Traversing the Nez Perce Trail

[Dos Perros]

I've always been a fan of history, especially military history, and have read a lot of the plains indian history. I am completely giddy to now learn about the Nez Perce War of 1877. Giddy is probably the wrong word considering what happened, but nonetheless, an opportunity for learning.

Since the trail crosses YNP and then goes through some more wild and beautiful country outside the park, I'm considering hiking this portion, or rather traversing it (maybe with horses or llamas), myself, some time in the future. I would like to go where they most likely went, and camp where they likely camped.

A detailed map of the path exists, although there may be some debate on some of the details (the park's precise path, for example). Precise details aside, there is enough to plan logistics. I've been looking for prior examples of people doing this and haven't found very much, but this is one example: https://www.backpacker.com/trips/the-lost-trail-chasing-yellowstone-s-nez-perce-path/

I guess I'm posting this to ask if anyone has done anything like this, any stories or advice to offer? Maybe this thread will end up being a pretty detailed planning and process thread. No idea, just see where this goes.

Resources:

KML of the trail: https://trailresearch.org/nez-perce/nez-perce-centerline.php

Books:

Chief Joseph & the Flight of the Nez Perce: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy, by Kent Nerburn

Thunder in the Mountains: Chief Joseph, Oliver Otis Howard, and the Nez Perce War, by Daniel J. Sharfstein

 

[butcherboy]

Can’t help you out but dang, that’s a cool idea/trip!

 

[grfox92]

Didn't their route take them through Sunlight Basin and what is now Cheif Joeseph Highway?

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[Dos Perros]

Didn't their route take them through Sunlight Basin and what is now Cheif Joeseph Highway?

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Yessir.

https://trailresearch.org/nez-perce/nez-perce-centerline.php (I'm going to add this to my original post)

Funnily enough, I have discovered that my boy and I already did several miles of the trail in two different stretches on our fishing trip. That trip, and a visit to Dead Indian Pass, piqued the interest.

 

[P Carter]

My parents did it over the course of a few summers, powerful experience. I don’t have any particular tips other than enjoy. I think they used the resource you linked and it was good.

Two good books to read before/while you go: https://www.amazon.com/Chief-Joseph...ocphy=9017521&hvtargid=pla-493548984457&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Mountains-Joseph-Oliver-Howard/dp/0393239411/ref=asc_df_0393239411/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312134266711&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1152719714174259463&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017521&hvtargid=pla-526808561897&psc=1

 

[Dos Perros]

My parents did it over the course of a few summers, powerful experience. I don’t have any particular tips other than enjoy. I think they used the resource you linked and it was good.

Two good books to read before/while you go: https://www.amazon.com/Chief-Joseph...ocphy=9017521&hvtargid=pla-493548984457&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Mountains-Joseph-Oliver-Howard/dp/0393239411/ref=asc_df_0393239411/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312134266711&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1152719714174259463&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017521&hvtargid=pla-526808561897&psc=1

Wow, would your parents be willing to talk to me when I get more serious about this?

I'm most of the way through the Kent Nerburn book you linked, incredible piece of writing. I'd like to dig into some of the source docs here in a bit.

 

[grfox92]

Yessir.

https://trailresearch.org/nez-perce/nez-perce-centerline.php (I'm going to add this to my original post)

Funnily enough, I have discovered that my boy and I already did several miles of the trail in two different stretches on our fishing trip. That trip, and a visit to Dead Indian Pass, parked the interest.

The thing I always think about when driving Chief Joseph Highway is how insane of a climb it would have been for those guys to go up and over those mountains. Its a strain on your truck when you drive it, let alone walk it.

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[Rusty Shackelford]

This is an awesome idea. I have the CDT on my bucket list, actually it’s at the top of it and these type of journeys get me pumped. Please keep us posted on your plans

 

[grfox92]

I've always been a fan of history, especially military history, and have read a lot of the plains indian history. I am completely giddy to now learn about the Nez Perce War of 1877. Giddy is probably the wrong word considering what happened, but nonetheless, an opportunity for learning.

Since the trail crosses YNP and then goes through some more wild and beautiful country outside the park, I'm considering hiking this portion, or rather traversing it (maybe with horses or llamas), myself, some time in the future. I would like to go where they most likely went, and camp where they likely camped.

A detailed map of the path exists, although there may be some debate on some of the details (the park's precise path, for example). Precise details aside, there is enough to plan logistics. I've been looking for prior examples of people doing this and haven't found very much, but this is one example: https://www.backpacker.com/trips/the-lost-trail-chasing-yellowstone-s-nez-perce-path/

I guess I'm posting this to ask if anyone has done anything like this, any stories or advice to offer? Maybe this thread will end up being a pretty detailed planning and process thread. No idea, just see where this goes.

Resources:

KML of the trail: https://trailresearch.org/nez-perce/nez-perce-centerline.php

Books:

Chief Joseph & the Flight of the Nez Perce: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy, by Kent Nerburn

Thunder in the Mountains: Chief Joseph, Oliver Otis Howard, and the Nez Perce War, by Daniel J. Sharfstein

If you do it I will re supply when you get close enough to a road. Food, water, and fresh bear spray to replace the several empties you will have at that point .

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[h2so4]

I've read alot of similar books over the past few years. This is a really cool hike plan. I'll keep an eye on the thread to see how things go.

 

[rufe]

Very cool idea. Good luck with your venture.

 

[Dos Perros]

So just wanted to share a couple recent thoughts I had:

1) 2027 will be the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Flight of the Nez Perce, that's 150 years folks! And yes I had to look up that word. I wonder if the tribe is doing anything to commemorate the event? I may have the opportunity to meet some Nez Perce this winter, and if I do I'll try to raise the topic.

2) After the surrender, the tribe was temporarily relocated to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, which is just up the road from me. I'm going to see if there are any local museums hosting material relevant to this subject.

3) I'm going to break up the trail into sections, since a lot of it crosses large chunks of private land. It seems impractical for even a well-resourced person to traverse the entire trail in its entirety because of the private. The number of permissions one would need would be overwhelming, and the distances I think would require horses, and how would one deal with all the fences sprawling across the landscape? But, certainly one could go up and over the Lolo Pass, one could go across and out of Yellowstone Park. Both would be significant undertakings, I think, enough to 'feel' it, which (for me) would be the whole point.

 

[Dos Perros]

Trail breakdown (I'll probably edit this post as I add information)

1) Trail start in the Wallowa Valley in northeast Oregon: the trail starts on private land, and crosses ~30 miles of private land until it enters some National Forest.

2) Once the trail enters the Wallowa National Forest there is ~25 miles of mostly public land, going across the Imnaha River. There are a few small pieces of private, so one could make some phone calls or easily bypass. The end of this section would be the Snake River and you'd need to be extracted via boat or small airplane.

 

[Pony Soldier]

A piece to add to that would be: A tough trip to paradice by Andrew Garcia. Although it is largely about living a winter with the Indians in central Montana, the book provides insight and details of the Nez Perce flight from his wife who was a participant.

 

[Dos Perros]

A piece to add to that would be: A tough trip to paradice by Andrew Garcia. Although it is largely about living a winter with the Indians in central Montana, the book provides insight and details of the Nez Perce flight from his wife who was a participant.

Nice! I already have that book, it's in my pile of other books to be read later.

 

[Dos Perros]

Figured I'd update this thread with some developments!

I listened to the Kent Nerburn book a second time. My 5 year old is absolutely obsessed with horses. She could very easily be one of those crazy horse girls. I would almost predict that. We took a long weekend trip down to the Ozarks and did a morning of horseback riding...she was on cloud 9. My boy/9 had fun, and I enjoyed getting on a horse again too.

So I reached out to a couple outfitters in the Yellowstone area to see if they could host a custom multi-day trail ride, basically going from West Yellowstone across the park and to the Chief Joseph Highway. Found one biter. It's not cheap. Looking at 2027 which will be the 150 year anniversary of the flight. So I have time to save and do some smaller trips, see if the kids can handle it.

 

[displacedtexan]

As a sorta side point/suggestion...

I've gone/tried to stand in places where historic events happened, but the exact details are conflicting/vague.

I used to try so hard to figure out exactly where/how.

Now? I tend to pick the version that seems most likely or interesting to me.

Equally satisfying, but less stressful.