Lewis and Clark History

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark Along the Lewis and Clark Trail

History of Lewis & Clark along the Lewis and Clark expedition Route. Lewis and Clark expedition trail in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. Information, businesses. Maps of the Lewis and Clark trail along Highway 12. Travel, information, activities, lodging, and real estate.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition was organized for the express purpose of exploring the new lands acquired through the Louisiana Purchase. Although this territory extended only to the limits of the area drained by the Missouri River, the expedition decided to explore all the way to the Pacific Ocean in order to gather further scientific knowledge, a particular interest of President Jefferson.

 Setting out from St Louis MO on May 14, 1804, the expedition started up the Missouri with a party of about 40 men and one large Newfoundland dog. After exploring the Platte River, they continued to Fort Mandan in present day North Dakota, where they wintered. After the breakup of winter ice on the Missouri, the party continued upriver and reach the mouth of the Yellowstone River just east of the present state line on April 26, 1805.

Exploration of the Yellowstone would wait for the return trip. Lewis and Clark headed west along the Missouri into Montana. From the Yellowstone to the Musselshell River, they encountered no natives, but a great deal of wildlife. The area along the river where the expedition actually passed is now largely submerged beneath the Fort Peck Reservoir. Much of their path is now within the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.