Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, National historic trail from Pittsburgh to Pacific Ocean, United States
This route runs from Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania to the Pacific coast in Oregon and Washington, covering roughly 7,900 kilometers (4,900 miles) through sixteen states. The path follows the Missouri River upstream, crosses the Rocky Mountains, and then tracks the Columbia River downstream to the ocean.
A group led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St. Louis in 1804 and reached the Pacific two years later, making contact with numerous indigenous nations along the way. The journey brought back detailed records of geography, plants, and animals that expanded knowledge of the western portion of the continent.
The trail crosses the homelands of many tribal nations, and the National Park Service administers it while sites are run by federal, state, local, tribal and private groups. The route is not a hiking path: it is a driving corridor marked along existing roads, with signed sections on both sides of the Missouri between St. Louis and East Fairview, North Dakota.
Several visitor centers along the way offer maps and information about nearby sections that can be explored on foot or by canoe. The headquarters in Omaha provides materials to help plan hikes and camping trips along selected segments.
In 2019 the route was expanded by an additional 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) running along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, incorporating the original starting point. This expansion made it the longest route within the national system.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,542 contributors worldwide.
