Last updated: July 28, 2022
Place
Lolo Trail and Lolo Pass
USDA Forest Service/Robert Peterson
Quick Facts
Location:
U.S. Highway 12 begins in Greer, Idaho on the west end and ends 150 miles east at the Fort Fizzle interpretive site in Montana
Significance:
Route over the Bitterroot Mountains used by the Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark
MANAGED BY:
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
Used by the Nez Perce long before Euro-Americans came on the scene, the route over the Bitterroot Mountains, known today as the Lolo Trail, extends from Weippe Prairie to Lolo Pass along the Idaho-Montana border. Lewis & Clark followed this route on their trip across the mountains to the west coast in 1805. Looking for safety in Montana in late July of 1877, the non-treaty Nez Perce followed the same trail during the Flight of 1877.
Directions to Lolo Pass and Lolo Trail
Lolo Pass along U.S. Highway 12 begins in Greer, Idaho on the west end and ends 150 miles east at the Fort Fizzle interpretive site in Montana. This is a paved, two-lane highway with speed limits 50 miles-per-hour or less with few turnouts and limited opportunities to pass.
Directions to Lolo Visitor Center: From the Spalding Visitor Center, turn right onto U.S. Highway 95 to head north. After 1 mile, use the right lane to take the ramp to Orofino/Missoula on U.S. Highway 12 East. Continue on U.S. Highway 12 East 163 miles. The Lolo Visitor Center will be on the right immediately before the Montana/Idaho border.
Things to Do at Lolo Pass and Lolo Trail
Explore the Site
The Nez Perce Trail and Pass is an affiliated site of the Nez Perce National Historical Park that is owned and managed in large part by the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest on the Idaho side of the border and the Lolo National Forest in Montana. There is a series of historic signs about the Lolo Trail and the Nez Perce (Nee Mee Poo) Trail as well as picnic areas at Fort Fizzle The National Forests offer several recreational opportunities such as camping, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, hot springs, skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.Stop by the Lolo Pass Visitor Center located on the Montana/Idaho border along U.S. Highway 12 has an interpretive center with information on the Lewis & Clark journey across the Bitterroot Mountains, the Nez Perce Flight of 1877, historical, natural, and general information about the area, and a bookstore/gift shop. It also has 24-hour restrooms, a covered picnic area, and a short interpretive trail with benches.
Directions to Lolo Pass and Lolo Trail
Lolo Pass along U.S. Highway 12 begins in Greer, Idaho on the west end and ends 150 miles east at the Fort Fizzle interpretive site in Montana. This is a paved, two-lane highway with speed limits 50 miles-per-hour or less with few turnouts and limited opportunities to pass.
Directions to Lolo Visitor Center: From the Spalding Visitor Center, turn right onto U.S. Highway 95 to head north. After 1 mile, use the right lane to take the ramp to Orofino/Missoula on U.S. Highway 12 East. Continue on U.S. Highway 12 East 163 miles. The Lolo Visitor Center will be on the right immediately before the Montana/Idaho border.
Things to Do at Lolo Pass and Lolo Trail
Explore the Site
The Nez Perce Trail and Pass is an affiliated site of the Nez Perce National Historical Park that is owned and managed in large part by the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest on the Idaho side of the border and the Lolo National Forest in Montana. There is a series of historic signs about the Lolo Trail and the Nez Perce (Nee Mee Poo) Trail as well as picnic areas at Fort Fizzle The National Forests offer several recreational opportunities such as camping, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, hot springs, skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.Stop by the Lolo Pass Visitor Center located on the Montana/Idaho border along U.S. Highway 12 has an interpretive center with information on the Lewis & Clark journey across the Bitterroot Mountains, the Nez Perce Flight of 1877, historical, natural, and general information about the area, and a bookstore/gift shop. It also has 24-hour restrooms, a covered picnic area, and a short interpretive trail with benches.