Jefferson River Canoe Trail Association accepted as Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation Chapter
By BEN PIERCE Chronicle Outdoors
The Jefferson River Canoe Trail Association (JRCTA) has been accepted as the newest chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation (LCHTF). The foundation, a national organization established in 1969, is dedicated to the preservation of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and its stories along the National Historic Trail.
“LCHTF’s goals fit very well with ours, to educate people where the trail goes and to preserve the trail,” said JRCTA member Janet Zimmerman of Pony. “(Inclusion in LCHTF) gives us a chance to network with the other chapters. We can help each other by sharing information and supporting projects.”
LCHTF is based at the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center on the banks of the Missouri River in Great Falls. It mission statement is: “As keepers of the story, stewards of the trail, the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation provides national leadership in maintaining the integrity of the trail and its story through stewardship, scholarship, education, partnership and cultural inclusiveness.”
JRCTA was established in 1999 by author and wilderness survival instructor Thomas Elpel. Based in Silver Star, JRCTA is working to establish a publicly-accessible canoe trail on the Jefferson River to celebrate the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. JRCTA aims to preserve “the undeveloped character of the landscape as Lewis and Clark would have found it” as well as improving public access, trail and camping opportunities along the Jefferson River.
Chapter membership in the JRTHF requires a $500 annual donation.
“That was kind of daunting,” Zimmerman said. “We thought that maybe with our little cache of money we could pay (as a group), but they wanted to have 10 people each come forward with $50. We were surprised with the response. Within two weeks we had a number of people step forward to volunteer dues money.”
Zimmerman said chapter membership will benefit JRCTA by broadening the reach of its message. JRCTA also looks forward to networking with other chapters to share information and assist with projects, and the potential to receive grant funding.
JRCTA will display information about the trail at the annual Jefferson River Rally on April 24 at the Community Center in Whitehall. The public is invited to attend the JRCTA annual meeting and float the Jefferson River later in the summer.
“We don’t have a date set yet, but we usually have an event each summer for members and interested parties,” Zimmerman said. “We usual have a picnic and float part of the trail.”
For more information about the Jefferson River Canoe Trail Association, visit www.jeffersonriver.org. For more on the Lewis and Clark National Heritage Foundation, visit www.lewisandclark.org.
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