elk city wagon road
Spectacular back country scenery as well as a glimpse into an important time in our area’s history,
Make it stand out.
The Elk City Wagon Road takes five to six hours and you may not see another person during that time, let alone a gas station.
make the Journey
Accessible from June to September, the Elk City Wagon Road begins at Harpster on State Highway 13. Turn off the highway at the historical markers.
The road takes you to the small town of Clearwater where you’ll find an Elk City Wagon Road sign marking the way.
This is a long trip, most of which is spent driving through the thick forest. Just when you think you’ve seen enough trees, you come to a break in the trees and are presented with a stunning view of the Camas Prairie in the far distance, with the Salmon River breaks beyond.
A favorite stop on the Elk City Wagon Road is Corral Hill. The view from the sunny, open mountaintop is spectacular. You’ll see Pilot Rock, Buffalo Hump, The Gospels and the Seven Devils, all lined up.
A couple of other favorite stops are the water spout on Wall Creek and the Grangeville Tree, where stage drivers stopped to give passengers their first view of Camas Prairie through the trees and across the mountaintops. Drive a bit past the Grangeville Tree marker for the best view.
Climbing to 6,500 feet through the thick woods and over two passes, you can’t help but imagine a stage driver or freighter lumbering in and out of the sunlit patches, urging his team up the steep grades and looking forward to a good meal and an overnight stop at one of the way stations.
Your first sight of the Elk City basin is a treat. Coming out of the dense forest, everything opens up and there it is, nestled in a large meadow, fringed with trees. Surely the stage drivers snapped the reins at this point, eager to complete their long journey.
Turning right at the junction of the Elk City Wagon Road and State Highway 14, the road will take you back toward Kamiah and Grangeville.
Get. The. pamphlet.
Unless you’re traveling as part of the guided July celebration, download a pamphlet from the Nez Perce National Forest’s Web site, www.fs.gov/nezperce, before you leave. This self-guided tour is very well done. If you reset your trip odometer at the beginning of the route, you will be able to follow the guide easily, not missing any of the 29 stops.
Although the pamphlet states that passenger cars can travel the route with care, there are some seriously rough spots that will make you regret bringing the Buick.
Your first sight of the Elk City basin is a treat. Coming out of the dense forest, everything opens up and there it is, nestled in a large meadow, fringed with trees. Surely the stage drivers snapped the reins at this point, eager to complete their long journey.
