Lewis & Clark Expedition

It was one of the most dramatic and significant episodes in the history of the United States.  A primary objective was to find a practical transportation link between the Louisiana Territory and the "Oregon Country". However, the expedition was conceived as more than a geographic exploration. President Thomas Jefferson wanted information on the resources and inhabitants of the territory.
   
The expedition that ascended the Missouri in 1884 proved arduous and slow for the explorers as they towed their boats northward. During that portion of the expedition they camped six times in Atchison County, Missouri. One of those sites is within easy access of Interstate 29 near Rock Port, known as the The Steamboat Trace Biking & Hiking Trail.