xsection 7.7 traces of the section plane

The route begins at the impressive Lewis and Clark State Memorial Park visitor center outside Hartford, Illinois. Although the prevailing weather patterns are from west to east, local wind patterns are more dependent on the passing pressure systems and local terrain, so you can expect your fair share of tailwinds and headwinds, regardless of which direction you ride the route. Note that snow can occur at any time in the Rocky Mountains, and the highest pass on the route is over 7,300 feet. This route can be ridden from May through September. Some will traverse the route quicker, but this leaves less time for sightseeing. Plan on around two and a half months (give or take) for the most direct routing. In addition to Lewis and Clark-themed points of interest, the route also passes through five Indian reservations and features Native American and regional museums. Probably the most impressive of these is the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center in Great Falls, Montana. You will have many opportunities to pause and learn about the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition at interpretive centers and museums that are along the route, in the smallest towns and largest cities. Some options allow you to avoid gravel sections or get closer proximity to the Missouri River, whereas others offer historical side trips and rarely seen vistas like the view from Lewis and Clark Pass. In total, there are 174 miles of unpaved rail-trails and 177.7 miles of gravel, 24.5 of which are unavoidable if you stay on the main route. Traveling the most historically correct (main) westbound route over Lemhi Pass, you will ride 3,132 miles to reach the Pacific Ocean. The eight map sections show 4,500 mapped miles. Options and alternates offer much variety. Distances between services in some areas can be substantial, so prior planning of your daily mileage is important. If you use motels, plan ahead and be ready to ride some long days, perhaps as much as 100 miles. Also, you'll want to include a water filter on your packing list, as many of the campgrounds available are primitive and do not have potable water sources. Keeping this in mind, we recommend that you equip yourself with a wide-tired touring bicycle. Occasional rough roads, narrow to nonexistent shoulders, and sparse services make this one of our more challenging routes. Lewis and Clark's expedition traveled more often by boat via rivers than by land and this route follows the rivers as closely as possible. The main route of the Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail is made up of paved roads, bike paths, and unpaved rail-trails, with occasional short sections of gravel roads. It includes seven map sections detailing the 1804-1805 westbound trip, roughly following the Missouri and Columbia rivers, and one map section showing Clark's 1806 eastbound return along the Yellowstone River in Montana. The Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail was created to celebrate the anniversary of the Corps of Discovery's 1804-1806 historic journey and offers cyclists the opportunity to follow the path of the intrepid explorers Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Following in the footsteps of the Corps of Discovery.

Xsection 7.7 traces of the section plane