History
Clark County’s first inhabitants were forerunners to the Northern Shoshoni. They were mainly big game hunters and gatherers of wild food. These people used natural rock outcroppings and caves for dwellings and places for butchering and storing meat. The Nez Perce Tribe also used this general area as a route to their buffalo hunting grounds in Montana.
In the early 1800’s the area was well traveled by early trappers and explorers. In 1853 Lieutenant Mullen traveled through the Medicine Lodge Canyon from Montana into Idaho on his way to Fort Hall. This same route which was historically used by the Nez Perce became a well traveled route to and from the gold fields of Montana, into Idaho, and then further south to Salt Lake City, Utah. Birch Creek Pass and
Monida Pass were well traveled. Today Monida Pass is the main route running north and south between Idaho and Montana.