The "Yellowstone River" Walkway

The "Yellowstone River" Walkway. Clark on the Yellowstone River. , As you walk down the curving sidewalk through the Interpretive Center to the Pillar, notice the narrow strip of concrete that runs near the middle. This represents a map of the Yellowstone River. It runs from the vase of the Bozeman Pass where William Clark first encountered the river, to its confluence with the Missouri River. The interpretive sign where William Clark first encountered the river, to its confluence with the Missouri River. The interpretive sign just behind you is the confluence. The dark bands that cross the walkway indict stops that Clark made as he traveled down the river. Since Clark was traveling downstream and you are walking upstream, you will read the interpretive signs in the reverse order. that Clark experienced the events. , The large sidewalk also represents the Yellowstone River, but at a much larger scale. As the Yellowstone flows from Yellowstone National Park to its confluence with the Missouri, it changes from a mountain river to a plains river. , The mountain river is swift and contains rapids. The plains river is slower, meanders more, and has many islands. Such a river is often called a braided river because of the way it twists and turns around the islands. Pompeys Pillar is near the beginning of the braided portion of the river. The broad sidewalk represents this part of the Yellowstone. The native plant gardens embedded in the walk represent the islands. When you reach the top of the Pillar, you will be able to see several sandbars and islands woven into the actual Yellowstone River.