Thomas Jefferson’s “footprint” on the American West can hardly be exaggerated. The portico at Monticello faced westward. He purchased the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon, calling it “an empire for liberty such as the world has never previously seen.” He sent his protege Meriwether Lewis on what became the greatest land exploration mission of the era. He helped design the rectilinear survey grid system (of square miles and townships) that brought nearly every acre of the West into domestication. He advocated for square or at least rectilinear new states in the West: e.g. Four Corners where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet. He championed family farmers as “the chosen people of God.”

At the same time, Jefferson’s republican utopianism carried myths and serious errors across the Appalachian Mountains. He thought the entire West was an extension of the Ohio Valley — well watered, nicely contoured, fertile. He believed in the principle of “symmetrical geography,” that the West would parallel the mountains (including their height) of the eastern half of the nation. He believed the western rivers would “cooperate” to enable watercraft to float from the Atlantic to the Pacific with a portage of no more than a few days. He set in motion the twin rollers of American Indian policy: temporary (voluntary) separation, followed by assimilation that would blend all of us into a remarkable new strain of humanity. And he worked hard to extend slavery into the new territories and states being created or carved out of the West.

Books to Read

There will be three primary texts:

• Thomas Jefferson: Writings : Autobiography / Notes on the State of Virginia / Public and Private Papers / Addresses / Letters, Library of America.
• Thomas Jefferson and the Stony Mountains, Donald Jackson. 
• Thomas Jefferson and the Indians: The Tragic Fate of the First Americans, Anthony F.C. Wallace.

We will also spend a good deal of time on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, so you might wish to read Gary Moulton’s superb one-volume abridgement of the Journals, The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery.

Price & Information

The West of Thomas Jefferson

January 18–23, 2026
Lochsa Lodge, Lolo, Montana
$2,595/person
$500 non-refundable deposit per person
$800 single supplement fee

Your retreat begins and ends in Missoula, Montana. Your package includes a professional tour director, discussions led by humanities scholar Clay S. Jenkinson, all activities, lodging, meals, ground transportation, state and local taxes, USFS fees, and hotel and restaurant gratuities. Airfare is not included. A $500 non-refundable deposit will secure your reservation. Please read our Terms & Conditions carefully. Contact us with your questions. Price is per-person based on double occupancy. Traveling single? No problem. We can easily match you with a roommate. Please inquire about our single supplemental fee if you would prefer a cabin of your own (availability is limited). 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know I won’t feel intimidated by all those gathered intellectuals?

Clay: Most retreat guests are Listening To America listeners. The group conversations are both playful and serious without being pretentious. I pass out a “Conversation Bill of Rights” during orientation specifying the “rules of engagement,” so that people listen carefully to each other, avoid trying to dominate, avoid showing off, etc. I like to keep the tone very informal. In 95% of the retreats we have hosted, everyone speaks.

Q: Do I really have to read all the books?

Clay: Well, there are no pop quizzes! Of course, I hope you will read everything and come eager to discuss these books. The more you read in advance the better you will enjoy the retreat. Most participants read everything or nearly so. Some read the bulk of it. A few (you know who you are!) read a bit. It’s like everything else: the more you give to it, the more you will get from it.

Q: Are there any assignments?

Clay: Yes, read the books! I often urge people to write reflections that they may or may not share with the rest of us. A couple of times per day I urge everyone to think about some idea or question or to reread a passage from one of the books during the down time. But once you are there, you are unlikely to be asked to do anything but take part in the discussions.

Q: How cold does it get?

Clay: Not cold. I’m from North Dakota. We know cold. I’m always pleasantly surprised by how temperate it is at Lochsa Lodge. It often snows, but I don’t recall ever being there when there was wind or seriously cold. It feels like a winter paradise.

Q: Should I bring winter gear?

Clay: Yes, bring gloves or mittens, a parka, a stocking cap, perhaps a scarf, and boots. Don’t rush to REI for new gear. We don’t spend that much time outdoors. But you will want to stay warm, especially if you are from a warm climate. Anyone from the Midwest will find it balmy. The lodge has a limited supply of hiking poles — if you want poles and they are easy for you to pack along, feel free to bring them, otherwise the lodge can likely lend them.

Q: How much time do we spend outdoors?

Clay: Well, you have to walk a short distance between your cabin and the lodge where all the activity is. On the first afternoon we walk about three quarters of a mile (one way) to visit an important Lewis and Clark site. We walk on a graded road, but it can sometimes be a bit icy. We often go to a hot spring during the course of the retreat. It’s entirely optional, of course, but our guests love it. From the parking lot on U.S. 12 we hike about three quarters of a mile to the hot pools. There is plenty of free time during the retreat. Some people hike every day. Others relax in their cabins or in the lodge. You can spend a good deal of time outdoors while you are there, or a relatively modest amount.

Q: What’s the rhythm of each day?

Clay: We like to be casual. We gather about 9:30 a.m. in the lodge. We talk until noon or 12:30, then lunch. Afterwards we usually have some rest time, then talk more in the afternoon. Guests tend to regroup in their cabins before we gather again for dinner. After dinner we sometimes watch a film (if there is a pertinent one), or we meet around a huge fire pit out overlooking the Lochsa River. It’s winter, and it’s magical. 

Q: Is there Internet at Lochsa Lodge?

Clay: If you sit in the corner of the bar you may get internet, but plan to be offline for the four days you are there. You can make calls out from the lodge phone if necessary. Most people are able to get online a couple of times during their time at the lodge, but you cannot absolutely count on it.

Q: Where is the nearest store?

Clay: Missoula. Once you get to Lochsa Lodge, you are really quite “off the grid” for a few days. If necessary, we can get you to Missoula, but there has never  been a need. There is a lodge store with a limited selection of soda, beer, lip gloss, shampoo, etc.

Q: Can the lodge handle my unique dietary regimen?

Clay: Of course. Just let us know well in advance. We’ve had vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free, you name it. The Lochsa staff can accommodate your needs, but we need to know well prior to your arrival. 

Q: How do the meals work?

Clay: Our guests order breakfasts off the menu, charged to the tour. Lunch and dinner are set meals prepared by the lodge chef: typically a meat or fish protein, starch and vegetables, a glass of wine if you choose. Hearty mountain meals, but well prepared and presented. We eat at a large rectangular table, family style. There is always plenty of food.

Q: What about alcohol?

Clay: We serve wine with dinner. Any additional alcoholic drinks are your responsibility. Some may choose to bring along a bottle of wine or liquor for their own moderate consumption after dinner.

Q: Do the cabins have central heat?

Clay: Yes, most do. There are a few cabins with wood stoves that you feed a couple of times per day. If you want to get closer to nature and rough it a bit with a wood-fired stove, make sure you let us know and we can arrange it.  

Q: What about bathrooms?

Clay: Virtually all the cabins have full bathrooms.

Q: Is Clay there the whole time?

Clay: Yes. Alpha to Omega. There is no respite, no relief! One of my favorites once said, “That’s a lot of Clay.”

Q: How do I know I will enjoy this?

Clay: Think of it as the book club you have always wished existed. If you enjoy Listening to America and my approach to ideas, history, and literature, you are likely to enjoy this. We do a good deal of laughing. Friendships spring up at these retreats. Many people have come again and again. There is no source of tension. We have most of Lochsa Lodge to ourselves, though some locals come in to dine and some hunters usually come.

Deposits and Payments

A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person will reserve the retreat of your choice. Full payment is due in our office at least 75 days prior to departure.

Refunds and Cancellation Policy

We recommend you purchase travel insurance to protect you if for some reason you must cancel your reservation.

You will receive your full refund less your deposit and credit card transaction fees up to 75 days prior to the tour, a 50% refund if you cancel within 75 days prior to the event, minus any additional hotel or supplier expenses, which cannot be recovered by LTA Tours. No refunds in the last 30 days prior to tour departure. Full refund (less transaction fees) is always available if you can find a replacement traveler.

Travel Insurance

LTA Tours is not an insurance provider. If you are interested in purchasing travel insurance, please notify your travel insurance company at the time of your initial payment. Travel insurance information can be obtained from your local travel agency.

Tour Cancellation

In the event a tour must be canceled by us as the tour provider, we will refund all monies paid to us.

Participation Courtesy

We ask there be no audio or video taping of presentations without the prior consent of the individual presenters. Participants are requested to refrain from smoking or vaping inside all modes of transportation, during group meals, and lectures or events.

Itinerary or Program Modifications

The itinerary is subject to modifications and change. Every effort will be made to carry out the program as planned, but alterations may still occur after the final itinerary is sent.

Responsibility

LTA Tours acts only as the agent in making arrangements for the owner or operators of such transportation, accommodations, services or facilities engaged in our tours. Our responsibility is limited to that of an agent. We accept no responsibility for accidents, injuries, property damage or personal loss to you or to those traveling with you in connection with any accommodations, transportation or other travel or outfitter and guide services, or resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrences or conditions beyond our control, including but not limited to acts of terrorism, defects in vehicles, breakdown in equipment, strikes or theft.