Ride the Lewis & Clark Trail

Missouri and Kansas are poised to play an important role in the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Atchison, Leavenworht, and Kansas City are planning a massive celebration on the 4th of July, 2004, called "Journey Fourth". Lewis and Clark celebrated the 4th of July, 1804, near what is now Atchison, Kansas.

Atchison is planning to open a new hike/bike riverfront trail in time for the celebration. Kansas City is planning to open a riverfront site used by Lewis and Clark, and Fort Osage (approx 15 miles east of Kansas City, MO), established by William Clark in 1808, will be the site of a new $3.9 million visitors center.

In May 2004, re-enactors will launch their keelboat from St. Louis. They will re-enact Lewis and Clark's original timetable, arriving in the Kansas City area in late June.

The re-enactment and associated activities will be the focus of national and international attention. According to a Kansas City Star article, "National planners estimate that 25 million travelers will hike, bike, drive or paddle in Lewis and Clark's path during the bicentennial."

MoDOT is planning to have a signed Lewis and Clark bicycle route in place by 2004. It will likely be followed by thousands of cyclists. The route has not been finalized yet, but the preliminary plans are to follow the Katy Trail from St. Louis to Booneville; then Hwys 41, 65, 224 and 24 to Kansas City; FF, 45, and 59 to St. Joseph; and K and 111 north of St. Joseph. Details will follow as they become available.

Two Kansas City-area cyclists rode the complete Lewis & Clark route in small chunks, 1998-2002. Their web site has a journal, route descriptions, and maps.