Lewis and Clark
National Historic Trail Sites

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail was established by Congress in 1978 as a component of the National Trails System. Administered by the National Park Service in partnership with other Federal, State, and local agencies along with private organizations and landowners. The National Park Service working with the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation have designated the following as Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail sites:

North Dakota and Montana Trail Sites

Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park - Mandan, ND
Popular with visitors is the On-A-Slant Indian Village which are reconstructed earthlodges depicting the lifestyle of the Mandan Indians, who occupied this site from about 1575-1781. Clark noted this site in his journal.

North Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center - Washburn, ND
This site provides an overview of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, with special emphasis on the time spent at Fort Mandan during the winter of 1804-1805. The site also includes displays of Native American culture and the Bergquist Gallery which features artwork by Karl Bodmer on the Upper Missouri.

Fort Mandan Park - Washburn, ND
Named after the friendly Mandam tribe, the Expedition wintered several miles upstream from this reconstructed full size replica of the Expedition’s 1804-1805 winter quarters.

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site - Stanton, ND
The remnants of more than fifty archaeological sites suggest a possible 8,000 year span of inhabitation, including three Hidatsa earthlodge villages visited by Lewis and Clark during their stay at Fort Mandan.

Four Bears Park - Newtown, ND
This site contains an interpretive center that focuses on the Arikara, Mandan, and Hidatsa tribes visited by Lewis and Clark during their stay at Fort Mandan.

Lewis and Clark State Park - Epping, ND
The expedition camped nearby on April 17, 1805 and Lewis was shot and seriously wounded by the nearsighted Cruzatte in an hunting accident. An interpretive trail marker has been placed within the park.

Confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers - Williston, ND
Lewis and Clark reached the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers in April of 1805. They observed that the area would be an excellent site for the establishment of a post. In 1828, the American Fur Company established Fort Union. The U.S. Army established nearby Fort Buford in 1866. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site is open to the public and has exhibits on Lewis and Clark’s visit. Fort Buford State Historic Site preserves the remains of the fort that policed the American-Canadian border as well as river traffic.

Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge - Lewiston, MT
As the expedition traveled upriver through this area of May of 1805 and downriver in 1806 they observed bison, elk, and grizzly bears. In the western portion of the refuge there is a thirty-mile stretch of the Missouri River where it flows free and appears as it during Lewis & Clark' time.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center - Great Falls, MT
Lewis and Clark found a series of five waterfalls, rapids, and steep ravines near present day Great Falls. The portage took the Expedition one month to complete. A new educational facility sits on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River in Giant Springs Heritage State Park.  and has over 5,000 square feet of exhibits detailing the famous 1804-1806 expedition as well the area's natural history and the Plains Native American culture encountered by the Corps of Discovery.

Gates of the Mountains - Helena National Forest, MT
The Expedition passed through the spectacular Missouri River Canyon, remarking on how the towering walls seemed to close in on them like gates. They observed bighorn sheep along narrow shelves and perpendicular cliffs that can still be observed today.

Three Forks - Three Forks, MT
The Corps of Discovery reached the Three Forks of the Missouri on July 25, 1805. Lewis and Clark named these Missouri tributaries in honor of the President Jefferson and two of his cabinet members, Madison and Gallatin. The next challenge involved choosing the correct river to follow with the wrong choice resulting in getting caught in the Rocky Mountains at the onset of winter. The Expedition ultimately chose the southwest flowing Jefferson River.

Beaverhead Rock - Dillon, MT
On August 8, 1805 Sacagawea saw the geological formation known to her people, the Shoshone, as Beaverhead Rock. A few days later the Corps found the Shoshone proving that Sacagawea was critical to the success of the journey to the Pacific Ocean.

Camp Fortunate Overlook - Clark Canyon Reservoir, MT
Lewis met the Lemhi Shoshone in present day Idaho and they accompanied him back to meet with Clark. Sacagawea had recognized the Shoshone chief, Cameahwait, as her brother enabling the Corp of Discovery acceptance. The Expedition traded for horses and cached their canoes and a stash of supplies for the return trip.  The actual site is under the Clark Canyon Reservoir, but an overlook is available with a historical marker giving an account of the event.

Lemhi Pass National Historic Landmark - Beaverhead and Salmon National Forests, MT
Lemhi Pass, on the Montana-Idaho border, is the point where Lewis and Clark first crossed the Continental Divide, left the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, and saw the headwaters of the Columbia River.

Lost Trail Pass - Salmon-Challis National Forest, MT
In early September 1805 Clark and his hired Shoshone guide, nicknamed Toby, crossed Lost Trail Pass in a failed attempt to follow the Salmon River to the Columbia River.

Traveler's Rest State Park - Lolo, MT
The Corps is used the area to prepare (in September 9 - 11, 1805) and recuperate (June 30 – July 3, 1806) for treks over the Lolo Trail..

Lewis and Clark Pass - Helena National Forest, MT, MT
On the return trip Lewis and Clark separated at Traveler's Rest. In an effort to find a shorter way across the Continental Divide Lewis led 9 men along the Blackfoot River and a route their Nez Perce guides called "Cokahlarishkit" Trail over what is now called Lewis and Clark Pass..

Gibbons Pass - Bitterroot National Forest, MT
After separating from Lewis in July 1806, Clark followed the Bitterroot River southeast to near present-day Sula. Clark's party then followed an ancient Indian route that rose from the valley floor to what is now Gibbons Pass and descended into the Big Hole Valley.

Pompeys Pillar Monument - 30 miles east of Billings, MT
On Clark’s return down the Yellowstone River his party came across a large sandstone outcrop. Clark named the rock Pompy's Tower (now called Pompeys Pillar) after Sacagawea's baby whom he called Pomp. Clark carved his name and date into the soft sandstone, which can still be seen today.