80 mph highways out here...love it!
Time Zone Change
Clocks fall back 1 hr at Lolo Pass on US-12 (Montana/Idaho line).
Weather forecast
Thu, Jun 25Start
Butte, MT
74°
49°
💧 21%
En route
Spalding, ID
88°
64°
💧 12%
Overnight
Hayden, ID
82°
57°
💧 7%
Forecast via Open-Meteo
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The daily timeline, drive details, and lodging are private to the family.
Nez Perce National Historical Park
Jr. Ranger Badge
Junior Ranger badge — visitor center closes 4:00 PM
Game Plan
Depart 8:30 MT = effectively 7:30 PT after the gain. Arrive Spalding ~12:00 PT — 4 hrs before close. Relaxed.
- Spalding site grounds (~1 mi · flat) — Mission-era sites, Clearwater riverbank, and the Lapwai Creek confluence right at the VC.
- Lapwai Creek Trail (short out-and-back) — Your noted trail — easy creekside walk from the site.
- The museum's Nez Perce artifact collection is one of the best small NPS museums — give it 30–40 min
- US-12 Lochsa River corridor — arguably the prettiest drive of the trip that isn't inside a park
Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour
Sunrise
4:55 AM PDT
Sunset
8:44 PM PDT
Be set up by (sunrise)
4:25 AM
Be set up by (sunset)
8:24 PM
Sunrise spot — Sunrise at 4:55 AM PDT — you depart Butte at 7 AM MT = 6 AM PT, well past sunrise. The Lochsa River canyon on US-12 catches gorgeous filtered morning light through the gorge walls.
Early sunrise (PDT) not practical this morning — you're transitioning time zones.
Sunset spot — Coeur d'Alene Lake — you arrive Hayden by 3:45 PM. Drive 10 min to CDA City Beach or Independence Point. The lake faces west-southwest; setup at 8:24 PM for a mountain-framed lake sunset. The kids have waterpark time first.
Best sunset of the conference days. Coeur d'Alene Lake at golden hour with the mountains to the east reflecting. Head to the lake by 8:20 PM.
Heads Up
US-12 is curvy with few passing zones — the 5.5 hr estimate assumes steady driving; queasy kids may want front-row seating.
Trip Journal — Day 6
👨 Jason
📝 Day summary
Memory of the day
We didn't make it down to Nez Perce. We decided to slow down a little, sleep in, and get to the homesteading conference hotel. But we found a more direct stop at Travelers Rest State Park in Montana, one of the only archaeologically verified campsites of the Lewis & Clark expedition. The kids got an alternative Jr Ranger badge for the trail, and we got to meet a Salish warrior. He played his flute for us and shared some of his cultural heritage as well. We took a quick walk back into the park and the kids got to play in the water at the edge of the river for a little bit before we got back on the road.
Grateful for
a slower day, God's provision in a pivot coming later in our trip
Notes
👩 Michelle
📝 Day summary
Memory of the day
We may not quite be the adventurers Lewis and Clark were, but today we got to tread where Lewis and Clark camped, learn more about Nevaeh’s favorite Sacajawea, examine Native artifacts and clothing, touch bear hide, dip our toes in the creek Sacajawea camped at, and stand in a teepee. We even met a local Native (Salish) man who shared his culture with us and played Native music for us on a flute made from elderberry branch (see his picture we took :).
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”
-Psalm 84:5
Notes
🚂 Elijah
📝 Day summary
Grateful for
walking in the river
🙂
“I loved meeting a real Salish warrior and hearing his music.”
★★★★★
🏅 Badge earned
Notes
💜 Nevaeh
📝 Day summary
Grateful for
exploring Lewis & Clark's campsite
🙂
“Hearing the Salish warrior's music and learning about his culture.”
★★★★★
🏅 Badge earned
Notes
🏎️ Greyson
📝 Day summary
Grateful for
walking in the water
🙂
“The best part was I got my Lewis & Clark Jr Ranger badge”
★★★★★
🏅 Badge earned
Notes