Lewis & Clark Trail

[profpat]

Looking to move out and finish the Lewis & Clark trail. Have covered Pittsburgh to the Lemhi Pass (Montana) and now going from the Pass to the Pacific Ocean. Any suggestions or advice?

[paulj]

Speaking of Pomp, Sacajawea's son, his burial place is in SE Oregon off of US95 west of the little town of Jordan Valley



Overlapping with the L&C Trail is the Nez Perce National Historical Park. At multiple sites it commemorates the flight of the Nez Perce led by Chief Joseph across multiple states (Oregon, Idaho, Montana).

[Roy_Lynne]

I don't know if you have stopped at Fort Benton, Montana. We were there last month and spent hours looking around. There is an Lewis and Clark interpretive center there plus museums AND (a really neat ice cream stand that sells great shakes, etc.)
Great Falls also has lots of Lewis and Clark information at their interpretive center with great movies and presentations.
AND you have to end up at Fort Clatsop in Oregon of course.

[CloudDriver]

NCWriter wrote:
You probably already have this book -Along the Trail with Lewis and Clark, by Fifer and Soderberg.

X2 - this is a great reference for following the Lewis & Clark Trail.

We have have managed to visit at a number of L&C sites and interpretive centers in past trips. On our way home from Yellowstone this year we added Pompey's Pillar and Spirit Mound. An amazing feeling to walk in the footsteps of history.

Pompey's Pillar (east of Billings MT)


Clark's signature


Spirit Mound (near Vermillion SD)

[bgum]

Go west young man, go west.

[NCWriter]

You probably already have this book -Along the Trail with Lewis and Clark, by Fifer and Soderberg.

For other people planning to follow the route - I bought it on Amazon in 2013, the second edition dated 2001, but info is fairly timeless. It includes the historic highlights followed by "Touring Today" sections for each leg. Included campgrounds of all sorts which helped me find some great spots to camp by the water where they also did.

Also it helped me find a number of state parks, monuments and museums that mark their journey. For anyone trying to figure out where today's roads & monuments are in relation to the L&C routes eastbound and westbound, this book has very detailed maps.

We followed their route only as far as Pompey's Pillar so have lots yet to enjoy. Gave me goose bumps to see Clark's signature and 1806 up on the rock.

[hhornig]

Cape Disappointment is a must to see. Great museum.

[Islandman]

There is a short section of gravel road west from Lemhi Pass down to Tendoy where you'll intersect with ID 28. The road is not very good in my opinion and I wouldn't take an RV over it. If you're towing a trailer or have a towed vehicle suggest that you take it over this rough dusty stretch between the pass and ID 28. As paulj noted above, Beacon Roack is on WA 14 downstream from Carson and Stevenson, not far from Bonnevile Dam.

[brirene]

Here is an excellent recent trip report from DJ you'll find interesting.

Edit: corrected link.

[Murphsmom]

There is also a short side trip up to the Weippe Praire where L&C met the Nez Perce when they finally made it through the Lolo Pass. A small museum there, plus several other small sites as you travel down Highway 12 by way of Orofino.

I don't think I would want to take a large RV up the Greer Grade to Weippe, though. There are several switchbacks. We used to tow our 23' TT up there when we lived on the hill, but that was by necessity.

[paulj]

I believe they headed north, back over the divide (into Montana), then over Lolo Pass, So roughly:
ID28 to Salmon, US93 over Lost Trail Pass, US12 over Lolo.

US12 follows the river, while the expedition stuck to the ridge line to the north. I believe there is a FS road that follows that (Lolo Motor Way).

At present day Lewiston/Clarkston, they took the Snake River to the Columbia to the coast.

US12 west of Lewiston follows the (dry) valley through Pomeroy, which is roughly the return route for L&C (traveling overland instead of the river).

WA state map w/ L&C poi 2004 edition

I84, WA14, US30, and WA4 follow the Columbia to the coast. I recall some mention of the expedition at Beacon Rock SP (WA side).

Cape Disappointment SP and Ft Stevens SP are on either side of the Columbia mouth. I believe L&C first saw the ocean from the Washington side, but spent the winter on the Oregon side.