Home

10%

Idaho to Missouri

Our Corps of Discovery on the Lewis & Clark Trail

By Time2Geaux Unplugged

October 20^th, 2020

"I reflected that I had as yet done but little ... to further the happiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation."

Meriwether Lewis

After leaving Sun Valley and Ernest Hemmingway behind we headed deeper into the Saw Tooth Mountains to Stanley, Idaho where we started our discovery of the Lewis and Clark Trail. While our trek across the west was not completely focused on Lewis & Clark, we certainly crossed paths with the Corps of Discovery's trek.

Stanley Idaho

The town of Stanley has a population of less than a hundred and accommodations for at least three times that! It has some nice places to eat including a bakery that was written up in a statewide magazine. We had breakfast there with our traveling friends and enjoyed ourselves. The views from Lake Stanley of the Sawtooth Mountains were breathtaking! We took the kayaks over and spent the morning paddling around the lake with our friends Paul and Vickie. Wildlife and Fisheries were dropping gill nets to try and control the lake trout that were introduced years ago for sport but have all but wiped out the local species.

Speaking of kayaking, we made several trips down the Salmon River, the first taking out at our campground that backed up to the river. That trip was great and we enjoyed the quickness of the current, only dragging bottom a few times. The second trip was planned in two stages, the first where we took both tandem boats down the river to a take-out spot where JoAnn and Vickie were planning to get out and take the truck to the hot springs while Paul and I negotiated the last set of tricky cascades. We didn't make it, JoAnn and I got crossways on a submerged bolder with a swift current and our inflatable kayak was rolled over. Once in the water we were swept downstream bouncing off large submerged rocks! We managed to get to the shore with the boat and gear only to find that one of the paddles I had was snapped in half. This was a carbon shafted Werner and half of it just gone! I never felt it hang but the force of the water was intense. We were lucky that other than some cuts, bruises, and a broken paddle we were good. After getting out of the water, climbing the bank to the truck, JoAnn lost balance, twisted her ankle and fell back on her tailbone really hard. She was grounded for several weeks from this. Needless to say, we didn't attempt the next section of the river.

The area is close to a mining ghost town and we took a day trip to Custer, Idaho, which was founded in 1877 after placer gold was discovered in the Yankee Fork. The area is undergoing reclamation because of a gold dredge that operated on the creek. It is amazing to see that rows of rocks from the dredge processing over 20 feet high. It is amazing how much damage was done to the land by this process. From one side of the valley to the other down to bedrock, in places, a half-mile wide, rows of rocks like a giant roto-tiller was driven back and forth. It was disheartening, the destruction man can cause to nature.

We also got a chance to enjoy some natural hot springs downstream of Stanley. The water was coming out of the ground at 160F and flowed into the cold Salmon River. To adjust your 'perfect' temp, you would move rocks around to allow more or less river water to mix in with the hot spring water. Really nice and with the sulfur we felt somewhat safe from COVID. We went during the week when there wasn't anybody there anyway. What a treat!

Salmon River

Paul & Vickie on the Salmon River

Jeff & JoAnn on the Salmon River

Osprey feeding it's young

Hot Springs on Salmon River

Hot Springs temp near outlet

Jeff & JoAnn in the Hot Spring

Most feared animal in the Saw Tooth Mountains, a chipmunk

Popular breakfast spot in Stanley

Salmon, Idaho

One of the highlights of our visit to this quaint western town was the Sacajawea Center. The reason the center is here is that this was Sacajawea's native homeland. This is where the famous meeting happened when Sacajawea recognized her brother at the negotiations and helped pave the way to success for the Corps trek across the mountains on horseback. It is interesting that Sacajawea and her infant son sent a clear message to all the Native Americans they encountered, that the Corps came in peace, just by her presence. In the Native American culture, a woman and especially a woman with a small child would never be part of a raiding party. The message was clear, the Corps of Discovery came in peace although it wasn't until historians put her presence into a historical context that this was realized. Lewis and Clark just hired her husband because of his translation services and encouraged him to bring one of his two wives because she would know Shoshone languages and could help negotiate for horses.

The highlight of our visit to the Sacajawea Center was the lecture we attended by a local historian. She was great and helped us better understand Sacajaweas roll on the expedition as well as her husband, which was less than stellar. Think of him like the Kim Kardashian of western wilderness…

We also made a drive out to Lemhi Pass where Lewis & Clark crossed the Bitterroot Mountains and saw an endless range of mountains to the west, dashing their hopes of a quick trek to the headwaters of the mighty Colombia River.

Other highlights of Salmon itself. We visited the bakery 'Odd Fellows', which was in the former lodge of a chapter of the International Order of Odd Fellows. Much like the other social fraternities, like the Masons or Elks, this order sort of poked fun at the whole social club. I did see an active lodge in Leadville, CO but mostly have come across lodges that have since closed. At one time I think they were as popular as the Elks and Moose lodges. The bakery didn't disappoint with great coffee and pastries. Afterward, we walked across the street and shopped at the farmer's market. This is a town that I hope to visit again and stay longer next visit, sometimes you just know.

Signage

JoAnn, Renee, Don, Vickie and Paul at Odd Fellows Bakery

Wildflowers

Signage

Native America shelter at Sacajawea Center

Don and Renee at Continental Divide

Lemhi Pass

Great Falls

We made a stop in Great Falls where we planned to re-visit the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center but much to our dismay it was closed, except for the gift shop! We were lucky to have seen it on a previous trip and the exhibits of how the expedition portaged around the falls which took an enormous amount of effort.

Following some Earth Caches in the area which are geocaches that focus on geology, we visited a giant spring on the banks of the Missouri River which Clark noted in his journal. What makes this spring interesting is that it flows into the Missouri River by way of the world's shortest river! The Roe River is 201 feet long, taking the 150 million gallons per day of water from Giant Spring, the world's largest first magnitude spring to the Missouri River. An interesting tidbit is that it was a project by a local elementary's fifth-grade class to get the river recognized and then qualified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the shortest river.

One of the highlights for JoAnn was the discovery of painted rocks. It is when someone paints a rock and then hides it in a public place for others to find and enjoy. We picked up one and re-hid it in South Dakota, posted a photo of where we hid it on Facebook (Great Falls Rocks group) so the painter could enjoy seeing its activity. The message on the back says 'to keep or share, just enjoy'. After this JoAnn and her friend, Renee started painting rocks and leaving them at future stops.

Renee rock painting

JoAnn's rock she left in the Badlands SD

Rock art that started the rock painting

Rock Art

Great Falls of the Missouri River

Giant Springs and Roe River

Lewis & Clark statue

Giant Springs

Harest Host and Moose Drool

In transit to the Badlands we made a quick overnight stop at Big Sky Brewery, they are a Harvest Host, which is a membership we joined that allows you to stay at Wineries, Breweries, Museums and Farms for free for one night. We had so much fun at this location, the girls found a new favorite beer (Strawberry Ginger) and the boys drank Moose Drool until they cut us all off. We walked outside to take a pic of the four of us and someone sitting on a picnic table walked over and offered to help us, we discovered he was one of the founders and he told us all about how they came up with the name, his name is Bjorn Nabozney. We snapped a pic of him with Jeff and Don. His Mother did the original artwork for the logo. Super nice guy, topped our evening off. We highly recommend stopping by this place if you are in the area.

Don, Renee, JoAnn & Jeff at Big Sky Brewing

Don & Renee

Jeff & JoAnn

Don, Bjorn Nabozney & Jeff

Badlands of North Dakota

Badlands of NorthDakota

Makoshika State Park, Montana

Medora, North Dakota

Boondocking at Theodore Roosevelt North Unit, North Dakota

We crossed Montana and stopped at Makoshika State Park before crossing into North Dakota. We had some nice hikes around the state park where we got to enjoy the geology of the badlands. On one hike we did visit the dig site of a duckbill dinosaur (hadrosaurs) although the fossil was in poor shape. We also did an EarthCache focused around petrified cypress stumps from when this area was a bit wetter.

We then headed to Medora, home to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Medora is where Teddy first got off the train in North Dakota, when he went out to hunt buffalo 'before they were all gone'. After the loss of his wife and mother on Valentine's Day he would return to Medora to start over as a rancher. He later said, "I would not have been President had it not been for my experience in North Dakota."

We enjoyed the town and exploring the TRNP South Unit. One of the highlights of Medora is the Musical, performed nightly during season. It has been running since 1965 and now preformed at the multi-million dollars Burning Hills amphitheater an outside venue. With family-friendly music and comedy and a patriotic tribute to Theodore Roosevelt's time in the Badlands.

After leaving Medora we headed north to boondock near the Theodore Roosevelt NP North Unit. Some 60 miles separate the two units and a third, smaller unit where TR's Elkhorn Ranch was is very remote. One of the highlights for me was visiting the petrified forest, or mostly the stumps of cypress trees that once grew in the area. Now harsh terrain, it was once a lush forest with an excess of water. Since those days when dinosaurs ruled this land a lot has changed. Most of the ground is made up of clay where erosion has carved this land where bighorn sheep and coyotes now rule.

We finished our tour of North Dakota with a visit to Fort Union National Historical Site, once the crown jewel of John Jacob Asters fur business. The trading post was built to impress and show the power of the Hudson Bay Fur Company.

EarthCache with Jeff, Vicki, Paul, Renee and Don

Jeff on a Butte

Little Missouri River

Little Missouri River

Badlands NP North Unit

Geology of Badlands NP North Unit

Geology of Badlands NP North Unit

Fort Union

Medora Musical

South Dakota Badlands

Heading south from TRNP, we stopped off in Rapid City for a quick provision stop, staying at an Elks Lodge. One of the few lodges we have stayed at that were open, we enjoyed a steak dinner one night before packing up and heading for Badlands National Park in South Dakota. We went back to one of our favorite boondocking spots, outside Wall, sitting on the rim of the badlands, less than a mile outside the National Park. The freedom to live off-grid, self-contained is a game-changer. Money can't buy some of the views we have had for free. This year the ewes and lambs come through our campsite but had to go into the National Park to find the bachelor herd of bighorn sheep. Buffalo Gap National Grasslands offers boondocking along a Forest Service road 7170, along the rim for about eight miles, with campsites spaced out along the road where a ledge is conducive for it. Anywhere from 100 yards to a ¼ of a mile apart, some more. At night you could see the campers perched along the face for miles, maybe 30 or more at any one time.

One of the highlights of our visit to the National Park was revisiting a location we visited several years ago and identified some bone fragments washing out of the hillside. This year there we took new photographs to help with our Citizen Scientist Fossil Report. We were able to meet with a paleontologist that is on staff at the park. He was familiar with the spot and identified the bone fragments as giant tortoises from about 35 million years ago, after the dinosaurs' but plenty old.

Another highlight while boondocking at Buffalo Gap was JoAnn and Renee painted a bunch of rocks to share, and bring happiness to others. JoAnn left one of her mandala rocks at our favorite campsite.

Sunset in Badlands NP, South Dakota

Boondocking in the Badlands, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, South Dakota

Moonrise over the Badlands

Ewe and lambs (Bighorn Sheep)

Bison at sunset, Badlands NP, South Dakota

Tortoise fossils, Badlands NP, South Dakota

Renee examining the tortoise fossils, Badlands NP, South Dakota

Fossils hunting in Badlands NP, South Dakota

Boondocking on the rim, Badlands South Dakota

Enchanted Highway

The Enchanted Highway is a collection of the world's largest scrap metal sculptures constructed at intervals along a 32-mile stretch of two-lane highway in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of North Dakota. Located off I94 between Gladstone and Regent. This 32 miles of 'the worlds largest folk art sculptures' are quite a sight to see! It all started in the 1990's when a local farmer created 'Bale Man'. The retired schoolteacher Gary Greff saw people were driving to see it and thought with the help of some of his farming friends and the scrap metal they already had they could create some additional sculptures and that may stimulate the local struggling economy. Now it is one of the areas top attractions.

Enchanted Highway

Enchanted Highway

Enchanted Highway

Enchanted Highway, the largest grasshopper is 40 feet high

Enchanted Highway

Enchanted Highway, Theodore Roosevelt

Enchanted Highway

Enchanted Highway, mechanical sculptures in Regent ND

St Louis

As the river city where Lewis and Clark meetup and finished with preparations for the big journey west, we decided to make a stop here. There wasn't much in the city regarding the Corps of Discovery, with the possible exception of the display at the Gateway Arches National Park. We enjoyed this tiny National Park and made a trip to the top of the arch in the specially designed articulating elevator cars. With socially distancing in place we had a car to ourselves. At the top of the arch the view was amazing.

We thoroughly enjoyed the city which much to our surprise felt a lot like New Orleans. I guess it makes sense since these cities were so closely connected when rivers were the interstate highways of the 1800s. We, quite by chance stumbled into Broadway Oyster Bar and were shocked. The place felt like New Orleans. They had poboys made gulf oysters and shrimp and served on bread from Gambino's, a NOLA bakery. They had South Louisiana craft beer on tap. It made us homesick! We also tried St Louis style BBQ, which is a dry rub style. While it was very good, we didn't think it was a good as Texas-style ribs that we have grown to love. I guess you always compare things to what you grew up with… Other sites, was the stadium of the St. Louis Cardinal, a walking friendly down town and a park that was once the host site of the 1904 Worlds Fair. We also visited the Old Chair of Rocks bridge across the Mississippi that was once part of the famous Route 66. It is now a walking/biking path across the Mississippi River to Illinois.

Another highlight was St. Louis National Blues Museum which was well worth the price of admission. We found it very well done, even in the pandemic tainted world they were able to make it safe but interactive. The picture below of harmonicas belong to Jim McClaren, he owned over 900. St Louis was one of the main stops on the Blues migration out of the Mississippi Delta to the world and many famous Blues musicians played in St Louis where current Blues musicians still come to play some of these historical venues. Much like Austin is to Progressive Country & Western, St Louis is to Blues. I had always heard of Memphis Blues, I guess St Louis is just another stop along the Blues highway that influenced, or some say birthed Rock & Roll.

Gateway Arch NP, St Louis, Missouri

Downtown St Louis taking from top of the Arch

Downtown St Louis Courthouse (now a museum

Home of the St Louis Cardinals

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

St Louis water intake in Mississippi River

St Louis statue from the 1904 Worlds Fair at Forest Park

National Blues Muesum

National Blues Museum, St Louis

WC Handy exhibit, National Blues Museum, St Louis

Jim McClaren's 900 harmonica at National Blues Museum, St Louis

Interactive displays at National Blues Museum, St Louis

Stevie Ray Vaughan exhibit at National Blues Museum, St Louis

Louis Armstrong exhibit at National Blues Museum, St Louis

Janis Joplin exhibit at National Blues Museum, St Louis

Cigar box interactive display at National Blues Museum, St Louis

Cigar Box guitar special exhibit

What we Learned: Staying busy and having fun during a pandemic isn't that hard, we can control our environment pretty well, and feel its safe to travel.

Traveling with friends is a lot of fun and simply the best!

Next Stop: Appalachian Mountains. We leave Lewis & Clark behind and head East for the fall leaf changing.

Travel Map with current path — Travel Map

© 2026 Time2Geaux Unplugged

Merry Christmas

2023 Will be a different for us!

Season 5 Begins!

Post COVID Travels & a New Baby

West Virginia & Tennessee

Firie Foliage of Fall

Washington Coast to Wyoming

with a visit to Idaho

Oregon Trail and Wedding Bells

… by way of California

Loading, please hold on.