Look forward in time to the Bicentennial of Lewis & Clark's 8,000-mile expedition, which starts in 2004 to appreciate the place of Montana in American history. More than a quarter of the explorers' journey was spent in Montana, crossing scenic countryside on foot, on horseback, and by boat to locate an inland waterway to the Pacific Ocean.
Many Lewis & Clark trail sites remain unchanged in Montana from the early 1800s, allowing visitors to retrace the adventure hazarded by Corps of Discovery expedition members.
To fully understand the breadth and significance of this journey across the vast Montana plains, begin at the new Lewis & Clark Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Great Falls. Overlooking the Missouri River -- where the explorers portaged boats and supplies around five sets of waterfalls -- the Center brings to life their experience through interactive displays.
On their Montana trek, the Corps of Discovery explored a 149-mile stretch of the Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River in nearby Fort Benton and camped alongside its banks. To follow the sailors' river route, visitors can take a boat tour or rent a canoe and experience the wilderness alone.
Picturesque White Cliffs, abandoned homesteads, and abundant wildlife antelope, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, even grizzly bears are part of the epic Montana panorama.
As an artist signs a canvas, Captain William Clark inscribed his name and the date "July 25, 1806" to commemorate the long journey at Pompeys Pillar, a flat-topped sandstone hill east of Billings, Montana. Its Visitor Center offers interpretive tours, and the surroundings are ideal for hiking and picnicking.
Native Americana and More
Vacationers fascinated by Native American culture can travel back in time with a member of the Crow Tribe, and do it in rustic comfort. At Crow Indian Reservation campsites in Lodge Grass, near the Little Bighorn River, you can overnight in a teepee or wall tent on uninhabited land, eat meals cooked over an open fire, and visit Crows Nest (where Custer's scouts first spied the large Indian encampment) with Native American guides.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument commemorates Custer's Last Stand. Now a national monument, the site is bordered by the Crow Indian Reservation.
Crow Fair, the "Teepee Capital of the World," is held each year on the third weekend of August. Join the Crow people and other tribes in celebrating their heritage with dancing, parades, an all-Indian rodeo, and wild horse races.
In the southwest corner of Montana, Gold West Country evokes the excitement of the gold rush era. Restored camps in Bannack and Virginia City recall the promise of striking it rich. Helena's 19th-century mansions, built when Last Chance Gulch made it the wealthiest city per capita in the United States, are architectural delights. Outside of town try your hand mining for sapphires and gold at Red Rock Mines or treasure-hunt for antiques at Robbers Roost, where bandits once plotted daring stagecoach hold-ups.
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