Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park - Lewis and Clark Trail Experience

Information

The Visitor Center is open October through April 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily, and May through September 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily. Cave tours are offered between May and September. Candlelight cave tours are offered in December.

(406)-287-3541

$15-40 per adult. $10-15 for youths, $5 to free for children under the age of 4, and $15-25 for seniors. Pricing level depends upon the type of tour that is booked.

lat: 45.8341598 long: -111.8627751

Want to take an adventure underground? The Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is located near Helena, Montana, and provides visitors with the opportunity to admire limestone caverns. These caverns are some of the largest in the Northwest and contain numerous decorations. Visitors can also enjoy the hiking and biking trails surrounding the cavern, and participate in activities such as canoeing and fishing. For full immersion, the park offers over forty campsites near the caverns, and these can be reserved in advance. There are different tours of the caverns, based on difficulty level. In the winter, get into the holiday spirit with a candlelight cave tour! If you wish to explore the caverns, you must pre-book a guided tour.

The park offers candlelight tours during the holiday season

The park offers candlelight tours during the holiday season

The spectacular limestone formations are sure to impress!

The spectacular limestone formations are sure to impress!

The hiking trails near the caverns offer stunning views

The hiking trails near the caverns offer stunning views

The caverns are surrounded by amazing natural beauty

The caverns are surrounded by amazing natural beauty

Nearby Attractions

Distance Unit:

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, Whitehall, MT, USA
Distance: 0.00 Away

Outdoor Experiences Museums and Interpretive Centers Guided Tours LC Features

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Music by the Caverns

Music by the Caverns

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, Whitehall, MT, USA
Distance: 0.00 Away

Galleries and Venues Festivals and Events

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Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park Campground

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park Campground

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, Whitehall, MT, USA
Distance: 0.00 Away

RV and Camping Guided Tours

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Montana Gift Corral

Montana Gift Corral

Montana Gift Corral - Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, Montana 2, Whitehall, MT, USA
Distance: 0.96 Away

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Jefferson River Canoe Trail

Jefferson River Canoe Trail

11227 U.S. 287, Three Forks, MT, USA
Distance: 11.43 Away

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Three Forks KOA

Three Forks KOA

15 Koa Road, Three Forks, MT 59752, USA
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RV and Camping Outdoor Experiences

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Headwaters Heritage Museum

Headwaters Heritage Museum

Headwaters Heritage Museum, South Main Street, Three Forks, MT, USA
Distance: 15.47 Away

Museums and Interpretive Centers Guided Tours LC Features

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Sacajawea Hotel

Sacajawea Hotel

Sacajawea Hotel, North Main Street, Three Forks, MT, USA
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Lodging Food and Drinks Bars

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Three Forks of the Missouri

Three Forks of the Missouri

Missouri Headwaters State Park, Trident Road, Three Forks, MT, USA
Distance: 18.50 Away

Outdoor Experiences Walks and Hikes

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Missouri Headwaters State Park

Missouri Headwaters State Park

Missouri Headwaters State Park, Trident Road, Three Forks, MT, USA
Distance: 18.50 Away

Outdoor Experiences LC Features Walks and Hikes Viewpoints

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Bozeman Kayak Co.

Bozeman Kayak Co.

106 Village Center Lane, Bozeman, MT 59718, USA
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Guided Tours Outdoor Experiences Outfitters Fun and Sports

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Yorks Islands

Yorks Islands

Yorks Islands, Montana, USA
Distance: 34.54 Away

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Site of the Week: Falls of the Ohio State Park St

Site of the Week: Falls of the Ohio State Park

St. Louis is often recognized as the starting place of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. However, others would argue that the Expedition began further east where Lewis and Clark met to begin traveling together. Today, this site is the Falls of the Ohio State Park.

In 1803, Meriwether Lewis brought the keelboat down the Ohio River to meet Clark in Louisville. While Lewis had been overseeing the building of said keelboat, Clarj had been busily recruiting local men by way of a strict interview process. Once Lewis arrived with his two men and joined them with Clark’s seven men in Louisville, these first men of the Expedition became known as “the Nine Young Men from Kentucky.” These were William Bratton, John Colter, Joseph and Reuben Field, George Shannon, John Shields, Nathaniel Pryor, George Gibson, and Charles Floyd.

While the Falls of the Ohio are no longer visible, the fossil beds are still very prominent. These Devonian fossil beds are famously recognized as being one of the largest exposed fossil beds in the world. There is a museum on site which tells the history of these fossils, as well as the evolution of the area’s wildlife. The museum also provides information about Lewis and Clark’s time at the Falls and the complicated relationships between the incoming settlers and the local native tribes. The museum was recently renovated and has significantly expanded its exhibits.

Photos credited to Mitchell Pence and the Department of Natural Resources

#lewisandclark #history #adventure #travel #fallsoftheohiostatepark #ohioriver

Check out our YouTube Channel! We have some great

Check out our YouTube Channel!

We have some great content being posted there every Saturday - you’ll see videos related to personal stories and adventures on the trail, special reports on various trail locations, and much more!

Be sure to subscribe and share with friends as well!

https://www.youtube.com/@lewisandclarktrailalliance

Our new APP is now available! Check it out if you

Our new APP is now available! Check it out if you haven’t yet to bring the adventure and magic of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail on your mobile device. Scan the QR code here or find it on your app store.

Site of the Week: Pompey’s Pillar National Monum

Site of the Week: Pompey’s Pillar National Monument

William Clark christened the rock formation “Pompey’s Tower” on July 25, 1806, as he and his party descended the Yellowstone River. Clark gave the huge monolith the nickname that he himself had fondly bestowed upon Sacagawea’s young son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Nicholas Biddle, as he edited the journals upon Lewis and Clark’s return, changed the name to “Pompey’s Pillar.”

Pompey’s Pillar is known for being the only site with visible physical evidence of Lewis and Clark’s journey: Clark carved his name and the date onto the rock’s face. Now covered by a clear panel, the signature is protected from the elements while still being visible to visitors willing to climb up the steps to see it. Visitors can continue up the steps to the top of the rock where they can enjoy a 360-degree view of the landscape surrounding the site. There is also a highly informative and very well-designed visitor’s center at the base of Pompey’s Pillar, along with several outdoor educational structures and hiking trails.

Photos credited to Cait Clark.

#lewisandclark #history #adventure #travel #pompeyspillar #Montana #pompeyspillarnationalmonument

Check out our YouTube Channel! We have some great

Check out our YouTube Channel!

We have some great content being posted there every Saturday - you’ll see videos related to personal stories and adventures on the trail, special reports on various trail locations, and much more!

Be sure to subscribe and share with friends as well!

https://www.youtube.com/@lewisandclarktrailalliance

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Here’s a summary of a recent video you can find there:

“The phrase "Point of Departure" originates from Captain Meriwether Lewis himself. On May 14, 1804, he wrote in his journal: "The mouth of the River Dubois is to be considered as the point of departure." That spring day, as the Lewis and Clark Expedition set out from what is now Wood River Creek, they embarked on a journey that would reshape the future of the United States.

After more than a year of preparation, the Expedition launched from Camp River Dubois on May 14, 1804. The crew included Captain William Clark, Clark’s enslaved servant York, interpreter George Drouillard, Seaman the dog, 34 enlisted men, and several French engagés—all traveling in a barge and two large pirogues. Their destination: uncharted territory up the Missouri River, starting with a stop in St. Charles where Captain Meriwether Lewis joined them after traveling overland.

Preparation began in December 1803, with winter quarters built at Camp River Dubois, across from the Missouri River’s mouth. Lewis gathered intelligence from St. Louis traders and secured supplies and gifts for diplomacy with Native nations. Meanwhile, the soldiers trained under strict military discipline, preparing for the immense challenges ahead.

A pivotal moment came in March 1804, when Lewis and Clark witnessed the transfer of Upper Louisiana from Spain to France—and then, just one day later, to the United States. This marked the dawn of a new American frontier, and the Expedition was ready to set forth into the unknown.”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvhg1Gs3cvs)