Lewis & Clark Country

In just over 28 months-from May 1804 to September 1806-the expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled more than 8,000 miles. More than a quarter of that distance was spent traversing Montana by boat, on horseback and afoot:

• The scenic White Cliffs of the Missouri River, accessible by river travel only.
• The Gates of the Mountains where the Missouri flows through a narrow passage flanked by what Lewis described as "the most remarkable clifts that we have yet seen."
• The Missouri Headwaters where the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers join to form the Missouri.
• Lemhi Pass where Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental Divide.
• Traveler's Rest where the expedition split parties on the return trip east.
• Lolo Hot Springs where the expedition made camp.
• Pompeys Pillar where Clark carved his signature in a large sandstone rock along the Yellowstone River.

The Lewis and Clark National Geographic web site is a great place to learn about this great expedition.

For example, if you wanted to trace the expedition's travels in the fall of 1805, you would access the four "Discovery Points" in western Montana's Bitterroot valley and Lolo Pass area. You would learn that, in early September, at Ross' Hole, the expedition met the Flathead Indians and traded for horses. And, at Traveler's Rest, they prepared for the arduous trek over the snow-covered Bitterroot Mountains.

Throughout Montana, historical marker signs along state, U.S. and interstate highways indicate sites of significant events in the expedition's travels. And, while you might choose to drive a slightly more direct path than that taken by Lewis and Clark, retracing their 2,000-mile journey is still quite a challenge.

Even now, nearly 200 years later, much of the land they explored remains unchanged --- and inaccessible by automobile.

Lewis & Clark 2006

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