LOWELL, Idaho — Lewis and Clark's transcontinental expedition party faced one of its toughest challenges when it tried to fight its way through the snow and rugged terrain of the Bitterroot Mountains in 1805.
Today, nearly 200 years later on the Lochsa River that cuts through the valley where the explorers traveled, recreational enthusiasts have a much easier time finding activities to fill their summer days.
U.S. Highway 12 provides travelers access to a river corridor that has camping, hiking, backpacking, whitewater rafting and hot springs.
"There are just a great deal of things to do," said LeAnn Martin, a spokeswoman for the Clearwater National Forest. "It's a wonderful forest."
Businesses and others along the explorers' route are upgrading their facilities and gearing up for the expected onslaught of Lewis and Clark enthusiasts celebrating the expedition's bicentennial, which kicked off earlier this year.
At the top of U.S. 12 on Lolo Pass, the U.S. Forest Service recently built a $4.6 million visitor center and expanded a parking lot to handle the anticipated crowds.
Officials are estimating thousands will hit the highway throughout the expedition's anniversary observance, which ends in 2006.
The Forest Service said it expects one of the biggest draws to be the precarious Lolo Motorway, winding 4,000 feet on drop-off ridges above the Lochsa.
The road closely follows the original path of the Corps of Discovery, so don't be fooled by the term "motorway." The road is a single-lane path through mountainous terrain and requires a high-clearance vehicle with good tires.
Built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the road features beautiful vistas of wilderness areas normally not seen except by the hardy hiker.
There are places to camp along the way and drivers are required to pick up a permit from the Forest Service to use the road. Officials said they will be looking at how much the road is used this year to decide whether to begin a limited-issue permit system. Some fear the Lewis and Clark crowds might damage the fragile ecosystem.
Down next to U.S. 12, the Lochsa lives up to its name — it means "rough water" in the language of the Flathead Indians — when hundreds of whitewater enthusiasts hit the churning snowmelt each spring.
When the water is high enough in April and May, the river hosts paddlers of all types and skill levels. Several commercial rafting operations take tourists down the river in large rafts.
It takes a little hiking, but there are relaxing hot springs near the Lochsa.
Jerry Johnson Hot Springs and Stanley Hot Springs are active all year long. Both are four- to five-mile hikes in from the road and provide plenty of isolation for people who seek water relief.
Near a bend in the noisy river is a historical ranger station that rests in a quiet glade of cedar and Douglas fir.
The old Lochsa Ranger Station was built in 1926 to hold fire crews but was turned into a historic site in 1976. It is currently staffed by volunteers, and a self-guided walking tour lets visitors see what life was like in early Forest Service camps.
Andrea Denton and her husband, Don, operate the only gas station between Lowell, 65 miles away, and Lolo, Mont., 45 miles away. Their Lochsa Lodge and Resort is next to the highway but is still very remote.
They're one of the only full-service lodges along the highway and say the they're expecting large crowds for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.
"Recently, it's become a kind of popular area," Andrea Denton said. "There's wonderful access and something for everyone to do."
There are nine campgrounds accessible by the highway but only the Powell Campground has electric hookups for RVs.