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Official Foundation Website

Status: Completed in 2008

Time and effort has been put into rebuilding our website from the ground up. We've added more educational content, information on our past, present and future projects, and an updated event calendar.


Dedication at the Big Hole West Entrance

In Conjunction with the 12th Conference on National Scenic and Historic Trails

Held in Missoula, MT July 12-15, 2009

Dedication at the Big Hole West Entrance
From Left: Ruth Wapato, Rosa Yearout, Myrna Tovey
and Loretta Alexander opening the dedication 
with a Nez Perce prayer.
PNTS Field Trip Group 
PNTS field trip participants at the Metcalf 
Wildlife Refuge.

Hosted the by Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, assisted by the Nez Perce Trail Foundation (NPTF) and the Continental Divide Trail Alliance

One of the Nez Perce Trail Foundation’s jobs was to organize the field trips for the conference. The three field trips included a rafting trip on the Blackfoot River, hiking along the Lolo Trail and a bus trip visiting historic trail sites in the Bitterroot Valley and the Big Hole Battlefield National Park.

The Nez Perce Trail Foundation hosted the Big Hole Battlefield trip. Thirty-four members of the Partnership for the National Trails Systems guided by Mary Williams, USFS, assisted by Jim Evans, Executive Director and archaeologist, Carolynne Merrell, visited the Metcalf National Wildlife Reserve then passed through the Bitterroot Valley. The group stopped at Ross’s Hole in Sula, and the top of Chief Joseph Pass where all three National Trail paths cross. Continuing on to the Big Hole National Battlefield, the group participated in the dedication of the West Entrance Project, completed by the National Park Service and the Nez Perce Trail Foundation. Park Service personnel gave a special guided tour of the Park. The group then returned to Missoula.

 

Cow Island Dedication and Clean-up
In Conjunction With

National Public Lands Day Logo

Status:

National Lands Day James Kipp Recreation Area

On Saturday September 26, 2009 30 individuals gathered at the James Kipp National Recreation Area. The Recreation Area is located where U.S. Highway 191 crosses the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River, about 40 miles north of Grass Range, MT.

Installation of Interpretive Panel at James Kipp

Volunteers for National Lands Day at James Kipp Rec Area

Those who participated in this National Public Lands Day event completed a number of tasks which included; installing a Nez Perce Trail interpretive sign, trimming brushes near the boat ramp and fish cleaning station, clearing trail and picking up trash within the campground. Participants in this event included; Jim Evans, Huck Hutson, Roy Zortman, Scott Haight, Sandra Padilla, Craig Flentie, Vinita Shea, Wayne Dahl, Illa Willmore, Carol Hutson, Samantha Mitchell, Vanessa Mitchell, Megant Mitchell, Tristin McCafree, Hailey Hayden and Andrea Gremaux, Carol McCaffree, Winston Mitchell, Zortman and Warren Willmore, Nancy Dahl, Mona Driskell and a number of students from Missoula. Nationwide, thousands of people donated time to projects improving public lands.

The participants in this National Lands Day activity with tasks are listed below:

Installed Nez Perce Sign (Jim Evans, Huck Hutson, Billings, Scott Haight, Sandra Padilla, Craig Flentie, Vinita Shea, Wayne Dahl, host)

Trimmed bushes at boat ramp to fish cleaning table (Illa Willmore, Carol Hutson, Billings)

Picked up trash within campground (Winston’s granddaughters Samantha Mitchell, Vanessa Mitchell and Megant Mitchell all from Zortman, Tristin McCafree, Billings, Hailey Hayden and Andrea Gremaux, Lewistown, Carol McCaffree, Lewistown)

Missoula Students (total of 10 students) cleared up a trail from campsites to the river

Lunch and photos (Nancy Dahl and Mona Driskell)

Storytelling (Winston Mitchell, Zortman and Warren Willmore, Roy)

Teacher In-Service & Work Project
Yellowstone National Park

Status: Completed

The NPTF with the Yellowstone National Park, Kathie White, Dr. Lee Whittlesey, and the Yellowstone Association, James Garry, conducted a week of instructional activities for a group of history teachers from the University of San Diego Sacramento California Extension, Duane Helige, Instructor. The group based at the Canyon Campground in the center of Yellowstone National Park and visited major Nez Perce sites. In addition, NPTF President Charlie Moses contributed significantly to the project through his active participation.

Yellowstone National Park Project
Teacher group.

Teacher In-Service
Jim Evans and Charlie Moses.

Teacher In-ServiceCarol Austin, NPTF Instructor

Teacher In-Service
Bob Richard, NPTF Historian and Guide.

 

 

 

Camas Meadows

Status: On Hold

Silhouettes of three Nez Perce Warriors on horseback represent the raiding of the US Army pack string. It provides a dramatic highlight at the entrance to the battleground that is along Highway 22, west of Dubois, Idaho, on the Old Fort Henry/Gold Loop Scenic Byway. The metal silhouettes were designed and fabricated by Dan Jones of Steel & Ranch Supply in Salmon, Idaho and funded by the City of Dubois.

map

When completed, the site will have a parking area, and a six-sided Scenic Byway kiosk at the battlefield entrance. A sign showing the locations of the rifle pits will be installed at the old Monument and a new sign about "Bugler" Brooks will be placed at his gravesite. A new military headstone and a re-dedication are also planned.

 

volunteers
Pictured above: BLM crew identifying the locations of Rifle Pits with GPS equipment. Crew includes from left: Bethany Crenshaw, Jim Evans, Dick Hill, Stan McDonald and Brad Christensen.

The project is a partnership between the Nez Perce Trail Foundation, the Old Fort Henry/Gold Loop Scenic Byway, the City of Dubois and the Clark County Economic Development.


Appaloosa Horse Club Museum

Status: Completed 2009

The Appaloosa Horse Club Museum in Moscow, Idaho, will feature these three signs, one of which describes the relationship of the Appaloosa Horse Club to the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and the annual Chief Joseph Trail Ride sponsored by the club.

conflict
exile

Escape From Clark Fork Canyon
Clark, WY

Status: Completed 2009

Located at Idlewise on Highway 120, north of Cody, Wyoming, the three-paneled sign describes the Trail incidents related to Clark Fork Canyon, the Conflict of 1877, and the Exile, showing the route of captivity and return of the Nez Perce to the Northwest. The project partners are the Cody Chapter of the Foundation, the Cody BLM Office and the Idlewise Store.

Nez Perce Trail Foundation, Executive Director, Jim Evans & BLM, Cody Field Office Archaeologist, Kierson Crume enjoy the newly installed interpretive sign in Clark, Wyoming. A partnership between the non-profit Nez Perce Trail Foundation, the BLM, and the Edelweiss Store resulted in a three-paneled kiosk entitled “Escape From Clark Fork Canyon”. Volunteers assisting in the installation were from the Cody Chapter of the NPTF and the University of San Diego Extension at Sacramento, California.


Reed & Bowles Trading Post
Lewistown, MT Rest Area

Status: Completed 2009

lewistown rest area

The three paneled sign is placed at the Kiwanis Park on Highway 287, west of Lewistown, Montana, a NPNHT Gateway Community. The center panel, which accompanies the two standard Foundation signs, The Conflict of 1877 and The Exile, will describe the Nez Perce stopping at the Trading Post.

Our Lewistown Chapter partnered with the Lewistown Historical Preservation Office, the local BLM Office and the Kiwanis. The Carroll Trail and the Nez Perce Trail pass through the Lewistown area.

Zane Fulbright, BLM

Duane Ferdinand

 

Trail Marker Placement
Gibbons Pass to Big Hole

Status:

 

Gibbons Pass
trail marker placement
trailmarker

The Salmon Chapter of the Nez Perce Trail Foundation and Wisdom Ranger District USFS personnel, placed trail markers on the newly constructed section of the Nez Perce Trail, that was constructed by the Nez Perce Youth Trail team.


Birch Creek

Status: In Progress & Nearly Complete!
**Dedication will be June 26, 2010 at 1 p.m.**

birch creek kiosk
BLM work crew preparing a new kiosk site at Birch Creek.

The Birch Creek project will feature a covered Scenic Byway kiosk located at the Birch Creek BLM Campground on US Highway 28 in Idaho. It will serve as the gateway for the Sacajawea Byway. The project partners are the Sacajawea Byway, the city of Leadore, the BLM and the Fort Hall Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.

Following north, up the valley along the Nez Perce Trail to Bannock Pass, a three-paneled sign will describe the Nez Perce crossing into Idaho from Montana. This section of the trail is at the conjunction with the National Continental Divide Trail.

The Birch Creek Project has benefited from the combined interests and active participation of several private, city, state, and federal entities. The project was initiated through the planning committee of the Sacajawea Scenic Byway as they looked for a gateway site for the Byway. The Nez Perce Trail Foundation already had a small interpretive and trail marking project underway for the area. As part of the planning committee, the Foundation, with BLM support, proposed a much larger combined project. With Byway funding, a six-sided kiosk was planned. The City of Leadore, NPTF, with the help of the Salmon Valley Business and Innovation Center obtained a grant from the Idaho Department of Transportation for the Kiosk. A&D Specialties, Leadore provided equipment and the shop area to manufacture the kiosk. The Salmon and Idaho Falls BLM crews along with the Leadore NPTF Chapter members provided the labor in the construction of the kiosk, which is nearing completion. The kiosk will hold six interpretive panels. Two NPTF panels will describe an overview of the Nez Perce Conflict and the events that occurred at this location. Other panels will provide BLM information on area attractions, the route of the Sacajawea Scenic Byway and the story of the Agai Dika Lemhi Shoshone homeland.

birch creek
birch creek
birch creek
birch creek kiosk
birch creek
birch creek kiosk
birch creek kiosk construction

 

Appaloosa Horse Club Museum

Status:

 

Appaloosa Horse Club
Appaloosa Horse Club

Interpretive signs were placed in partnership with the Appaloosa Horse Club Museum on the museum grounds. The three panels tell the story of the 1877 War Trail and the Exile along with the history of the Chief Joseph Trail Ride sponsored annually by the Appaloosa Horse Club. Present at the dedication of the signs was NPTF vice-president, Dick Seymour, Appaloosa Club CEO, Steve Taylor, and Iola and George Hatley, one of the original Chief Joseph Trail Ride founders.

 

Big Hole Battlefield

Status: Completed 2008

An improved west entrance to the Big Hole Battlefield was carried out with the help of partners from the Forest Service and the National Park Service. This west entrance will serve as a terminus for a newly constructed equine and pedestrian portion of the Nez Perce Trail from Gibbons Pass, Idaho.

The route was constructed by a crew of Nez Perce youth. A hitching rail, new gate, and interpretive signs by the NPS and the Foundation, were installed with the help of a work crew from the University of San Diego Extension at Sacramento, California. Members of this crew were history teachers, taking a class on the Nez Perce Trail, taught by Duane Hauge.

 
 


New signage gives an overview of the battle site.


Project location at Big Hole.

map
Work crew included (from left): Duane Heglie, Instructor Richard Burdens, Jason Fritschi, Brad Ward and Jim Evans.

map
Newly installed hitching rail at the west entrance.

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Nez Perce Trail Foundation
194 Hwy 28
Salmon, Idaho 83467
(208) 940-0053
email us:
executivedirector@nezpercetrail.net


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Last Modified 05-04-2010   Webmaster