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Day
1 - Arrivals
Upon arrival at St. Louis Lambert Airport passengers will be transported to our hotel, to freshen up for a festive welcome dinner to kick off our commemorative expedition. (D)
Day 2 - Museum of Westward Expansion / Historic St. Charles
Our journey retracing the steps of the Corps of Discovery begins with a visit to the Museum of Westward Expansion for an overview of this epic voyage. Then it's on to historic St. Charles, a thriving fur-trading settlement at the time of the Corps' departure in 1804, and their last sight of "civilization". We'll stroll the same cobblestone streets and learn about the expedition's final departure preparations before heading west along the Missouri, our touchstone for the next 1,500 miles.
Overnight in Columbia, MO.
(B)
Day 3 - National Frontier Trails Center/ Fort Osage
Nearly all of America's
major westward expansion trails began at a well in Independence,
Missouri, where the National Frontier Trails Center now stands. We'll
view the special exhibits on the 200th Anniversary of the Lewis &
Clark Expedition, tour the amazing Arabia Steamboat Museum for a look at
period lifestyles and trade goods, and visit other historically
significant sites in the area. Today's special dinner will be a sampling
of what explorers and pioneers on the trail might have eaten at a
replica of Fort Osage, which was built at the suggestion of William
Clark to protect the growing fur trade in the West. Overnight in Kansas
City, MO. (B, D).
Day 4 - Omaha / Council Bluffs
Two months after departing from St. Louis, the Corps of Discovery was
still in present-day Missouri. Fortunately our latter-day journey is
measured in days instead of years. The river turns northward here as we
head for Council Bluffs, named for the Corps' first encounter with
Native Americans. We'll spend the morning touring the historic sites of
St. Joseph, another "jumping off" point for the settlers to
follow in Lewis & Clark's wake. This evening we'll browse through
Omaha's famous Old Market. Overnight in Omaha. (B)
Day 5 - Fort Atkinson
/ National
Historic Trails Center
On today's agenda is a tour of Fort Atkinson, yet another frontier fort
built on the recommendation of Wm. Clark. We will tour the
reconstruction and view the video and exhibits from this early 19th
century period. We'll also tour the brand new National Western
Historical Trails Center (which contains information on the Mormon Trail
as well) and enjoy a campfire lunch on the riverside before proceeding
on. Our overnight tonight is in South Sioux City, NE. (B, L)
Day 6 - Akta Lakota Museum / Living History
Today's agenda includes Gavin's Point Dam, site of the first encounter
with the Yankton Sioux, plus a visit to world famous St. Joseph Indian
School where the outstanding Akta Lakota Museum offers a view of the
Native Americans whose lives were so affected by the course of events
set in motion by the discoveries of the expedition. An evening living
history program and authentic meal served on the banks of the Missouri
River top off a perfect day on the Northern Plains. Tonight's
accommodations are at the Cedar Shores Resort, overlooking the Missouri
River just north of Chamberlain, SD. (D)
Day 7 - Houk Buffalo Ranch / Arikara Lodge
Upwards of 70 million bison once roamed the vast plains of North
America, but without the intervention of ranchers like Roy Houk of Ft.
Pierre, these hardy pre-historic mammals were on their way to
extinction. Best known as the major film site for the Academy
Award-winning Dances With Wolves, the Houk ranch now offers four-wheel
drive tours over rolling pastures for a close-up view of these
magnificent beasts. Further upstream, at a remarkably undisturbed bend
in the river, we'll visit a replica of an Arikara earthlodge located
where Lewis & Clark encountered a village in September of 1804.
After a day full of natural wonders, we'll overnight on the Standing
Rock Sioux Reservation, just over the North Dakota border. (L)
Day 8 - North Dakota Heritage Center/ Lewis & Clark Riverboat
Today we'll tour the outstanding exhibits at the North Dakota Heritage
Center and visit the Five Nations Arts Center in the present city of
Bismarck. Dinner will be aboard the Lewis & Clark Riverboat as we
cruise on the mighty Missouri which has become a familiar friend over
the course of our journey. (D)
Day 9 - Fort Mandan/ Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center
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. The latterday Fort Abraham
Lincoln (Lt. Col G.A. Custer's last assignment) was built adjacent to an
ancient earthlodge which was already abandoned when Lewis & Clark
sailed by. We'll tour the rebuilt lodges and visit the small museum at
On-A-Slant Village. 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 Villages. The outstanding interpretive center
and model earth lodge shed light on the people who continually inhabited
this site for as long as 500-600 years ago to 1845. We'll overnight
tonight in Williston.
Day 10 - Fort Union, Pompey's Pillar
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 Pompys 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 the
only remaining physical evidence along the Lewis & Clark Trail.
Overnight tonight in Billings. (D)
Day 11 - Gates of the Mountains
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
the same sights that awed Lewis & Clark.
Overnight tonight in Great Falls. (L)
Day 12 - Fort Benton / Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center
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 this morning before heading up to historic Fort Benton, a
bustling river port of the last century. 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 a dinner at the Giant Springs
location. Overnight again in Great Falls. (B,D)
Day 13 - Lolo Trail / Nez Perce National Historic 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: Lewiston, ID. (B,L)
Day 14 - The Dalles
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 recreate some of the events of Oct. 17-18, 1805. The
outstanding new Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will highlight this
afternoon's agenda. Overnight in The Dalles.
Day 15 - End of the Trail: Columbia Gorge, Fort Clatsop
Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area and Multnomah Falls highlight our
morning's journey. We'll tour the sites of that dreary winter where
Sakakawea saw her beached whale, and Seaside, location of the salt
works. Then it's on to winter camp at the recreation of Fort Clatsop,
the capstone of our Lewis & Clark adventure. A gala farewell dinner
rounds out the day and our journey, as we compare notes and recount our
own highlights. Overnight: Seaside, OR. (D)
Day 16 - Departures
Our return to Portland is a scenic drive through the verdant Willamette
Valley which lured the generation after Lewis & Clark on their own
westward overland trail. Airport transfers to Portland after 1:00 pm.
Package Includes:
15 nights lodging, Deluxe motorcoach, 7 evening meals, 4 lunches
10 breakfasts, admission fees & park entrance fees,
group photo, baggage handling, airport transfers
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