Travelers’ Rest State Park
Archaeology identifies the only physically verified Lewis and Clark campsite, within a much older and continuing Séliš homeland beside Lolo Creek.
Artwork inspired by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith
Begin with the place before the expedition. Séliš people used this travel corridor and knew the landscape long before 1805; archaeological fire hearths and mercury traces later allowed researchers to verify the Corps campsite with unusual precision.
The visitor center, short trails, creek, and archaeology work best together. Programs and excavation interpretation are seasonal, and the site should not be reduced to a “Lewis slept here” claim when Indigenous continuity is the larger story.
- Distinctive
- Only archaeologically verified Corps campsite
- Camped
- September 1805 and June 1806
- Allow
- 1½–2 hours
Quick guide
- First question
- Study how hearths and mercury located the Corps camp.
- Set beside it
- September 1805 and June 1806 ↔ Study how hearths and mercury located the Corps camp
A focused visit to Travelers’ Rest State Park
- Begin
- Center the Séliš travel corridor and homeland before moving into the wider story.
- Then verify
- Study how hearths and mercury located the Corps camp.
- Walk
- Connect creek, terrain, and route choices on the ground.
- Keep scale
- Treat 1805–06 as one episode in a much longer history.
Good to know
Indoor hours and ranger programs change seasonally while trails may remain available. Check the schedule, stay on designated paths near archaeological areas, and use insect protection around the creek.
Notice these
- Only archaeologically verified Corps campsite
- September 1805 and June 1806
- Study how hearths and mercury located the Corps camp.