Lewis County High Point Trip Report

Date: August 6, 2000
Author: Barney Metz

I started out in Lewiston and headed south on US 95 until coming to the business loop for US-95. You will want to proceed into the town of Winchester (pop. several hundred). Winchester is home to the Nez Perce Wolf Research Center and Lapwai Lake at Winchester State Park. If you come from the North or the South you will want to take the US-95 business loop. This will dump you onto the main drag called Joseph Ave. ( After Chief Joseph, as you will be on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation). You want to proceed to the junction with Forest Road and regardless of your approach you will head west on Forest Road.

This trip can be done in a 2WD with low clearance if you follow the directions.

You will follow Forest Road for 7.7 miles. Please note there are lots of intersections with spur roads and these spurs usually happen at a turn. There are normally three street signs per junction. Forest road on top, new road in the middle, and Forest Road on the bottom. Just make sure that you stay on the Forest Road. You will be traveling through farmland (primarily wheat). You will have a few patches of pine timber, but it is sporadic. You will hit the very small town of Forest after 7.7 miles. There are several houses and the Forest Saloon, a backwoods bar and café. You will take the immediate right following the Forest Salon onto Soldiers Meadows Road. You will head west for 0.9 miles to Hoover Point Road. Take a left and head south on Hoover Point Road. You will head due south for 2.3 miles on this Road. The road will come to a juncture at which point Hoover Point Road will head SW, the road you want is unnamed and continues to head directly South. You will travel this road for 0.2 miles and you will hit a fence.

This land is private and extremely well marked. These markings well exceed what the requirements call for trespassing in the state of Idaho. The land is owned by a cooperative of land owners who use it as a hunting preserve. It was at this point that I tried to circle the property and come at it from he south. This is where the road got bad and I got high-centered. We saw 2 magnificent bucks, several does, a coyote, and numerous hawks during the heat of a 100+ degree day. I traveled back to the fence and decided after traveling out there that I did not want to leave without the highpoint. My cell phone did not pick up reception and therefore, I was unable to call the number posted on the No Trespassing signs.

I took the number, (208) 798-0840, posted on the no trespassing signs and spoke with the caretaker, named Brian Dunlap. He has given me permission to be on the land as well as any other highpointer. No hunters though. He says we can drive down to the high point if we wish. The gate was not padlocked, but he says it is during the fall and winter. The combo he said was 4855. He does wish to have a phone call prior to entry, but no limit to when and where you access the property, the number is a Lewiston, ID number. If you attempt to drive the road that is on the private land, it will require a high clearance vehicle. However, the hike is relatively flat and very easy.