Lewis & Clark Trail Bicycle Route
Encyclopedia
The Adventure Cycling Association
Lewis & Clark Trail Bicycle Route is a US Cycle route divided into multiple route segments/side routes. The route is a total of 3253 mi (5,235.2 km). This route was created to celebrate the anniversary of the Corps of Discovery's 1804-1806 historic journey and offers cyclists the opportunity to follow the path of the explorers Captains Meriwether Lewis
and William Clark and their Native American guides. It includes seven map sections detailing the 1804-1805 westbound trip, roughly following the Missouri River
and the Columbia River
, and one map section showing Clark's 1806 eastbound return along the Yellowstone River
.
, with occasional short sections of gravel roads. Conditions vary from rural to urban.
Lewis and Clark's expedition travelled more often by boat via rivers than by land, and this route follows the rivers as closely as possible. Occasional rough roads, narrow to non-existent shoulders, and sparse services make this a more challenging route and requires a fat-tired touring bicycle. A water filter is required, as many of the camp grounds available are primitive and do not have potable water sources. Using motels, requires planning ahead and the readiness to ride some long days, perhaps as much as 100 miles (160.9 km). Distances between services in some areas can be substantial, so prior planning of daily mileage is important.
Options and alternates offer the significant variety. The route covers 4,630 mapped miles (7,454 km). Travelling the most historically correct (main) westbound route over Lemhi Pass, the ride is 3254 miles (5,236.8 km) to reach the Pacific Ocean. In total, there are 174 miles (280 km) of unpaved rail-trail and 214 miles (344.4 km) of gravel, 13 of which are unavoidable if you stay on the route. Some options allow riders to avoid gravel sections or to ride closer to the Missouri River, whereas others offer historical side trips and rarely seen vistas, like the view from Lewis and Clark Pass.
Major funding for the Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail was provided by REI
. Sections of this route have been sponsored by the Sierra Club
and Mr. James C. Becker, Vancouver, Washington.
Adventure Cycling Association
The Adventure Cycling Association is a national cycling association in the United States which provides services for cycle-tourists, publishes maps and campaigns for better cycling facilities. Its headquarters are in Missoula, Montana...
Lewis & Clark Trail Bicycle Route is a US Cycle route divided into multiple route segments/side routes. The route is a total of 3253 mi (5,235.2 km). This route was created to celebrate the anniversary of the Corps of Discovery's 1804-1806 historic journey and offers cyclists the opportunity to follow the path of the explorers Captains Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
and William Clark and their Native American guides. It includes seven map sections detailing the 1804-1805 westbound trip, roughly following the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
and the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, and one map section showing Clark's 1806 eastbound return along the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
.
Route
The main route of the Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail is made up of paved roads, bike paths, and unpaved rail-trailsRail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
, with occasional short sections of gravel roads. Conditions vary from rural to urban.
Lewis and Clark's expedition travelled more often by boat via rivers than by land, and this route follows the rivers as closely as possible. Occasional rough roads, narrow to non-existent shoulders, and sparse services make this a more challenging route and requires a fat-tired touring bicycle. A water filter is required, as many of the camp grounds available are primitive and do not have potable water sources. Using motels, requires planning ahead and the readiness to ride some long days, perhaps as much as 100 miles (160.9 km). Distances between services in some areas can be substantial, so prior planning of daily mileage is important.
Options and alternates offer the significant variety. The route covers 4,630 mapped miles (7,454 km). Travelling the most historically correct (main) westbound route over Lemhi Pass, the ride is 3254 miles (5,236.8 km) to reach the Pacific Ocean. In total, there are 174 miles (280 km) of unpaved rail-trail and 214 miles (344.4 km) of gravel, 13 of which are unavoidable if you stay on the route. Some options allow riders to avoid gravel sections or to ride closer to the Missouri River, whereas others offer historical side trips and rarely seen vistas, like the view from Lewis and Clark Pass.
Sponsors
In response to all of the interest and activity in the years leading up to the Lewis & Clark expedition bicentennial celebration, the National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial was formed. Working hand in hand with federal and state agencies, Indian tribes, and other groups and individuals, the council coordinated dozens of partners, programs, and events concerned with commemorating the bicentennial. The council recognized the Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail map series as part of the nationwide celebration.Major funding for the Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail was provided by REI
Rei
-People:*Rei, the Biblical term for those who retained their allegiance to King David when Adonijah rebelled, as mentioned in 1 Kings 1:8*Rei Hiroe*Rei Igarashi*Rei Kawakubo*Rei Kikukawa*Rei Mikamoto*Rei Munakata*Rei Okamoto*Rei Omishi...
. Sections of this route have been sponsored by the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
and Mr. James C. Becker, Vancouver, Washington.
States on the trail
- MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
- KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
- NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
- IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
- South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
- North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
- MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
- IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
- Washington
- OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...