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Lewis and Clark Pass

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the Blackfoot drainage to the Dearborn drainage, Rogers Pass located 5.3 miles (8.5 km) to the southwest was more than 800 feet (244 m) lower than Lewis and Clark Pass, and modern highway construction and engineering methods favored Rogers Pass over Lewis and Clark Pass for highway construction. Therefore, Rogers Pass is traversed by Montana Highway 200, connecting the cities of Great Falls and Missoula, Montana.
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A road carries the visitor within 1.5 miles of the pass on the west side. Thereafter the visitor must follow the example of earlier Native Americans and travel on foot or horseback to the pass. The extensive use of the Lewis and Clark pass by Native people using dog and horse travois is evidenced by
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Lewis and Clark pass is an exception to the rule that highways follow old Indian pathways. No highway or road crosses this pass today. It is the only pass that Lewis and Clark used that was not later traversed by a road. While the approaches to Lewis and Clark Pass are much easier to traverse from
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On July 7, 1806, late in the day, Lewis and his small party came to the top of the divide between the Blackfoot River and the Dearborn. Lewis described it as "the dividing ridge between the waters of the Columbia and Missouri rivers". Lewis said little about the area other than that he could see
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The goal of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was to find the shortest pathway from the Missouri River drainage to the Columbia River drainage. After crossing Lewis and Clark Pass, Lewis confirmed that the route that went over Lewis and Clark Pass, and then over Lolo Pass farther west, was the most
241:. However, the pass was also used by war parties from the nomadic people living on the plains of Eastern Montana to conduct raids on western Montana tribes living in the inter-mountain valleys. The pass was described as a broad and "well beaten" trail when Meriwether Lewis traversed it in 1806. 236:
guides for Meriwether Lewis in 1806 referred to the pathway over the pass as the "Buffalo Road" or the "Cokahlarishkit" trail. Tribes living in the mountain valleys west of the continental divide used the pass as a shortcut to move out of the mountains and onto the broadreaching eastern Montana
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Of all places along the Lewis and Clark Trail, this is the only pass that is roadless, and it is the only area on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail where it is possible to encounter grizzly bears. On a clear day there are extensive views out over the eastern plains of Montana. Like
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in the far distance, on the skyline of the eastern Montana plains, the landmark now called Square Butte which the Corps had dubbed "Fort Mountain" the previous July. Square Butte can still be seen from the pass on a clear day at a viewing distance of about 40 air miles.
393:, on Highway 200 and is a full service community. Lewis and Clark Pass is located 9 miles east of Lincoln off Highway 200. Turn north onto Alice Creek Rd (FS Road 293) and drive 11 miles to the trailhead. An uphill 1.5 mile hike reaches the summit of the pass. 282:
On the westward leg of their expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1805, Lewis and Clark were unaware of the pass, but by the time of their return they had learned of it from local tribal people and were determined to travel over it. On July 1, 1806, at
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The pass over the continental divide, now known as Lewis and Clark Pass, was part of a much used "road" for Native American people, since it was easily traversible and, most critically, the route traversing Lewis and Clark pass and also
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Valley, Lewis and Clark split into two separate parties. Lewis was to go directly east, using the pass to take a shortcut out of the mountains to the eastern Montana plains. He then planned to veer north to explore the upper
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to one of the least visited passes today. It can be accessed by a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) trail. Modern visitors encounter the pass much as Lewis did in 1806. The furrows left by the countless dog and horse
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that crossed the pass are still visible (though fading), and it is one of the few places along the expedition's route where visitors may still encounter a
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the furrows from travois that are fading but which can still be made out at the crest of the pass and at several places along the approach pathways.
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In the early 19th century, the pass was a heavily-used pathway where native peoples crossed over the continental divide. The pass was crossed by
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until he could cross over to the Yellowstone River, which he would then follow down to the Missouri where he intended to find Lewis.
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Before the time of Lewis and Clark, the pass was probably one of the busiest and most used passes in the northern
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farther west, was the shortest and easiest route between the plains of eastern Montana and the
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drainage to the pass over continental divide. After crossing the pass he then went down the
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Meriwether Lewis, one can see Square Butte 40 miles away on the skyline.
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On July 3, 1806, Lewis left Traveler's Rest with nine men and his dog
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Lewis and Clark Pass is the only roadless mountain pass on the entire
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direct route from the Missouri River to the Columbia River Valley.
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Lewis and Clark Pass is not the lowest pass in the area.
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to the Missouri, and then out onto the plains where the
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The only roadless pass on the Lewis and Clark Trail
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He then turned and followed the 24: 25: 1310: 541:. University of Nebraska, Lincoln 389:is located 58 miles northwest of 1267: 834:Regional designations of Montana 296:Country before returning to the 443:United States Geological Survey 66:Lewis and Clark County, Montana 553: 531: 425: 18:Lewis and Clark Pass (Montana) 13: 1: 418: 333:Clark's Fork of the Columbia 267:Lewis and Clark and the pass 7: 587:. Discovery Lewis and Clark 396: 380: 331:is now located, and up the 314:Three Forks of the Missouri 275:Map plotted and drafted by 237:plains to hunt and harvest 10: 1315: 1299:Mountain passes of Montana 403:Mountain passes in Montana 277:Lewis and Clark Expedition 181:Lewis and Clark Expedition 1263: 970: 852: 809: 748: 676:Congressional delegations 656: 644: 83: 71: 57: 47: 43:6,424 feet (1,958 m) 37: 32: 166:Continental Divide Trail 213:Cascade County, Montana 470:"Lewis and Clark Pass" 433:"Lewis and Clark Pass" 408:Helena National Forest 279: 219:Ancient Indian pathway 162:Lewis and Clark County 158:Helena National Forest 108:47.14278°N 112.42889°W 62:Helena National Forest 829:Glacier National Park 287:on Lolo Creek in the 274: 152:and the east-flowing 78:Lewis and Clark Range 134:Lewis and Clark Pass 119:Lewis and Clark Pass 113:47.14278; -112.42889 33:Lewis and Clark Pass 740:Tourist attractions 728:The Last Best Place 519:on 18 December 2010 476:on 21 February 2013 318:East Gallatin River 250:Montana Highway 200 103: /  1274:Montana portal 280: 142:continental divide 1281: 1280: 368:Visiting the pass 131: 130: 16:(Redirected from 1306: 1272: 1271: 1270: 627: 620: 613: 604: 603: 597: 596: 594: 592: 581: 572: 571: 569: 567: 557: 551: 550: 548: 546: 535: 529: 528: 526: 524: 518: 512:. Archived from 511: 503: 486: 485: 483: 481: 466: 451: 450: 429: 173:Meriwether Lewis 127: 126: 124: 123: 122: 120: 115: 114: 109: 104: 101: 100: 99: 96: 30: 29: 21: 1314: 1313: 1309: 1308: 1307: 1305: 1304: 1303: 1284: 1283: 1282: 1277: 1268: 1266: 1259: 1100:Lewis and Clark 966: 848: 839:Western Montana 819:Eastern Montana 805: 744: 713:Protected areas 652: 640: 631: 601: 600: 590: 588: 583: 582: 575: 565: 563: 559: 558: 554: 544: 542: 537: 536: 532: 522: 520: 516: 509: 505: 504: 489: 479: 477: 468: 467: 454: 431: 430: 426: 421: 399: 391:Helena, Montana 383: 370: 361: 310:Jefferson River 285:Traveler's Rest 269: 261:Rocky Mountains 221: 150:Blackfoot River 118: 116: 112: 110: 106: 105: 102: 97: 94: 92: 90: 89: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1312: 1302: 1301: 1296: 1279: 1278: 1264: 1261: 1260: 1258: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1187: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1162: 1157: 1152: 1147: 1142: 1137: 1132: 1127: 1122: 1117: 1112: 1107: 1102: 1097: 1092: 1087: 1082: 1077: 1072: 1067: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1047: 1042: 1037: 1032: 1027: 1022: 1017: 1012: 1007: 1002: 997: 992: 987: 982: 976: 974: 968: 967: 965: 964: 959: 954: 949: 944: 939: 934: 929: 924: 919: 914: 909: 904: 899: 894: 889: 887:Columbia Falls 884: 879: 874: 869: 864: 858: 856: 854:Largest cities 850: 849: 847: 846: 841: 836: 831: 826: 821: 815: 813: 807: 806: 804: 803: 798: 793: 788: 783: 778: 773: 768: 763: 758: 752: 750: 746: 745: 743: 742: 737: 735:Transportation 732: 731: 730: 720: 715: 710: 705: 704: 703: 693: 688: 683: 678: 673: 671:Climate change 668: 662: 660: 654: 653: 645: 642: 641: 630: 629: 622: 615: 607: 599: 598: 573: 552: 530: 487: 452: 423: 422: 420: 417: 416: 415: 410: 405: 398: 395: 382: 379: 369: 366: 360: 357: 341:Dearborn River 306:Big Hole River 298:Missouri River 268: 265: 230:Columbia River 220: 217: 154:Dearborn River 129: 128: 87: 81: 80: 75: 69: 68: 59: 55: 54: 49: 45: 44: 41: 35: 34: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1311: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1291: 1289: 1276: 1275: 1262: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1228: 1226: 1223: 1221: 1218: 1216: 1213: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1203: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1166: 1163: 1161: 1158: 1156: 1153: 1151: 1148: 1146: 1143: 1141: 1138: 1136: 1133: 1131: 1128: 1126: 1123: 1121: 1118: 1116: 1113: 1111: 1108: 1106: 1103: 1101: 1098: 1096: 1093: 1091: 1088: 1086: 1083: 1081: 1078: 1076: 1073: 1071: 1070:Golden Valley 1068: 1066: 1063: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1046: 1043: 1041: 1038: 1036: 1033: 1031: 1028: 1026: 1023: 1021: 1018: 1016: 1013: 1011: 1008: 1006: 1003: 1001: 998: 996: 993: 991: 988: 986: 983: 981: 978: 977: 975: 973: 969: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 900: 898: 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 878: 875: 873: 870: 868: 865: 863: 860: 859: 857: 855: 851: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 816: 814: 812: 808: 802: 799: 797: 794: 792: 789: 787: 784: 782: 779: 777: 774: 772: 769: 767: 764: 762: 759: 757: 754: 753: 751: 747: 741: 738: 736: 733: 729: 726: 725: 724: 723:State symbols 721: 719: 716: 714: 711: 709: 706: 702: 699: 698: 697: 694: 692: 689: 687: 684: 682: 679: 677: 674: 672: 669: 667: 664: 663: 661: 659: 655: 650: 649: 643: 639: 635: 628: 623: 621: 616: 614: 609: 608: 605: 586: 580: 578: 562: 556: 540: 534: 515: 508: 502: 500: 498: 496: 494: 492: 475: 471: 465: 463: 461: 459: 457: 448: 444: 440: 439: 434: 428: 424: 414: 411: 409: 406: 404: 401: 400: 394: 392: 388: 378: 374: 365: 356: 352: 348: 346: 342: 338: 334: 330: 326: 321: 319: 315: 311: 307: 303: 299: 295: 290: 286: 278: 273: 264: 262: 257: 255: 251: 247: 242: 240: 235: 232:Valley. The 231: 227: 216: 214: 210: 206: 202: 197: 193: 188: 186: 185:William Clark 182: 178: 174: 169: 167: 163: 159: 155: 151: 147: 143: 139: 138:mountain pass 135: 125: 88: 86: 82: 79: 76: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: 56: 53: 50: 46: 42: 40: 36: 31: 19: 1265: 1165:Powder River 1090:Judith Basin 824:The Flathead 776:Demographics 701:bibliography 646: 589:. Retrieved 564:. Retrieved 555: 543:. Retrieved 533: 521:. Retrieved 514:the original 478:. Retrieved 474:the original 436: 427: 385:The town of 384: 375: 371: 362: 353: 349: 322: 312:down to the 294:Marias River 281: 258: 243: 222: 209:Square Butte 205:grizzly bear 189: 170: 133: 132: 48:Traversed by 1255:Yellowstone 1220:Sweet Grass 1140:Musselshell 902:Great Falls 844:Yellowstone 801:LGBT rights 591:29 February 566:29 February 545:29 February 523:29 February 480:29 February 302:Yellowstone 246:Rogers Pass 196:pioneer era 111: / 98:112°25′44″W 85:Coordinates 1288:Categories 1215:Stillwater 1210:Silver Bow 1035:Deer Lodge 995:Broadwater 980:Beaverhead 942:Miles City 937:Livingston 686:Government 419:References 289:Bitterroot 117: ( 95:47°08′34″N 1245:Wheatland 1190:Roosevelt 1150:Petroleum 1085:Jefferson 962:Whitefish 932:Lewistown 922:Kalispell 786:Education 691:Governors 681:Geography 651:(capital) 337:Blackfoot 234:Nez Perce 226:Lolo Pass 156:, in the 39:Elevation 1235:Treasure 1205:Sheridan 1185:Richland 1155:Phillips 1135:Missoula 1060:Garfield 1055:Gallatin 1050:Flathead 1015:Chouteau 985:Big Horn 972:Counties 947:Missoula 907:Hamilton 897:Glendive 872:Billings 867:Belgrade 862:Anaconda 796:Politics 791:Gun laws 761:Cannabis 756:Abortion 397:See also 381:Location 347:roamed. 329:Missoula 58:Location 1200:Sanders 1195:Rosebud 1180:Ravalli 1175:Prairie 1160:Pondera 1130:Mineral 1125:Meagher 1115:Madison 1110:Lincoln 1105:Liberty 1075:Granite 1065:Glacier 1025:Daniels 1010:Cascade 877:Bozeman 811:Regions 781:Economy 771:Culture 749:Society 696:History 638:Montana 387:Lincoln 345:buffalo 254:travois 239:buffalo 201:travois 146:Montana 140:on the 1250:Wibaux 1240:Valley 1170:Powell 1120:McCone 1045:Fergus 1040:Fallon 1030:Dawson 1020:Custer 1005:Carter 1000:Carbon 990:Blaine 957:Sidney 952:Polson 927:Laurel 917:Helena 892:Dillon 718:Sports 708:People 658:Topics 648:Helena 325:Seaman 177:Seaman 164:. The 1230:Toole 1225:Teton 912:Havre 882:Butte 766:Crime 666:Index 634:State 517:(PDF) 510:(PDF) 136:is a 73:Range 1145:Park 1095:Lake 1080:Hill 593:2012 568:2012 547:2012 525:2012 482:2012 636:of 211:in 160:in 144:in 1290:: 576:^ 490:^ 455:^ 445:, 441:. 435:. 256:. 187:. 64:, 626:e 619:t 612:v 595:. 570:. 549:. 527:. 484:. 449:. 121:) 20:)

Index

Lewis and Clark Pass (Montana)
Elevation
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Helena National Forest
Lewis and Clark County, Montana
Range
Lewis and Clark Range
Coordinates
47°08′34″N 112°25′44″W / 47.14278°N 112.42889°W / 47.14278; -112.42889 (Lewis and Clark Pass)
mountain pass
continental divide
Montana
Blackfoot River
Dearborn River
Helena National Forest
Lewis and Clark County
Continental Divide Trail
Meriwether Lewis
Seaman
Lewis and Clark Expedition
William Clark
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
pioneer era
travois
grizzly bear
Square Butte
Cascade County, Montana
Lolo Pass
Columbia River
Nez Perce

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