Williston, North Dakota to Great Falls, Montana
(421 miles)

Follow the 1805 route of Lewis and Clark through "Big Sky Country".

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Venture west through the breathtaking Missouri River country where Lewis and Clark traveled in 1805. From Williston, North Dakota to Great Falls, Montana, the route traces their path of discovery, braving untamed wildlife, forging rivers, and encountering wonders both natural and cultural. Along this stretch, history comes alive through wildlife refuges, prehistoric discoveries, dramatic landscapes, and legacy-filled interpretive centers.

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Trail Highlights

Near Poplar, Montana (May 5, 1805)

• Captain Clark and George Drouillard encountered and killed a large brown bear.

Captain Lewis recorded:
📖 “He measured 8 feet 7 ½ inches from the nose to the extremity of the hind feet, 5 feet 10 ½ inches around the breast… his talons were 4 3/8 inches in length.”

• Milk River (Named May 8, 1805)
  The largest northern tributary of the Missouri River. Lewis described it as:
  📖 “…about the color of a cup of tea with a tablespoonful of milk… from the color of its water we called it Milk River.”

• Near Fort Peck, Montana (May 9, 1805)
  Buffalo herds were so dense that the men threw sticks and stones to clear their path. Lewis also wrote fondly of a dish called “boudin blanc” made from buffalo intestines.

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POINTS OF INTEREST

📍Fort Peck, Montana

• Fort Peck Dam

  • Largest embankment dam in the U.S., completed in 1937

  • 1.25 billion cubic yards of earth, four miles long

  • Tours available June–September
     

📍Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR)

• • 1.1 million acres of preserved wilderness

  • Home to elk, deer, bighorn sheep, antelope, and more

  • Includes the 250,000-acre Fort Peck Reservoir and Missouri Breaks wilderness

  • 👉Fun Fact: A Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton was discovered here... Big Mike
     

📍Fort Benton, Montana

Lewis & Clark Memorial and National Monument

• • Heroic-size statue on the steamboat levee by sculptor Bob Scriver

  • Known as the “Gateway to the Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument”. Lewis and Clark navigated this remarkable stretch of the Missouri River—now celebrated as one of the crown jewels of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

              📖“This scenery… already rich, romantic, and beautiful… appeared in one view like the                  visionary enchantment of fairyland.”
              — Meriwether Lewis, June 1805

Museum of the Northern Great Plains

The American Bison once roamed the Great Plains in numbers so vast the horizon itself seemed to move. They symbolized strength, stability, and freedom.

Yet only 81 years after Lewis & Clark passed along the Missouri, their existence was nearly gone. Concerned, Washington, D.C. sent William Hornaday west, where he stumbled upon bison bones scattered across Montana’s prairies. From that journey, he returned with 24 buffalo to the Smithsonian—only six were mounted, preserving the life-size memory of America’s mighty buffalo.

One of them—a 5’9”, 2,200-pound bull—became legendary. Known as the “Big Bull,” this magnificent creature inspired countless national symbols:
💰 The Lewis & Clark $10 bill
🏞️ The National Park Service badge
📜 The Great Seal of the Department of the Interior
💌 U.S. postage stamps

In 1996, the six Hornaday buffalo finally came home—now on permanent display at the Museum of the Northern Great Plains in Fort Benton, Montana, the birthplace of Montana itself.

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📍Great Falls, Montana

• Field Notes
  On June 13, 1805, the Corps reached the Great Falls of the Missouri. Expecting a two-day portage, they instead faced a grueling journey around a 20-mile series of falls with a 500-foot elevation gain.

• Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center
  A powerful and immersive exhibit experience – not to be missed

• Giant Springs Heritage Park
  One of the largest freshwater springs in the world and home of the Roe River, the world’s shortest river

• C.M. Russell Museum Complex
  Features Charlie Russell’s home, original log studio, and expansive museum galleries

• Overlook Park
  Bronze monument of Lewis, Clark, York, and Seaman by Bob Scriver
  Scenic views of the river and trail route

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📍Ulm, Montana

• First People's Buffalo Jump 

  • Possibly the largest buffalo jump in the world

  • Cliffs stretch over a mile with bison bone deposits over 13 feet deep

  • Used by Native peoples between 900 and 1500 A.D.
     

When you’re ready to hit the road (or sky) ✈️Find the perfect hotel, flight, or VRBO with Expedia—book today!