
| LO LO Trail has been the regular ovanu,
for travel across the Bitter Root noun
tains. 1t was along this route that tn,
indOmitable Sacagawea led the party O
intrepid explorers headed by Captain
Lewis and Clark, more than q century AGO
Then, in later times, there came eastwar,
over the summit and down the lane no
tween the trees Chief Joseph AZ the beal
of his discOntented followers fleeing befOr
General Howard in 1876, on down to tn
Big Hole, where, by defeating the whites
he was enabled to traverse central Mon
tana toward the Canadian line But fe,
trails in the United States go farther int
history or have more beautiful settina
Starting, as fC does, in the Bitter Roo
valley, home for cons Of the Saleesh ma
ton of Indians, the Lo LO Trail-an al
Turing, awe-inspiring aisle between grea
mOnarchs of the forest climbs the eas
slope of the Bitter Roots, on over LO /
LOscha and North Forks of the Clearwate
river in Idaho. All along the route
this Indian path, the scenery unfOlded
wonderful. Out on either side one gaze
over sea of fir trees. with lonely, ban
buttes, rising here and there like rock
islands above the green. Numerous mOul
tain streams resembling silver threads ca
be seen. Begun as a primitive Indian trai
= it is as primitive today, as when Chief j.
seph and his NeZ PerceS crossed it fift
: years ago, and because of its mammOt
natural characteristics, will remain tn