Pull off U.S. 12 along the Lochsa and Clearwater rivers and bask in a wild-and-scenic wonderland.

You’ll be immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of nature. It’s a land of shady groves of giant western red cedars and silvery streams gushing over jade-green mossy rocks; stretches of foaming winding whitewater; blue skies with ospreys soaring at tree-top level and calling with their shrill whistles; and one of the signature species of these rivers, silvery cutthroat trout bubbling on the surface of emerald pools.

That’s not all. The highway goes through a river canyon filled with unique geology that is rich in Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark history.

That’s why this is one of the most popular routes in the country for auto tours, motorcycle rides and bicycle treks.

“It’s a big place, with big sights and sounds and smells, making it easy to connect with nature’s rhythms and take a break from our civilized world,” said Liz Paul, a river-runner and conservationist with Idaho Rivers United in Boise.

“Big green trees cover the hills and stretch up to the high ridgelines,” she said. “The sparkling blue Lochsa River hurries to the ocean, pouring over hugh boulders and gliding through calm pools.”

It’s easy for visitors to connect nature on U.S. 12 and that’s why it is embroiled in a controversy.

Oil companies want to use it to move megaloads of equipment to the tar sands of Alberta. Shipmentsalready have traversed the river corridor.

Opponents to the shipments believe U.S. 12 is a wild-and-scenic highway and not an industrial route for high-and-wide megaloads.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject, summer is an ideal time to make the drive.

So, jump on a motorcycle, pile your kids in the car or start pedaling.

Here’s a good four-day weekend trip for you to take to find out why U.S. 12 is loved by so many

STARTING THE DRIVE

Let’s start from Kooskia at U.S. 12 and Idaho 13.

You get there by driving north from Treasure Valley on Idaho 55 and/or U.S. 95 to Grangeville and taking Idaho 13 into the canyon of the South Fork of the Clearwater.

While in Kooskia, stop at the Kooskia Ranger Station and get any information you need.

Kooskia is where the South and Middle forks of the Clearwater join to form the Main Clearwater River.

HEART OF THE MONSTER

Make a quick detour to the west on U.S. 12 for about 6 miles to see this volcanic rock formation. You don’t want to miss it.

It represents the heart of the monster, which is a part of Nez Perce history.

MIDDLE FORK CLEARWATER

Turn around and head east on U.S. 12 and start on a trip of 100 miles or so. When you get past Kooskia you’ll be driving along the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River.

You’ll find bed-and-breakfasts, lodges, cafes and visitors centers along the highway from here to the Montana border. If you hit huckleberry pie season, you’ve scored big time.

At mid- or late-summer, when flows are lower, this stretch of river makes a good casual float.

Locals tube and raft the river and park in public pull-offs along the river to swim and picnic.

Be aware, this is a wide and strong river and care should be taken with children.

Keep in mind that the river is a major thoroughfare for trout, steelhead and salmon.

Want to picnic or camp? Just past Syringa, look for the Three Devils Picnic Area or the Wild Goose Campground, both of which are good places for picnics and a swim when flows are low.

LOWELL/SELWAY

This is the confluence of the Selway and Lochsa rivers where the Middle Fork of the Clearwater is formed.

If you’re not into camping, cabins at Lowell and Syringa are your best bets.

It’s time to make a decision. You can take a side trip up the Selway River Road, where you’ll find a lot of camping and fishing opportunities and a chance to see famed Selway Falls. It’s about 20 miles to the gravel road’s end.

Along the way you can stop at the historic Fenn Ranger Station. It was built in the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

LOWELL/LOCHSA

Now it’s time to head back to Lowell and up U.S. 12 along the Lochsa River.

From here you’ll find excellent campgrounds and access points to the river.

There will be a number of pack bridges going to trails in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness on the southeast side of the Lochsa River.

The area is very friendly for camping and fishing.

The Lochsa River has Class III and IV rapids and should only be floated by experienced paddlers or as part of a guided trip. You’ll find river outfitters at Syringa and Lowell.

Wilderness Gateway Campground on the Lochsa River is one of the largest campgrounds in the area and is a good choice for family camping.

Campgrounds along the way are conducive to RV camping, too.

Continuing east you’ll come across the historic Lochsa Ranger Station. The U.S. Forest Service calls it “an old-time ranger station.” You can take a self-guided tour around the grounds.

There are a lot of highlights from here to the Lolo Pass Visitors Center and you should spend a few days camped in the area to take in them all.

Also, don’t miss the hot springs in the area.

The DeVoto Memorial Cedar Grove, which is 8 miles before you get to the visitors center, is a must-stop. Sit among the huge cedars and ponder this natural paradise. You’ll find a couple of short trails for a stroll.

The area was named for Bernard DeVoto, a conservationist and historian who edited the journals of Lewis and Clark.

LOLO PASS VISITORS CENTER

Here’s the end of your U.S. 12 excursion in Idaho. It continues into Montana.

The visitors center features interpretive exhibits on Lewis and Clark, has a short meadow interpretive hike and lots of books and souvenirs.

The Forest Service says that as of July 6, the camas flowers in Packer Meadow were at about half bloom and should be in full bloom by around July 9. Packer Meadow can be reached by following the forest road 373, which leaves from the visitor center.

LONGER TRIP?

If you want a longer trip of about 175 miles, start at Lewiston at the mouth of the Clearwater River and take in the Clearwater Canyon Scenic Route. It follows the lower part of the river. You don’t want to miss the Spalding Visitors Center of the Nez Perce National Historical Park, 11 miles east of Lewiston, just off U.S. 12 on U.S. 95.

Around Orofino, take in Canoe Camp, where Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery made canoes in 1805. It is a picnic area.

Pete Zimowsky: 377-6445

This route through North Idaho boasts scenery and more