Clark Heads Toward the Yellowstone

On their return journey, the Corps of Discovery divided into two groups at Traveler's Rest, near present day Lolo, Montana. Captain William Clark and his party traveled through today's Big Hole Valley on their way to Camp Fortunate to recover their canoes and other processions hidden away the previous summer. On the evening of July 7, 1806, the party climbed the Big Hole Pass and camped east of the saddle here to you left.
Following the Indian Road
"... Crossed this easterly branch and up on the N. Side of the middle fork 9 miles... passed through a gap of a mountain on the Easterly Side of which we encamped near some butifull (Springs) which fall into Willards Creek... I now take my leave of this butifull extensive vally which I call the hot spring Vally, and behold one less extensive and much more rigid on Willards Creek for near 12 miles in length." — Captain W. Clark, July 7, 1806

Clark crossed Warm Spring Creek and went southeasterly up Governor Creek and Bull Creek, roughly parallel to Montana Highway 278. Just after passing Bull Creek, he went east over Big Hole Pass near the present day highway, following an old, well-worn Indian road. They traversed an estimated 164 miles from Traveler's Rest to Camp Fortunate on
"an excellent road. and with only few trees



being cut out of the way would be an excellent wagon road..."
Excerpts taken from: The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Volume Eight, Gary Moulton, Editor.

Cous and Camas

On July 5, 1806, Captain William Clark recorded,
"here I observed some fresh Indian signs where they had been gathering quamash."
A main vegetable and starchy food staple for the northwest Indians and used frequently by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the camas bulb and the roots of cous or bitterroot were eaten raw, baked or roasted. During peak flowering in June and July (illegible) growths of camas color the surrounding meadows with a blueish tint.

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The Way It Used To Be... Way Back
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