Kooslia in Idaho County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)

Lochsa River Neighborhood

Fish Tales

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 16, 2026

1. Lochsa River Neighborhood Marker

Inscription. The Lochsa River is one of the few remaining river systems where Chinook salmon and steelhead trout still spawn. These anadromous (ocean going) fish fight long and hard to return to this very place from the Pacific Ocean. During the treacherous 1200-mile roundtrip to the ocean, fish battle against the water's current, predators, fishermen and dams.
Fish Creek, just to your right, empties into Lochsa and is a perfect fish nursery. The cool, clean waters and high quality gravel beds make this pristine creek a top producer of steelhead trout in the Pacific Northwest.

"The salmon was a gift to the people. If we take care of the salmon, the salmon will take care of us."
From earliest time to today, the taco''x (Nez Perce for salmon) shaped the culture and economy of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) and other plateau peoples. Ceremonies. customs, and the role of men and women revolved around fish and fishing. Even after they abandoned permanent villages in the Lochsa region in 18th century the Nimiipuu and Salish continued to set up fishing camps at traditional sites along the Lochsa and Selway Rivers. Salmon was to

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plateau people just as the buffalo was to the plains Indians.

"Our traditional relationship with the earth was more than just reverence for the land, it was knowing that every living thing had been placed here by the Creator and that we were part of a sacred relationship ... entrusted with the care and protection of our MotherEarth. We could not stand apart from our environment." Elsie Maynard (1914-1998, Nez Perce)

"The salmon created a bond between ourselves and our ancestors. The salmon was a big part of their lives and the salmon should be an important component of our lives. I think it is important to restore salmon to a lot of the streams where they formerly lived." -- David Miles Jr. (Nez Perce)

Quotes from Salmon and his People: Fish and Fishing in Nez Perce Culture by Dan Landeen & Allen Pinkam

Erected by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Clearwater National Forest.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Indigenous Peoples and Communities.

Location. 46° 20.091′ N, 115° 20.658′ W. Marker is in Kooslia, Idaho,

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 16, 2026

2. Lochsa River Neighborhood Marker

Marker on the right

in Idaho County. It is on U.S. 12 at milepost 122 near 462, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Kooskia ID 83539, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Idaho — Idaho’s Panhandle.

It is also in the American Mountain West,

specifically in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: "Harlies" Ride the River (here, next to this marker); ..."this horrible mountainous desert" (a few steps from this marker); The Lolo Trail (approx. 0.8 miles away); "to our inexpressable joy" (approx. 2.4 miles away); Selway - Bitterroot Wilderness (approx. 2.4 miles away); Green Swoard Camp (approx. 9½ miles away); Gass Creek (approx. 11½ miles away); Smoking Place (approx. 13.6 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 26, 2026, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 26, 2026, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.