Follow the path of Lewis and Clark on their historic exploration of America 200 years ago. You will pass through fields of wheat and sunflowers, over mountain passes and gorges, and into the heart of the West as seen by Lewis and Clark. Start your own Journey of Discovery, and let America's Byways lead you to your destination.
Begin by perusing the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Hartford, IL on the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway. A 55-foot replica keelboat, interactive exhibits, and authentic artifacts will give you a feel for the history of the expedition. Then cross the Mississippi to St. Louis, MO and step through the Gateway to the West. This 630-foot arch stands as a monument to the pioneers, explorers, and mountain men who headed west in search of prosperity, freedom, and a new life. Ride the tram to the top of the arch and gaze westward at your route. The arch also contains a football field-sized museum, The Museum of Westward Expansion, where you can enjoy an exhibit on Lewis and Clark, as well as on Native Americans, including a life-sized tipi. After kicking off your adventure at the banks of the Mississippi, get ready to travel to Sioux City.
Enlist as a member of the Corps of Discovery at the Sioux City Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center on the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. You'll get a glimpse of the soldiering life and experience a day in the life of the explorers as you participate in the hands-on exhibits. Watch animatronics, test your boatman abilities, and look at samples of prairie life as seen by Lewis and Clark. While the Garden of Discovery, a reconstructed Siouxland prairie, is still being cultivated at the center, visitors can explore other preserved prairies throughout the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. Stop by Lewis and Clark State Park for a picnic. If you missed the keelboat in Illinois, you won't miss out because another replica awaits your exploration here. Celebrate the discoveries of Lewis and Clark with the town of Onawa during the Lewis and Clark Festival held the second weekend in June. You'll find re-enactments and music, and you can even send a letter from the Old Post Office with a Lewis and Clark postmark.
One of the major purposes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was to find a passageway to the Pacific Ocean through the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. Various spots along the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway in Idaho offer a peek into camp life. Pause at Canoe Camp, where Lewis and Clark built five dugout canoes for their company to travel the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia Rivers. While you won't need to build canoes, you can spend an afternoon or two building memories by fishing for steelhead or keeping a lookout for osprey, heron, and bald eagles. Just southeast of Canoe Camp, travelers will find Long Camp, now a park in Kamiah. The corps wintered for a month here while they waited for spring to thaw the waters. Now travelers can winter away an afternoon picnicking, playing Frisbee, or eating barbecue at the annual Free BBQ Days over Labor Day Weekend.
Your path ends near the Pacific Ocean on the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon. Here, you'll find the Gorge Discovery Center and the perfect place for kids to really get involved. They can join an archaeological dig, carefully load a keelboat, and model the fashions of the 19th Century. Stops along the route also let you in on the secret as to why the Sandy River was called the "quicksand" river and other excerpts from expedition journals.
From the Gateway to the West to the Gorge Discovery Center, following the path of Lewis and Clark will prepare you for future expeditions along America's Byways.
