Exploring The Lolo Motorway: Shotgun Creek to Saddle Camp
Exploring The Lolo Motorway: Shotgun Creek to Saddle Camp
The Lolo Motorway (Forest Service Road 500) runs approximately 95 miles through the Bitterroot Mountains in Idaho. It follows the path taken by Lewis and Clark, as well as the Nez Perce Indians. Along the trail, you’ll find information that explains the historical significance of the route.
The road is a narrow, winding forest service road. At times, the trail becomes tight, rocky, steep, and rutted, with significant drop-offs. This route should only be attempted with a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. The trail is usually snow-free from mid-July through October. Since this is a remote area, you should come prepared. In the early season, expect a lot of blowdown, so make sure you have a chainsaw with you to clear fallen trees from the trail.
We traveled the eastern half of the trail, starting at Shotgun Creek off Route 12 and exiting at Saddle Camp. We covered approximately 40 miles along the route in our F-150, equipped with a Four Wheel Camper. Our rig handled the road just fine, but progress was slow. Unless you’re driving a side-by-side or adventure bike, expect to take your time navigating the obstacles on the trail.
Notable Landmarks
Indian Post Office: The Indian Post Office is a sacred place for the Nez Perce, where they gathered to send messages and worship. The views from this location are spectacular.
Devil’s Chair: Devil’s Chair is a rock formation along the ridgeline. Like other areas on the ridgeline, the views here are fantastic.
Camping Options
As you travel along the trail, you will come across dispersed campsites, most of which are close to the road. We traveled the trail over Labor Day weekend and saw only a couple of adventure bikes and one other truck. Since there isn’t much traffic on this trail, camping just off the road isn’t a problem.
There were some burn areas with prime campsites high on the ridgeline. The views were amazing, but the risk was too great. There was already significant blowdown in the area, and I didn’t want to risk a tree coming down on us if the wind picked up overnight. I would recommend avoiding those areas when choosing a campsite.
September 17, 2024
