Valley of Three Trails
Three National Trails Traverse the Bitterroot Valley
Valley of Three Trails includes work to emphasize the occurrence of three National Trails running along the same alignment through the Bitterroot. While the alignments are the same, the historic periods for all three are separated by years, sometimes thousands of years. The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail (www.nps.gov/iafl) tells the story of water hydraulics that shaped landscapes ~10,000 years ago. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail tells of the Corps of Discovery's 1805-6 journey across a continent, and the Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail shares the story of the Flight of 1877, the last Indian war and the flight of the Nez Perce people from the homeland they loved.
Supporting the Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail
Standard Interpretive Signs installed throughout the Bitterroot Valley (Montana FWP Chief Looking Glass Fishing Access, Lolo; Fort Owen State Park, Stevensville; Victor Park; Corvallis School District Office/Sod Fort Site Bitterroot Forest Supervisor's Office/Bitterroot Trail; River Park, Hamilton; Sacajawea Rest Park, Darby)and at selected sites along the length of the trail (Big Hole Battlefield, Wisdom; Reed and Bowles Trading Post, Billings)
Agents of Discovery Missions Travelers Rest State Park, Lolo; Historic St. Mary's Mission, Stevensville; Bass Creek Recreation Area, Stevensville; River Park, Hamilton, Lake Como Recreation Area, Darby; Lewis and Clark Descent Trail, Lost Trail
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Strategic Partnership Plan BRCHT has been awarded a Challenge Cost Share Agreement to develop a trail-wide Partnership Strategy. This work will recommend to the agency and to partners ways in which to grow individual and collaborative efforts to steward the NPNHT.
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Preparation of Quarterly Progress Report (Newsletter) Beginning in Fall 2021, BRCHT began supporting the Trail by working with the Trail Administrator to prepare the Quarterly Progress Report. BRCHT believes that strong and regular communication among organizations along the trail is one of the best ways to promote stewardship and cooperation across and along the trail. Past issues of the NPNHT Progress Report can be found on the Forest Service website.
Supporting the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Descent Trail Interpretive Signs (Orientation Sign, upper and Lower Trailhead Signs)
Sacajewea Rest Park, Darby, Standard Interpretive Sign
Ravalli County Museum, Hamilton Standard Interpretive Sign
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Geotourism Project
Supporting the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail
Ravalli County Museum Outdoor Exhibit BRCHT assisted in planning and raising funds for this exhibit.
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Friends Call BRCHT attends the monthly Friends call to stay abreast of Trail doings and programs.
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