These National Park Service maps represent the Lewis & Clark VA travel dates and destinations of one or both explorers immediately prior to the Expedition (March 1803 – December 1803) and after the Corps of Discovery returned, from October 1806 to March 1813.
Since the Virginia Lewis & Clark Legacy Trail effort was begun in 2011, additional Lewis & Clark VA travel dates by Meriwether Lewis & William Clark and respective locations in Virginia have been discovered. They begin as early as 1800-1801 when both Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled to Virginia with their Army buddy, Billy Preston, of Greenfield, Botetourt County to as late as 1820 when Clark’s wife, Julia Hancock Clark died and was buried at Fotheringay, in Elliston (Montgomery County). Adding these time periods better reflect the history of the Virginia trail and the explorers’ “whole life stories,” understood to have been one of the reasons the Eastern Legacy Study was initially authorized by Congress.
The Virginia Lewis and Clark Trail organization is working in cooperation and collaboration with property owners to support future historic tourism of Lewis and Clark sites in Virginia and to provide the best possible experience for all visitors. As such, we discourage visiting current sites when proper arrangements have not been made with and consent obtained from property owners. If you wish to support this effort in Virginia, the “Along the Trail” page offers contact name, phone number, and websites (if available) for your information.