Travelers' Rest State Park

(Montana)

Traveler's Rest was a stopping point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, located about one mile south of Lolo, Montana. The expedition stopped from September 9 to September 11, 1805, before crossing the Bitterroot Mountains, and again on the return trip from June 30 to July 3, 1806. Traveler's Rest is at the eastern end of the Lolo Trail. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The boundaries were subsequently revised, and mostly lie within the 51-acre (21 ha) Traveler's Rest State Park, which is operated by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Significant archeological findings made in 2002, including latrine sites with traces of mercury and fire hearths, make this the only site on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail that has yielded physical proof of the explorers' presence. Records made by Lewis and Clark often spell "Traveler's" as "Traveller's". This spot is largely unchanged from the days of Lewis and Clark. From this location, Lewis and Clark split up to explore Montana during their return trip, not reuniting until they reached Sanish, North Dakota. After departing here in 1806, Lewis' part of the expedition traveled to what is now the Alice Creek Historic District. (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveler's_Rest_(Lolo%2C_Montana))