Itinerary

At the site of present day Sacajawea State Park (the spelling varies, depending upon what state you are in!) the Corps of Discovery met with local inhabitants, and as they had so many times before, made ceremonial presentations and speeches.

We’ll pause where the Snake River joins the Columbia to discuss some of the events which took place here on Oct. 17-18, 1805. The outstanding Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will highlight this afternoon’s agenda. Overnight at the Hood River Inn in Hood River, OR. (B)

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Images of the park are similar to the image here, showing the park next to the river. Link shows the park where the tour group had lunch at picnic tables while the interpreter spoke as Sergeant Patrick Gass narrating the relation of the corps with the local indians. He primed and shot his Kentucky Rifle to illustrate the resulting noise. A 30 minute video was taken on this occasion that we may try to isloate into still images at a later time. We are showing an image below of the park provided by a fellow traveler. After lunch we proceeded to Columbia River Discovery Center but since we have been unable to recover any photos that were taken at the Center we are providing a link instead.

Sacajawea State Park

Traveling the Lolo Trail will be far more pleasant for us than for the Corps, which suffered greatly from cold and hunger along this extraordinarily beautiful passage. Our local guide will help us to understand the chronology as we travel westward and enjoy a picnic lunch along the way. We’ll visit the canoe camp, where the expedition halted to hollow out logs as the Natives had instructed them. To learn more about these inhabitants who were meeting their first white men, we’ll visit the visitors’ center at the Nez Perce National Historic Park. Overnight at the Quality Inn in Clarkston, WA (CB, L)

<<<Our tours for the day>>

Today our tour bus crossed the rockies in a matter of hours while Lewis and Clark took eleven days to follow the Lolo trail. A Lewis and Clark local Interpreter joined our tour bus describing the hardships of the corps in crossing the Lolo Trial. We stopped at a verified campsite, “travelers rest” This site is shown on lewis-clark org that make interesting reading. Travelers rest state park and lewisandclarktrail sites are worth the view. Living history is also an expression of Travelers Rest campsite for the Corps..

“The Lewis and Clark expedition camped here twice during their historic journey to locate the elusive Northwest Passage in 1805 and 1806. For countless generations before that Indian people used this area as a camping crossroad. The Travelers Rest Preservation and Heritage Association manages the site for FWP. Travelers’ Rest State Park is located on Lolo” Ref http://fwp.mt.gov/lands/site_2233810.aspx

A local interpreter related the story of this encampment as the Corps prepared to take the lobo trail. He expressed in detail how the site was verified. When in the Visitor’s center at the Nez Perce National Park we took photos of dougout and paintings. These images illustrate an encampment, meetings between indians and traders as well as painting of the battle of the bighorn.

Living Interpreter boarding tour bus

Interpreter showing campsite of Travelers rest

Background view of the Travelers nest campsite

Dugout canoe inside museum

Image of painting dipicting an Indian emcampment

Painting of meeting natives by traders

Painting of Little Big Horn

Our first stop this morning is to historic Fort Benton, a bustling nineteenth century river port, and the highest point on the river served by steamboats. Montana’s famous cowboy artist, Charlie Russell, wasn’t on the scene when our heroes struggled with the great falls the Indians had warned them of. But he did commemorate the era of westward expansion that the Corps of Discovery opened up. We’ll visit the outstanding C.M. Russell museum. A highlight of our journey is the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, one of the newest and best along the trail. In addition to the marvelous exhibits, we’ll enjoy living history programs and an outdoor dinner. Overnight again at the La Quinta in Great Falls, MT. (CB, D)

<<<Our tours for the day>>

Today we entered Fort Benton and found a living history museum, the first image of living museum at Fort Benton. We then proceeded to C.M. Russell Museum where we took the images of three paintings are illustrated below. We then proceeded on to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center where we viewed relief map of the Lobo Trail and painting illustrating the ordeal in crossing the trail as are illustrated below. As we examined the plaque outside of the interpretive center we had some understanding of the obstacles in navigation that these falls presented to L&C Corps of Discovery. Other images from the L&C center illustrated the separate routes of Lewis and Clark on the return trip home.
The images of three route maps below can be enlarged for better viewing. These three images illustrate the full route of Lewis and Clark Expedition Following the three map images is another trail plaque showing image of falls before dams were built. These dams that were recently built resulted in backing up the river covering these falls . The final image outside of the interpretive center is statue of Lewis and Clark and Lewis’s dog Seaman.

Living museum in Fort Benton

C.M Russell Museum painting, The Ropers

C.M Russell Museum painting, Wagon train

C.M Russell Museum painting, Ft Classop

Interpretive Relief map of Lobo Trail

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

Lobo trail painting depicting the Corp crossing of the Rockies

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

Plaque illustrating the falls that were navigated
before dams were built

Plaque separate return route
for Lewis and Clark

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Route Map 1

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Route Map 2

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Route Map 3

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Plaque Illustration of the Falls

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Lewis & Clark statue outside of Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

On this morning’s agenda is a visit to Missouri River Headwaters State Park where Lewis & Clark discovered (and named) the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin Rivers. After our picnic lunch, it’s on to the Gates of the Mountains, named by Lewis after towering cliffs appeared to block the way up the Missouri River. As the expedition neared the cliffs and changed directions, the cliffs seemed to pull apart like a huge gate. Our interpretive boat ride will afford us much of the same sights that awed Lewis & Clark so many years ago. Overnight tonight at the La Quinta in Great Falls, MT. (CB, L)

<<<Our tours for the day>>

Today we were able to see the location of where the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin Rivers as they formed the headwaters of the Missouri River. Later, after a few hours riding on the tour bus we boarded an interpretive tour boat that took us a few miles up the Missouri River to see what Lewis named the “Gates of the Mountains.” From the boat the interpretive guide captain showed us what appeared to be two mountain gates opening along the river as the boat approached them.

“The three-mile long river passage, now a reservoir, cut through 1200-foot high cliffs. Lewis’ journal of July 19, 1805, describes the passage and the optical illusions common to travelers: “the towering and projecting rocks in many places seem ready to tumble in on us…this rock is a black granite below and appears to be of a much lighter color above. This extraordinary range of rocks we called the Gates of the Rocky Mountains.”

The towering cliffs and twisting passage earned the name as passage through the canyon gave the illusion that the gates swung wide to allow travel. Lewis was so hopeful of meeting with signs of local tribes that he made careful notes of anything unusual. “*

*http://lewisandclark.state.mt.us/sites.asp?IDNumber=10

The cliffs along the river were huge and formed numerous shapes as illustrated by a couple of the photos below. The final image was a trail marker showing map of the the Gates of the Mountain Recreational Area. We were seeing the exact location where the Lewis passed through on July 19, 1805. This was certainly a full day for enjoying two impressive scenic locations in one day.

Images of Missouri River Headwaters State Park and headwaters of three rivers including Gallitin, Jefferson and Madison Rivers flowing into the Missouri River.

Views of “Gates of the Mountains” from the pier and the views of formations bordering the Missouri River.

Plaque at Three Rivers Park

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Headwaters of three rivers

Pier for our boat trip up the Missouri River

River bank view of the cliffs

Another view of the cliffs – Notice the shapes

Plaque up the river

Another eventful day begins with a tour of the beautifully restored Fort Union. Established by John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company, Fort Union was the most important fur trading post on the Missouri River between 1822 and 1867. Next we’ll visit Pompeys Pillar National Historic Landmark, named for Sakakawea’s infant son. Captain Clark carved his name in the rock on the return trip in 1806, and it remains today one of only a handful of physical evidence along the Lewis & Clark Trail. Overnight tonight at the Country Inn in Billings, MT. (B, D)

<<<Our tours for the day>>

Clark’s engraving on Pompeys Pillar is secured using security alarms and cameras to prevent vandalizing of this historic marker. This site as described in the first plaque is and authenticated site of Lewis and Clark based on Clark’s engraving showing date of his visit. While at this National Park we took video of an interpreter explaining Lewis and Clark’s excursion in this area. After leaving the rock we proceeded by tour bus on to For Union as illustrated in the images below. When visiting Replica of Fort Union we also observed that behind the fort were replicas of Teepees and in the distance we could see today’s railroad. We were told that Indians camped at this location while trading at Fort Union.

Authentication Plaque at Pompeys Pillar

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Clarks engraving

Parks department has secured the original engraving on the rock.

Another view of the engraving

Other Plaques

Ft Union grounds (note small animals)

Representation of images in Fort Unions history

buffalo hide drying within Fort Union

Front view of Fort Headquarters

Front view outside the Fort Union South Gate

Today we visit the site where the Corps of Discovery wintered under the watchful eyes of the Mandans and Hidatsas. We’ll visit the Fort Mandan replica and the new Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center which features a complete set of the Bodmer prints. Bodmer produced more than 400 renderings of the Native Americans and natural wonders he encountered on his own western voyage just 30 years after Lewis and Clark blazed the trail. Through his paintings we will see the undisturbed terrain as the first whites saw it almost 200 years ago. This afternoon we’ll travel to the only park in the National Park System which is set aside to commemorate the Plains Indian: Knife River Indian

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We visited where the Corps of Discovery wintered under the watchful eyes of the Mandans and Hidatsas. Double ditch historical site is illustrated by the plaque. While at the L&C Interpretive Center we took a few photos and a few images from our camera are shown below:

Plaque

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PEACE MEDAL

CURRENCY CELEBRATING LEWIS AND CLARK

BARRACK

BARRACK NAPSACKS

SEAMAN – LEWIS’ DOG

INDIAN MUSEUM

INDIAN ARTIFACTS

Knife River Indian Reproductions

Itinerary

The latterday Fort Abraham Lincoln (Lt. Col G.A. Custer’s last assignment before riding off into history) was built adjacent to an ancient earthlodge which was already abandoned when Lewis & Clark sailed by. We’ll tour the rebuilt lodges at On-A-Slant Village and visit the outstanding exhibits at the North Dakota Heritage Center before boarding the Lewis & Clark Riverboat for a dinner-cruise on the mighty Missouri which has become a familiar friend over the course of our journey. Overnight again at the Country Inn in Bismarck, ND. (B, D)

<<<Our tours for the day>>

We toured the rebuilt lodges at On-A-Slant Village while interpreter’s explained how native americans lived in the slant villages. Of some interest is that these dwellings were built by women and the technique has become a lost art. You can also take a virtual tour of the villages and. select outside and interior views. View the interior of earth lodges and you will see what we observed while the interpreter explained the construction and life in the village.

We found an overhead view of the slant village from google map identifying the geographic location:

On-a-Slant Village (historical) google map

A few images much better images than from our camera below:

Slant village Park Entrance.

Slant village earth lodges

Slant village earth lodges

We visited the outstanding exhibits at the North Dakota Heritage Center

And listened to a talking head at the museum .

along with the
museum miniature village

The tour group enjoyed a a dinner cruise on the mighty Missouri which has become a familiar friend over the course of our journey.

Image off boat’s bow.

After the dinner cruise, our group stayed overnight again at the Country Inn in Bismarck, ND.

South Dakota Sites worth investigating

This morning we’ll visit world famous St. Joseph Indian School where the outstanding Akta Lakota Museum
offers a view of the Native Americans whose lives were greatly affected by the course of events set in motion by the discoveries of the Lewis & Clark expedition.

The Corps:”Then we’ll travel the area where the Corps encountered their first “hostile” natives. After a day full of natural wonders”

Our tour group will stay overnight at the Country Inn in Bismarck, ND. (L)

<<<Our tours for the day>>

Enroute, our travel group stopped at 1806 highway that leads nowhere except for two  monuments to Sitting Bull and Sacagawea.  The uniqueness is that the highway’s name being same year as Lewis and Clark’s expedition.  “One of the most historic sites in the area is the gravesite of the Sioux Indian, Chief Sitting Bull, leader of the Sioux tribe”…take  “access road to the monument is 4 miles off the junction of US Hwy 12 on SD Hwy 1806.  The gravesite is open to the public free of charge.”

Some of our views of the end of Hwy 1806:

Itinerary

Discovery August 9, 2006 – Tour Day 6

Today’s agenda includes the unique geological formation of Spirit Mound (reputed to be the home of 18? devils) which the Corps climbed on their passage upstream. Our travel companions did the same as you can see from a 50X lens at bottom of Spriit Mound.

Images lost on alternate site  and need retrieval when we are able to research location of these images on hard drive

Gavin’s Point Dam, the site of the first encounter with the Yankton Sioux and an authentic meal served on the banks of the Missouri River top off a perfect day on the Northern Plains. We were in the former territory of the Yangton Sioux.

Tonight’s accommodations are at the Cedar Shores Resort, overlooking the Missouri River just north of Chamberlain, SD.

<<<Our tours for the day>>

We visited and invite you to visit LEWIS AND CLARK INTERPRETIVE & KEELBOAT CENTER to view the slide show and see locals portraying members of the Corps in military clothing of the day

Itinerary

The journey continues with a tour of Fort Atkinson, yet another frontier fort built on the recommendation of Wm. Clark. We’ll also tour the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City, pay our respects to Sgt. Floyd (the only casulaty of the enntire journey), plus a few surprises along the way. Our overnight tonight is at the Marina Inn in South Sioux City, NE. (B)

<<<Our tours for the day>>

The journey continues with a tour of Fort Atkinson,

Another frontier fort built on the recommendation of Wm. Clark.

The most impressive site was the detention boxes

A view of the fort parade ground

We also toured the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City.

Two displays caught our eyes.

One was the display of a campsite using a recorded story presenting Lewis in camp with his dog Seaman. The sound of a animatronic dog barking could be heard throughout the museum as the dog moved back and forth barking on que.

The other was animatronic mannequins of Lewis and Clark and the Corp at Sergeant Floyd’s funeral.

We recorded this scene with video camera to capture sounds and sights of animatronic mannequins as heads of Lewis and Clark bobbed up and down and sideways emulating the showing their respect for Sergeant Floyd. This display and others of at the interpretive center can be found at “about the center” menu selecton on the center’s main page.

On the “about the center” page describes animatronic mannequins for everyone to enjoy. “Both the murals and animatronic mannequins show Lewis & Clark dressed in layers of heavy formal clothing for Floyd’s funeral. They wear fine British wool coats, high leather boots and white leather gloves.” This scene was most impressive of any displays in the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center..

Our group paid our respects to Sergeant Floyd as we visited Sergeant Floyd Monument – An obelisk marks the grave of Sergeant Charles Floyd, Jr., who died August 20, 1804, of natural causes. Sergeant Floyd was the only casualty of the entire journey. Most historians believe that he died due to appendicitis rupture. Check out national park service rendition of the historical nature of Sergeant Floyd.

At the base of the monument was Sergeant floyd’s monument plaque

We managed to photograph a historical marker up close

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In the late afternoon we visited small lake where a boat enthusiast had built a boat indigenous to the type of boat and steering that Lewis and Clark Corps of discovery had used in their day. The exception was this boat navigated the small lake using a deisel engine. Our Tour Director, ShebbyLee demonstrated her prowess in steering the boat

Our fellow travelers also demonstrated their prowess in steering the boat

Fellow Travelers on replica of L&C boat

Our fellow travelers

not quite on the water yet!

We stayed overnight at the Marina Inn in South Sioux City, NE