The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail was one of the first four National Historic Trails designated by Congress in 1978. The other trails were the Iditarod, Mormon Pioneer, and Oregon National Historic Trails. A National Historic Trail commemorates historic or prehistoric travel routes that are of significance to the entire nation. There are now 16 National Historic and Scenic Trails.

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is administered by the Midwest Regional Office of the National Park Service. The office, located along the Missouri River waterfront in Omaha, Nebraska, is one of the destinations in Lewis and Clark Road Trips.

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail officially begins at Hartford, Illinois and ends on the Pacific Coast at the mouth of the Columbia River. This represents the expedition’s journey from their Wood River Camp starting on May 14, 1804; their arrival at the Pacific Ocean on November 15, 1805; and their return journey which ended in St Louis on September 23, 1806.

How Long Is the Trail?

On the 16th of November, 1805 William Clark recorded his distance estimates: “Ocian 4142 Miles from the Mouth of Missouri R.” It is said that he was only 20 miles off in his reckoning. Trail experts have spent many years researching and debating the location of their campsites, descriptions of which are found in the expedition journals. The National Park Service gives the length of the modern trail at 3700 miles. Jim Wark who flew over the trail and photographed it (Discovering Lewis and Clark from the Air) says his GPS flight plan showed 2,473 miles.

States included in the National Historic Trail are: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

A Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Extension Act is currently being considered by the Congress of the United States.

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