Archaeology at William Clark's Canoe Camp on the Yellowstone River

In 1806, William Clark and twelve members of the Corps of Discovery traveled along the Yellowstone River on their return trip by horseback, searching for timber large enough to make canoes. Near present-day Park City, Montana, they found such trees and halted four days to construct canoes, let their horses rest, and prepare for the remaining trip. The location of this camp has been in some dispute for decades. Using extensive site-specific channel migration mapping and geo-referencing equipment, Clark's surveying data, logs, maps and daily journals, in addition to contemporary maps, aerial imagery, and geological analysis, it is now possible to more accurately position Clark's camp with a higher degree of confidence. With financial support from the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, two Foundation chapters, the National Park Service, and Montana State University-Billings, archaeological surveys and excavations were conducted seasonally at the proposed site from 2011-2014.