Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Route, 4,900 Miles Across 16 States

4,900 miles of geospatial centerline data representing the official Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The National Park Service developed this route approximation using data from a 2018 extension study, historic river channel mapping, and overland trail research. It commemorates the 1803-1806 expedition and was congressionally designated in 1978.

Use Cases

• Map the historic expedition route based on the described 4,900-mile centerline.
• Analyze geographic connectivity across 16 states based on the trail's described path.
• Create educational visualizations of the Corps of Discovery journey based on the congressionally designated route.
• Study changes in river channels and landscapes over time based on the inclusion of historic Missouri River data.

Strengths

• Official National Park Service centerline designated by Congress.
• Approximately 4,900 miles of trail connecting 16 distinct states.
• Spatial data derived from multiple authoritative sources, including a 2018 extension study.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

Collection Method

Derived from the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Extension Study (2018), historic river channel data, and overland trail research.

Time Range

Commemorates the 1803-1806 expedition; route designated in 1978 and amended through 2019.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-04 00:55:31.832184; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Extends from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Columbia River in Oregon, covering 16 states.