Return to the United States

Return to the United States. Blackfoot Corridor. On his return journey in July 1806 Capt. Meriwether Lewis crossed the continental divide at Lewis and Clark Pass about 2 miles west of here. He was now on land of the Louisiana Purchase and back in United States territory. He was following the ancient Indian trail known as the "Road-to-the-Buffalo." The mountain dwelling tribes - Salish, Nez Perce, Shoshone, an others - used this road for centuries for their excursions into the northern plains to hunt buffalo. , The Corps of Discovery split at "Travelers Rest" near Missoula. Capt. Clark's group traveled a southern route to the Jefferson River and the Three Forks where they split again - the larger group retrieved the canoes and descended the Jefferson and Missouri rivers (later to meet up with Lewis and his group) and a small group, with Clark, explored the Yellowstone River area. The entire expedition regrouped near the mouth of the Yellowstone. , Capt. Lewis and his group proceeded north to the great falls following the Nez Perce route. At the Missouri, this group also split again - the larger was left to portage boats, papers and maps around the falls. The smaller group with Lewis circled furthers north to meet the Blackfeet and to determine how far the drainage of the Marias River extended. Lewis's exploration was to provide a legitimate argument for the United States in establishing the fathers north boundary possible between the U.S. and British Canada. , "the road which they (the Nez Perce) shewed me ... would lead up the East branch of Clark's river and a river called Cokahlarishkit or the river of the road to buffaloe and thence to ... the falls of the Missouri where we wished to go. They alleged that as the road was a well beaten track we could not now miss our way. -- Meriwether Lewis, July 3, 1806