Lewis and Clark Expedition — Interactive 3D Route

This trip's route plotted on an interactive 3D globe, stop by stop. Prefer a plain written itinerary? See the 2D trip itinerary for the same trip.

Tags: expedition

1. Camp Dubois, Illinois

   1804-05-14

   Corps of Discovery departs the winter camp at the Missouri River’s mouth

   1 photo

2. Walk: Camp Dubois, Illinois → St. Charles, Missouri

3. St. Charles, Missouri

   1804-05-20

   Meriwether Lewis joins William Clark and the main party

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4. Walk: St. Charles, Missouri → Tavern Cave, Missouri

5. Tavern Cave, Missouri

   1804-05-23

   Expedition explores a cave along the lower Missouri River

   1 photo

6. Walk: Tavern Cave, Missouri → Rocheport, Missouri

7. Rocheport, Missouri

   1804-06-07

   Corps passes the future Rocheport area near the mouth of Moniteau Creek

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8. Walk: Rocheport, Missouri → Arrow Rock, Missouri

9. Arrow Rock, Missouri

   1804-06-09

   Major Missouri River landmark and later trail crossing area

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10. Walk: Arrow Rock, Missouri → Kaw Point, Kansas

11. Kaw Point, Kansas

    1804-06-26

    Camp near the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers

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12. Walk: Kaw Point, Kansas → Independence Creek, Kansas

13. Independence Creek, Kansas

    1804-07-04

    Fourth of July camp along the Missouri River

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14. Walk: Independence Creek, Kansas → Leary Site, Nebraska

15. Leary Site, Nebraska

    1804-07-12

    Clark examines Indigenous earthworks near the Missouri River

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16. Walk: Leary Site, Nebraska → Fort Atkinson, Nebraska

17. Fort Atkinson, Nebraska

    1804-07-30

    Council with Oto and Missouria representatives near Council Bluff

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18. Walk: Fort Atkinson, Nebraska → Council Bluffs, Iowa

19. Council Bluffs, Iowa

    1804-08-03

    Formal council with Oto and Missouria leaders

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20. Walk: Council Bluffs, Iowa → Sioux City, Iowa

21. Sioux City, Iowa

    1804-08-20

    Sergeant Charles Floyd dies, the expedition’s only death

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22. Walk: Sioux City, Iowa → Spirit Mound, South Dakota

23. Spirit Mound, South Dakota

    1804-08-25

    Lewis, Clark, and several men visit the prominent prairie hill

    1 photo

24. Walk: Spirit Mound, South Dakota → Bad River, South Dakota

25. Bad River, South Dakota

    1804-09-24

    Tense encounters and council with the Teton Lakota

    1 photo

26. Walk: Bad River, South Dakota → Cannonball River, North Dakota

27. Cannonball River, North Dakota

    1804-10-13

    Corps reaches the Mandan and Hidatsa region

    1 photo

28. Walk: Cannonball River, North Dakota → Fort Mandan, North Dakota

29. Fort Mandan, North Dakota

    1804-10-26

    Expedition arrives near the Knife River villages and builds winter quarters

    1 photo

30. Fort Mandan, North Dakota

    1804-11-04

    Construction and winter preparation begin beside the Mandan and Hidatsa villages

    1 photo

31. Fort Mandan, North Dakota

    1805-04-07

    Permanent party leaves westward with Sacagawea, Charbonneau, and infant Jean Baptiste

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32. Walk: Fort Mandan, North Dakota → Yellowstone River Confluence, North Dakota

33. Yellowstone River Confluence, North Dakota

    1805-04-25

    Corps passes the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers

    1 photo

34. Walk: Yellowstone River Confluence, North Dakota → Milk River, Montana

35. Milk River, Montana

    1805-05-08

    Lewis names the cloudy, sediment-rich Milk River

    1 photo

36. Walk: Milk River, Montana → Decision Point, Montana

37. Decision Point, Montana

    1805-06-02

    Captains choose the south fork, correctly identifying it as the Missouri

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38. Walk: Decision Point, Montana → Great Falls, Montana

39. Great Falls, Montana

    1805-06-13

    Lewis reaches the Great Falls; the Corps begins a difficult portage

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40. Walk: Great Falls, Montana → Great Falls Portage, Montana

41. Great Falls Portage, Montana

    1805-07-15

    Portage around a series of falls concludes after roughly a month

    1 photo

42. Walk: Great Falls Portage, Montana → Three Forks, Montana

43. Three Forks, Montana

    1805-07-25

    Expedition reaches the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin river confluence

    1 photo

44. Walk: Three Forks, Montana → Lemhi Pass, Montana–Idaho

45. Lemhi Pass, Montana–Idaho

    1805-08-12

    Lewis crosses the Continental Divide and meets Shoshone people

    1 photo

46. Walk: Lemhi Pass, Montana–Idaho → Camp Fortunate, Montana

47. Camp Fortunate, Montana

    1805-08-17

    Sacagawea recognizes Chief Cameahwait as her brother; horses are obtained

    1 photo

48. Walk: Camp Fortunate, Montana → Travelers’ Rest, Montana

49. Travelers’ Rest, Montana

    1805-09-09

    Camp near today’s Lolo, used before and after the Bitterroot crossing

    1 photo

50. Walk: Travelers’ Rest, Montana → Lolo Trail, Montana–Idaho

51. Lolo Trail, Montana–Idaho

    1805-09-11

    Corps begins its harsh crossing of the Bitterroot Mountains with Nez Perce guidance

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52. Walk: Lolo Trail, Montana–Idaho → Weippe Prairie, Idaho

53. Weippe Prairie, Idaho

    1805-09-20

    Starving party reaches the Nez Perce after the mountain crossing

    1 photo

54. Walk: Weippe Prairie, Idaho → Clearwater River, Idaho

55. Clearwater River, Idaho

    1805-10-07

    Expedition launches dugout canoes near present-day Orofino

    1 photo

56. Walk: Clearwater River, Idaho → Lewiston, Idaho

57. Lewiston, Idaho

    1805-10-10

    Corps enters the Snake River near its confluence with the Clearwater

    1 photo

58. Walk: Lewiston, Idaho → Snake–Columbia Confluence, Washington

59. Snake–Columbia Confluence, Washington

    1805-10-16

    Expedition reaches the Columbia River near modern Tri-Cities

    1 photo

60. Walk: Snake–Columbia Confluence, Washington → The Dalles, Oregon

61. The Dalles, Oregon

    1805-10-24

    Corps navigates the Columbia Gorge’s falls and rapids portages

    1 photo

62. Walk: The Dalles, Oregon → Cascade Locks, Oregon

63. Cascade Locks, Oregon

    1805-10-31

    Party passes the Cascades of the Columbia

    1 photo

64. Walk: Cascade Locks, Oregon → Cape Disappointment, Washington

65. Cape Disappointment, Washington

    1805-11-07

    Clark records “Ocian in view”; rough weather delays coastal travel

    1 photo

66. Walk: Cape Disappointment, Washington → Astoria, Oregon

67. Astoria, Oregon

    1805-11-15

    Expedition reaches the lower Columbia and chooses a winter site

    1 photo

68. Walk: Astoria, Oregon → Fort Clatsop, Oregon

69. Fort Clatsop, Oregon

    1805-12-07

    Corps occupies its Pacific winter quarters near present-day Astoria

    1 photo

70. Fort Clatsop, Oregon

    1806-03-23

    Expedition begins its eastbound return journey

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71. Walk: Fort Clatsop, Oregon → Kamiah, Idaho

72. Kamiah, Idaho

    1806-04-27

    Corps waits with the Nez Perce for snow to recede on the Lolo Trail

    1 photo

73. Walk: Kamiah, Idaho → Lolo Pass, Idaho–Montana

74. Lolo Pass, Idaho–Montana

    1806-06-15

    Expedition recrosses the Bitterroot Mountains heading east

    1 photo

75. Walk: Lolo Pass, Idaho–Montana → Travelers’ Rest, Montana

76. Travelers’ Rest, Montana

    1806-06-30

    Party returns to camp and prepares to split for separate reconnaissance routes

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77. Travelers’ Rest, Montana

    1806-07-03

    Lewis heads toward the Marias River while Clark takes the southern route

    1 photo

78. Walk: Travelers’ Rest, Montana → Marias River, Montana

79. Marias River, Montana

    1806-07-25

    Lewis’s party encounters Blackfeet; a fatal clash occurs the following day

    1 photo

80. Walk: Marias River, Montana → Three Forks, Montana

81. Three Forks, Montana

    1806-07-25

    Clark’s party reaches Three Forks and begins its Yellowstone route

    1 photo

82. Walk: Three Forks, Montana → Bozeman Pass, Montana

83. Bozeman Pass, Montana

    1806-07-31

    Clark crosses toward the Yellowstone River drainage

    1 photo

84. Walk: Bozeman Pass, Montana → Yellowstone River, Montana

85. Yellowstone River, Montana

    1806-08-03

    Clark builds canoes and begins floating down the Yellowstone

    1 photo

86. Walk: Yellowstone River, Montana → Pompeys Pillar, Montana

87. Pompeys Pillar, Montana

    1806-08-08

    Clark inscribes his name on the sandstone landmark, naming it for Sacagawea’s son

    1 photo

88. Walk: Pompeys Pillar, Montana → Yellowstone–Missouri Confluence, North Dakota

89. Yellowstone–Missouri Confluence, North Dakota

    1806-08-12

    Clark’s party reaches the Missouri River

    1 photo

90. Missouri River Reunion, North Dakota

    1806-08-12

    Lewis and Clark reunite their parties near the Yellowstone confluence

    1 photo

91. Walk: Missouri River Reunion, North Dakota → Fort Mandan, North Dakota

92. Fort Mandan, North Dakota

    1806-08-17

    Corps revisits the Mandan and Hidatsa region while heading downriver

    1 photo

93. Walk: Fort Mandan, North Dakota → Spirit Mound, South Dakota

94. Spirit Mound, South Dakota

    1806-09-04

    Expedition passes familiar lower-Missouri country on the final leg

    1 photo

95. Walk: Spirit Mound, South Dakota → St. Charles, Missouri

96. St. Charles, Missouri

    1806-09-20

    Corps reaches St. Charles shortly before its return to St. Louis

    1 photo

97. Walk: St. Charles, Missouri → St. Louis, Missouri

98. St. Louis, Missouri

    1806-09-23

    Expedition returns after roughly 8,000 miles and more than two years

    1 photo