West Fork Mountain Crafts / Gallery - Lewis and Clark Trail Experience

Information

Everyday: 8am - 5pm

406-821-2007

lat: 45.9281616 long: -114.1327819

My gallery is located on the bank of the West Fork of the Bitterroot river very close to where the Lewis and Clark Expedition crossed the river. The setting is beautiful. The original part of the Gallery is a old two room log cabin that was built in the early 1930s.

The work in the gallery displays a great deal of the early American crafts. Hand knit items, paintings, hand beaded jewelry and other beaded items, pottery, leather tooled items, hand soldered sterling jewelry, etc. The majority of my inventory was created right here in the valley. I also have a nice variety of local authors, and photographers. Our motto is, “A gift from Montana should be made in Montana”.

I have beadwork classes and teach many of the old native beadwork techniques.

The setting is 2 1/2 acres with plenty of parking and a deck where visitors can enjoy the river while some of the other visitors shop.

This is the old section of the gallery. Built in the early 1930s in Phillipsburg Montana. We moved it to save it from being burned

This is the old section of the gallery. Built in the early 1930s in Phillipsburg Montana. We moved it to save it from being burned

and rebuilt it as close to its original condition as possible. – Eloise Findley

and rebuilt it as close to its original condition as possible. – Eloise Findley

Hand carved bear ( A Frank Bear) Photo looks up river from the coffee shop deck. – Eloise Findley

Hand carved bear ( A Frank Bear) Photo looks up river from the coffee shop deck. – Eloise Findley

Nearby Attractions

Distance Unit:

Mountain Spirit Inn

Mountain Spirit Inn

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The Lewis and Clark Descent Trail of September 4th, 1805

The Lewis and Clark Descent Trail of September 4th, 1805

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Ross’ Hole

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Lake Como

Lake Como

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Lost Trail Hot Springs Resort

Lost Trail Hot Springs Resort

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RV and Camping Lodging Walks and Hikes

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Gibbons Pass Interpretive Site

Gibbons Pass Interpretive Site

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ABC Acres

ABC Acres

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Lost Trail Powder Mountain

Lost Trail Powder Mountain

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Painted Rocks State Park

Painted Rocks State Park

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The Wild Game Inn

The Wild Game Inn

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Instagram Feed

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)

Site of the Week: Knife River Indian Villages Nati

Site of the Week: Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

The Knife River area, according to archaeological studies, has been inhabited by people for over 11,000 years. For hundreds of years it was a significant place of trade for the local tribes, a characteristic that would eventually be used to the advantage of fur traders starting in 1750. It remained a place of trade and mixing cultures until a smallpox epidemic decimated the population in 1837. Following this, the local Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara moved north and established another village.

During the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Knife River villages were flourishing, providing a booming trading economy in what is modern-day North Dakota. It was from one of these villages that a young woman by the name of Sacagawea would emerge and take her place in the history of the expedition. She was Shoshone and had been taken captive by the Hidatsa during a raid against her tribe before she was won or otherwise purchased by French Canadian fur trader Toussaint Charbonneau.

Today, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Park has a visitors center as well as a rebuilt earthlodge which holds replica artifacts in the summer months. Knowledgeable park rangers are available for tours, and there are multiple trails of varying lengths that are available to hike. There are birding checklists available in the visitors center, so make sure to pick one up so you can keep an eye out for the various bird varieties that are present at the site.

https://www.nps.gov/knri/index.htm

Photos credited to Cait Clark

#lewisandclark #history #adventure #travel #kniferiver #kniferiverindianvillagesnationhistoricsite #nationalparkservice #northdakota