An old Indian trail connected Elk City with mines in Montana when Idaho's gold rush spread in 1862. Following a route developed by Nez Perce buffalo hunters, a host of miners and packers ascended a series of ridges overlooking deep Salmon and Clearwater river canyons on their way to new gold fields. Long after local Indians and miners ceased to travel there, a single lane forest road was constructed near that traditional Nez Perce thoroughfare in 1934.