Travelers’ Rest State Park

• Travelers' Rest State Park preserves an intersection between cultural and natural history. Along the banks of Lolo Creek under the canopy of large Black cottonwood trees, visitors explore the landscape used for centuries by native peoples, visited twice by the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery, and home to a wondrous diversity of plants and animals.

• Located in the traditional homeland of the Selis Qlispe, indigenous people have used and been a part of today's state park for time immemorial. Today, Travelers' Rest is an important landscape for many tribal members in the Western Montana and Idaho region.

• Travelers' Rest is the only archaeologically verified campsite of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960, Travelers' Rest was their last stop before beginning their journey across the treacherous Bitterroot Mountains in September 1805. The Corps of Discovery returned to this place at the end of June 1806. Visitors to Travelers' Rest can learn more about the preponderance of the evidence that led to the relocation of the National Historic Landmark and the development of Travelers' Rest State Park.

• The park has a 2.5 mile network of trails, a visitor center, restrooms, and a variety of adult and youth educational, interpretive, and event programming throughout the year. The park is open 9 am - 5 pm daily and offers visitors recreational opportunities like walking, bike riding, wildflower and native plant viewing, photography, and wildlife viewing. Travelers' Rest is home to over 138 species of birds!

• Travelers’ Rest State Park Website

In addition to access to the lush grounds, the resident artist at Travelers Rest State Park will be given a studio space on-site as their place of contemplation, refuge, and production. Artists may choose to work outdoors, inside the resource library or classroom, or in the old visitor center.

Additionally, the artist will have:

• Contact with the resident caretakers who have a wealth of knowledge and insight about the site and history of the place

• Access to the beautiful grounds, historic buildings, archive library, and artifacts

• Quiet spaces for time to work and research including the research library and private studio space in the ‘old visitor center’.

• The studio space offers a quiet location with multiple windows, good natural light, and between 300-400 square feet. The studio does not have running water but does offer electricity outlets. The space has good cell phone reception but does not have WIFI.

• Close proximity restroom

Artists coming from outside of the area will be provided with accommodations within a 20 min drive of Travelers Rest State Park.

Each year our housing changes based on the needs of incoming residents and changing housing options in Missoula. Generally, residents are housed together in a centrally located furnished home or apartment with a private bedroom in Missoula. Occasionally residents are housed with a vetted host family. Applicants will have the opportunity to share their housing needs in the Artist-In-Residence application.

There is also the potential to park an RV near the residency site.

Traveler’s Rest State Park is located 20 min South of Missoula. Artists at Travelers’ Rest State Park should arrange to have access to personal transportation during their stay.

In addition to an artist presentation, the artist could have the opportunity to teach one or more art classes on-site with visiting youth groups.