Adventures on the Mullan Road

The Mullan Military Road, surveyed in the 1850's and built from 1859 to 1862, was the first engineered road to cross the Rocky Mountains. The road connected two key steamship ports, Fort Benton on the Missouri River and Fort Walla Walla near the Columbia River.

As it winds its way through present eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana, the road reveals the history of the Pacific Northwest. It tells a story of massive Ice Age floods, Native American nations, and the manifest destiny brought by trappers, missionaries, miners, and pioneers.

Although other road-builders immediately began replacing segments of the original route with more efficient ones, the general route can still be followed, and many original traces can still be found. This site helps you travel the historic route, visit key Mullan Road attractions, and understand the history of the places encountered.

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