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In 1804, Meriwether Lewis & William Clark began a voyage of discovery with 45 men, a keelboat, two pirogues, and a dog. They departed from Camp Wood, located in what was to become Illinois. President Thomas Jefferson had long dreamed of what lay to the west of the young United States – the animals, plants, and minerals, and a route for eastern trade. The President had privately requested Congress to fund the expedition shortly before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Lewis and Clark were ordered to write accounts of all they did, each species encountered, details of cultures they met, maps of the land—everything. They traveled over a three-year period through lands that later became 11 states. Most of the trail follows the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. Much has changed in 200 years but trail portions remain intact. At 3700 miles (5,950 km), the trail is the second longest of the 23 National Scenic and National Historic Trails. It begins at Hartford, Illinois, and passes through portions of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The official headquarters for the trail is located at the National Park Service, Mid-West Regional Headquarters, in Omaha, Nebraska.
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