Lewis & Clarks Red Bluffs

Lewis & Clarks Red Bluffs

July 29, 2007.

We are staying in Lincoln Road RV-Park Helena, MT less than a mile west of I-15 at exit 200. Lincoln Road RV-Park is about 10-miles north of downtown Helena but in a very good position to access everything in the area. $25.04 with Good Sam discount plus-taxes for FHU in nice gravel pull-thru sites with some shade. Free wifi was available but no cable TV. The free wifi was available but you had to take your laptop to the office (it wasn't available from your RV).

We headed south from Helena this morning on US-278 looking for some landmarks made famous in American history by Lewis & Clark. As we near Townsend the Missouri River flows under US-278. On the north side of the river we turn west and follow River Road along the western bank of the Missouri. It should be noted that the Missouri River flows from south to north in this area of Montana. We are on the west side of the river to visit several the Red Bluffs & Yorks Islands mentioned in journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

Red Bluffs of the Missouri River as seen from the bluff

The first of the locations mentioned in journals of the expedition are the "Red Bluffs". It is hot, as in 100-degrees when we arrive at the "Red-Bluffs". The sign says it is a short walk to the bluffs. I am determined to see the bluffs, but it is hot, yet we have driven 5-miles down this dusty gravel River Road just to see these Red Clifs. I put on a wide brim hat and we head out.

Half way to the river Joyce took this picture looking to the south (upriver) of the Missouri River. We thought we might be seeing York's Islands but York's Islands turned out to be just a little further upriver that we can see in this picture.

Also, the "short-walk" turned out to be a hike and it was HOT, miserably hot! But we continued on, determined to see the "Crimson-Cliff" described in those journals.

Lewis & Clarks Red Bluffs on the Missouri River

"From the river, the bluffs' iron laden earth is a vibrant red when lit by the sun's early morning rays" read one Journal.

Sgt. Gass noted in his journal on the same day,"...passed a bank of very red earth, which ...the natives use for paint..."

At long last we are at those red cliffs. This is the best view I can get of the red-cliff from the top of the cliff. In this view we are looking north (downstream) from the western side of the Missouri.

Lewis & Clarks Red Bluffs on the Missouri River

Meriwether Lewis' Journal entry of July 24, 1805: "Set out at sunrise, the current very strong; passed a remarkable bluff of a crimson coloured earth on Starboard intermixed with stratos of black and brick red slate...".

Lewis & Clarks Red Bluffs

Imagine canoeing against the Missouri's current never sure what may be around the next bend. These red-hued cliffs on the west side of the Missouri River must have been a pleasant surprise for the Corps of Discovery on that early summer morning in late July 1805.

Not far upriver from these red-cliffs (upriver is south) will be York's Islands another landmark noted in the journals. You will recall that York was Clark's slave that accompanied him on the expedition. We took a picture from the top of the cliff looking upriver thinking we were getting a picture of York's Islands but we later discovered that they were a few miles further upriver that we had suspected.