One Park, One Museum, One Stamp at a Time
Our road trip north continued in the morning as we headed up US 93 from Salmon into the mountains and Montana. Lost Trail Pass marks the border between Idaho and Montana and the turnoff for Big Hole National Battlefield. I found the history of the battle and the Nez Perce Flight of 1877 fascinating. I have always felt that Native American history is ignored in most history classes and in our culture. I will detail a brief history of Big Hole as I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and learning the tragic history of the Nez Perce. In August of 1877, over 800 nimí·pu (Nez Perce) were camping along the Big Hole River in the Bitterroot Valley. The Nez Perce had crossed into Montana in hopes that the US military would not pursue them. The government had begun to force the Nez Perce out of their ancestral lands and the group at Big Hole had hoped to avoid being relocated to a reservation. The battle began when the US Army fired upon the sleeping camp, killing a number of women and children. The battle raged for 2 days with the nimí·pu having some success, they captured an Army Howitzer and attacked the soldiers. When the battle had ended, 60-90 nimí·pu had been killed along with over 30 soldiers. This was a major turning point for the Nez Perce. They no longer believed that peace could be reached with the Americans and they continued to flee the Army until October of 1877 when Chief Joseph surrendered. Big Hole NB was a beautiful place to visit. We stopped at the park early in the morning, just as it was opening for the day. The visitor center has great sweeping views of the river and the valley. The center had some nice displays and we watched a bit of the video (although I soon realized that it was the same video I had watch on YouTube the week before). From there, we decided to check out the hiking trails. They have a few trails at Big Hole and we walked 2 of them during our visit. The Siege Area Trail takes you up into the hills where the warriors besieged the soldiers. There is a monument to the Infantry soldiers and a nice little trail to an overlook that gives a great view of the valley and the camp area. We ran into out old nemesis, bees, so my fiance skipped the overlook and we decided not to risk the Howitzer site. We had a little more time so we also walked the Nez Perce Camp Trail. This was a peaceful, flat, hike along the river to the camp site. They have a number of tent poles recreated to show what the camp might have looked like at the time of the battle. Overall, Big Hole is a beautiful place and experience. I could really feel the sacred quality of the land and the spirits of those that died there. It is important to understand our history, especially the parts that are ugly and difficult to talk about. Big Hole is a must visit to help us all understand the loss and sacrifice peoples and cultures made while the US expanded west. New Units Visited: 3*
Big Hole NB - Nez Perce NHT - Lewis & Clark NHT Total Affiliated Areas This Year: 18 Total Units: 28
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