Nez Perce County High Point Trip Report

Date: May 27, 2001
Author: Ken Jones

We used the information in Barney Metz's write-ups. They made our trip easier. We called Brian, of the Landowners Hunting Co-op, for permission, at (208) 798-0840. He was very helpful, and gave directions to both the Lewis and Nez Perce points. (It's not clear to me if the Nez Perce HP is on Co-op land. The Co-op seems to consist of a large number of scattered parcels in both Idaho and Washington, based on signs we saw.) Note that the combination on the Lewis County [see report] gate changes from year to year - get the current one from Brian, as the one in Barney's write-up is no longer valid.

From Lewiston, head south out of town on 21st Street. This is county road P2. DeLorme makes it confusing, as there appear to be multiple P2 designations. You want to follow the one that leads from Lewiston through Webb to Sweetwater. Before you get to Webb, you will find the Waha Road on your right (DeLorme also calls this P2) at a curve from south to east. Initialize your odometer.

From the junction (0.0) follow Waha Road through Waha (8.7), an nondescript settlement and above Lake Waha to pavement's end at 10.5 miles. Continue 4 more miles to a slanted T-junction (14.5) where you'll bear left. In another 3/4 mile (15.3) you'll reach a junction with Soldiers Meadow Road. Head right (south) and follow the main road south and then west to the gravel pit at Benton Meadows (18.9) and a fork to the left. Continue straight ahead on the main road until you reach the corrals and cabin of Barney's write-up at 24.1. Turn right and follow the main track, past the Nature Conservancy's Garden Creek Ranch gate at 25.4 to a faint jeep road at 25.6, just past the crest of the ridge. We pulled a few yards up this jeep road and parked.

From here, we walked up the jeep road as it turned north and followed it to the obvious highest contour on the northern end of the ridge. With a chain saw to get through some downed trees, or with an ATV to go around them, we could have fully Martinized this one, and some of the locals appear to have done so.

This one was dry over Memorial Day weekend, but 2001 was a drought year.

Note: To combine this trip with Lewis county, head back to the Soldiers Meadow Road junction mentioned above. From here, it is about 6.0 miles east on Soldiers Meadow Road to intersect the Lewis County route.