Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
~400 miles along Nebraska's Missouri River border — retracing the Corps of Discovery (1804–1806).
The Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail follows the Missouri River along Nebraska's entire eastern border, where the Corps of Discovery traveled in both 1804 (northbound) and 1806 (southbound). Nebraska has more miles of Lewis & Clark historic corridor than any other state except Missouri and North Dakota.
Trail Information
- Nebraska Length: ~400 miles along the Missouri River border
- Route: Kansas border (Richardson County) north to South Dakota border (Dakota County)
- Designation: National Historic Trail (NPS)
- NPS Headquarters: Omaha, Nebraska
Counties & Key Sites (South to North)
Richardson County
Falls City — Missouri River entry into Nebraska
Nemaha / Otoe Counties
Cass / Sarpy Counties
Douglas County
Omaha — NPS Headquarters, Missouri River crossings · Florence/Winter Quarters
Washington / Burt Counties
Fort Calhoun — Fort Atkinson State Historical Park
Thurston / Dakota Counties
Points of Interest
- Fort Atkinson State Historical Park (Washington County) — first U.S. Army fort west of the Missouri River
- Lewis & Clark Landing, Omaha — riverfront park and NPS visitor facilities
- Sergeant Floyd Monument, Sioux City, IA (across river from South Sioux City)
- Ponca State Park — overlooks and Missouri River access
- Missouri National Recreational River (NPS-designated stretch)
History
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery up the Missouri River in 1804, passing Nebraska's eastern border on their way to the Pacific Ocean. On their return in 1806, they traveled the same corridor southbound. The expedition's journals describe the land, wildlife, and Native nations of the region in extraordinary detail. Nebraska's NPS Lewis & Clark headquarters in Omaha coordinates interpretation along the entire 4,900-mile national trail.
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