July 17, 1805
Climbing Pine Tree Rapids
The dugouts are emptied of heavy items and towed up Pine Tree Rapids. They continue through dark rock cliffs, see currants and serviceberries, and encamp near the Dearborn River in present Montana.
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June 23, 1805
Portage route adjustments
At the White Bear Islands, Lewis establishes an area to assemble the iron-framed boat. On the way back to the lower camp, prickly pears make walking difficult and the men suffer from fatigue.
March 22, 1805
Little Wolf visits
Fort Mandan, ND The second chief of the Big Hidatsa Village pays his first visit and is given the standard diplomatic treatment: a peace medal, gifts, and a speech.
April 6, 1804
Tomahawks and knives
A birch bark canoe bound for the Mackinac post sets out from the expedition’s winter camp at the Wood River. Clark distributes knives and tomahawks, and in the evening, it snows for a short time.
September 18, 1803
Letart Falls
Letart Falls, OH-WV With a dry night and no morning fog, the expedition departs before sunrise. They safely pass a rapid near the present-day community of Letart Falls. Lewis writes his last known journal entry until 11 November 1803.
September 16, 1803
Very bad riffles
Ravenswood, WV After a delay due to morning fog, Lewis pushes the crew until it’s nearly dark. They tire from the labor of unloading the barge, pushing it through the shallow spots, and then re-loading. They pass an area with trees marked by Indians and settlers.
August 6, 1803
Barges and pirogues
Lewis is in Pittsburgh waiting for his military barge to be built. Two Ohio River boats of the day—barges and pirogues—are compared in the context of navigating from Pittsburgh to New Orleans.
This site is provided as a public service by the
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
with cooperation and funding from the following organizations:
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- Montana Committee for the Humanities
- Idaho Governor's Lewis and Clark Trail Committee
- The Capital Gallery (Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation)
- Yellowstone Public Radio
Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).