• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Park Ranger John

  • Home
  • About
    • About Park Ranger John
    • Contact Park Ranger John
    • Advertise/PR
    • Disclosure
  • US National Parks
    • List of National Parks by State
    • National Historic Sites
    • National Historical Parks
    • National Memorials
    • National Monuments
    • National Seashores
    • List of US National Parks in Alphabetical Order
  • National Park Lodges
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • US National Parks
  • Cruise Travel
  • State Parks
  • Recipes
×

Published: Oct 11, 2018 · This post may contain affiliate links

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is approximately 4,900 miles long, extending from Wood River, Illinois, to the mouth of the Columbia River, near present-day Astoria, Oregon. Visiting the trail all in one would be quite the adventure.

The trail connects 11 states Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, and many Tribal lands.  Below is a list of sites that can be visited along the trail. Among the more than 100 sites along with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, only five are National Park Service sites. While there is no fee to visit the trail there may be fees charged at some of the individual sites along the trail that are run by other agencies.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled from Illinois to the Pacific Ocean and back between 1804 and 1806. The trail was established by Congress in 1978 as part of the national trails system (NTS) as one of four original national historic trails.

Canoe Camp, part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park.

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Contents

  • Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
    • List of sites you can visit on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
    • Things to know when planning a visit along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

The Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail unveiled the ultimate online trip-planning portal, lewisandclark.travel. The portal, which is designed to help visitors learn more about the host communities, local businesses, and attractions located along the 4,900-mile trail which runs from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the Pacific Ocean. Through the portal’s interactive map guide, travelers can plan themed trips and locate recommendations for lodging, historic places, sustainable communities, natural areas, and tribal lands.

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, administered by the NPS, is more than 4,900 miles long, traversing 16 states and many tribal lands, and follows the historic route of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail was designated by U.S. Congress to commemorate the 1803 to 1806 Corps of Discovery Expedition to explore the newly acquired western portion of the United States and ensures this historic expedition is commemorated through the identification, preservation, and interpretation of the Trail route, all while ensuring public use and enjoyment. This epic journey contributed significant scientific knowledge and profound political, social, economic, cultural, and environmental changes to the peoples and landscapes of the North American continent.

The trail has over 6,600 miles of the designated auto tour route, which provides visitors access to the historic route through rich recreational, interpretive, and educational opportunities. Many segments of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail retain landscape characteristics and a sense of place as seen and experienced by the original Lewis and Clark expedition. The trail links contemporary authentic communities and cultures, including tribes whose connections span thousands of years, to historic, vibrant, and living landscapes. Whether traveling the entire length of the trail or a short day trip to a small segment, the travel experience can be greatly enhanced by the amazing possibilities highlighted on the new online portal.

List of sites you can visit on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Preparing for the Journey
Monticello (Virginia)

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (West Virginia)

American Philosophical Society Hall (Pennsylvania)

Big Bone Lick State Park (Kentucky)

Old Clarksville Site (Kentucky)

Fort Massac Site (Illinois)

The Expedition 

Old Cahokia Courthouse (Illinois)

Jefferson National Park (Missouri)

St. Charles Historic District (Missouri)

Tavern Cave (Missouri)

Rocheport Historic District (Missouri)

Arrow Rock (Missouri)

Fort Osage (Missouri)

Leary Site (Nebraska)

Fort Atkinson (Nebraksa)

Sergeant Floyd Monument (Iowa)

Spirit Mound (South Dakota)

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site (winter of 1805) (North Dakota)

Big Hidatsa Village Site (North Dakota)

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site (North Dakota)

Lewis and Clark Camp at Slaughter River (Montana)

Great Falls Portage (Montana)

Tower Rock (Montana)

Three Forks of the Missouri (Montana)

Beaverhead Rock-Lewis and Clark Expedition (Montana)

Lemhi Pass (Idaho and Montana)

Clark's Lookout, August 13, 1805 (Montana)

Traveler's Rest (Montana)

Lolo Trail (Idaho and Montana)

Weippe Prairie (Idaho)

Rock Fort Campsite (Oregon)

Cape Disappointment Historic District (Washington)

Chinook Point (Washington)

Fort Clatsop National Memorial (winter of 1806) (Oregon)

Lewis & Clark Trail--Travois Road (return trip) (Washington)

Nez Perce National Historical Park (Idaho and Montana)

Pompey's Pillar (return trip) (Montana)

Camp Disappointment (return trip) (Montana)

Two Medicine Fight Site (return trip) (Montana)

 

After the Expedition 

Locust Grove (Kentucky)

Natchez Trace Parkway

**Sites are listed chronologically.

 

Things to know when planning a visit along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail  Headquarters and Visitor Center
601 Riverfront Drive
Omaha, NE 68102

Contact Trail headquarters by phone at (402) 661-1804

The visitor center is closed on weekends in the winter and on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day

There is no fee to travel the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Lewis and Clark NHT Junior Ranger Program

You can complete the Lewis and Clark NHT Junior Ranger Program at home. There are 20 questions on the Junior Ranger page to fill out and then mail into the national park. You can find the info on this page.

Related posts:

  1. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
  2. George Rogers Clark National Historical Park - Indiana
  3. Oregon Trail National Historic Trail
  4. California National Historic Trail
« Nez Perce National Historical Park - Idaho
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park - Texas »

Filed Under: US National Parks

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Photobucket
Hi, I'm Park Ranger John and I am so happy you are here!  I have been a Park Ranger for almost 20 years and can't wait to share with you National Park Travel Tips, Recipes, and so much more!
Learn more about Park Ranger John.

PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket

Footer

Follow on:

PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket

Great Resources

How to Become a Park Ranger

Printable list of US National Parks in Alphabetical Order

Printable List of all 424 US National Park Sites

 

Top National Park Tips

  • US National Park List
  • 13 Hikes in Zion National Park
  • Muir Woods National Monument
  • Zion National Park Camping
  • 7 Epic Hikes in Arches National Park
  • Crater Lake Camping
  • Things to do in Petrified Forest National Park
  • Arches National Park Camping
  • Things to do in Yellowstone

Copyright© 2023 · Tammilee Tips® LLC