Northwest Passage Scenic Byway
Nez Perce Culture and History

Departure: Spalding Site Visitor Center, Idaho
Destination: Clearwater Battlefield, Idaho
Time to allow: 1 day

Following the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway will take you along the borders of the Nez Perce Reservation. Learn more about the history of the Nez Perce by visiting places associated with their past.

Day 1

  • Start: Spalding Site Visitor Center

    Begin your journey at the Spalding Site Visitor Center, where you can watch a short orientation video that tells the story of the Nez Perce Tribe. Then peruse exhibits of clothing, artifacts, and ceremonial items. Take a walk down the grassy slope to the Spalding Site, where a village was founded in the late 1800s. You'll also find the Spalding Cemetery, a sacred spot for the Nez Perce Tribe.

  • Stop 1: Heart of the Monster

    From previous stop: 15 minutes / 8 mi (12.8 km)
    Directions:

    Continue south on the Byway to Kooskia.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    Visit the Heart of the Monster monument and learn the legends esteemed by the Nez Perce. The rock formation represents the heart of a monster, which according to legend is the source from which the Nez Perce sprang.

  • Stop 2: Long Camp (Kamiah City Park)

    From previous stop: 1 hour / 43 mi (68.8 km)
    Directions:

    Follow SR-12 (The Northwest Passage) east as it curves toward Kamiah.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    The first white men known to the Nez Perce were Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery waited with the Nez Perce in the Kamiah Valley almost a month in the spring of 1806 for the snow to melt so they could cross the Bitterroot Mountains on their return to the East. This site is now a city park and a great place to stop for a picnic lunch.

  • End: Clearwater Battlefield

    From previous stop: 20 minutes / 13 mi (20.8 km)
    Directions:

    Just a few miles south, continue on SR-13 towards Harpster.

    Pullout on the west side of Highway 13, approximately two miles south of Stites, Idaho to view the interpretation of the Clearwater Battlefield associated with the Nez Perce War of 1877. The battle site itself is located on private property, which makes it inaccessible to the public. However, the wide expanse of the battlefield can be viewed from points along the way.

Totals for Day 1

Total Distance Traveled: 64 miles / 102.4 km
Total Travel Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 2 hours