Helena National Forest

Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Home

Interpreting Lewis and Clark

In preparation for the upcoming Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, representatives from the Helena National Forest have been working with numerous community groups and organizations to provide interpretive signs and programs at various prehistoric and historic sites related to Lewis and Clark. Last year, the Forest joined other public land partners and representatives from the Blackfoot Challenge, a watershed-working group for the Blackfoot River, in the design and construction of an interpretive kiosk at the Two-Rivers Memorial Park near Bonner Montana..

The Bonner interpretive kiosk is the first of three kiosks to be located throughout the Blackfoot River corridor. With the anticipated interest associated with the upcoming Bicentennial, partners decided to assess the interpretive needs for the entire Blackfoot River corridor. The kiosks were designed to serve as gateways to orient visitors and residents to Captain Meriwether Lewis’s travels through the Blackfoot River area. With an overall theme of “Journey Through the Blackfoot”, the interpretive panels highlight Lewis’ trek following the well-worn and traveled River Road to the Buffalo Indian trail, as well as other significant topics including; the Blackfoot River as a functioning watershed, successful restoration projects, wildlife and plant communities, recreation opportunities and community points of interest and historic facts. The remaining kiosks will be installed this year, one at the rest area in Clearwater Junction and another at the Hooper community park in Lincoln.

Partners for this project include the Blackfoot Challenge, representing community residents and private landowners within the watershed, the Bonner Development Group, and the Montana Travel and Recreation Initiative consisting of federal and state agencies including. Some of the participating agencies include the Montana Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission, Bureau of Land Management, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, United States Forest Service, Travel Montana, Montana Department of Transportation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service.

Funding for the kiosks was secured from a variety of sources including a challenge cost-share grant from the National Park Service, a Forest Service Rural Community Assistance grant, a National Fire Plan grant which encourages the development of projects utilizing small diameter wood, as well as many donated volunteer hours and services.

The corridor project served as a prototype for how the Lewis and Clark in Montana State Sign Strategy could be implemented by community and agency partners. Missoula-based interpretive designer, Wendy Smith of KLB Exhibits, designed the signs. Following the success of the Blackfoot River Corridor, a group of Lewis and Clark Bicentennial partners in the Billings and Livingston areas will be developing a similar project for the Yellowstone River Corridor.

The Forest is involved in other interpretive and education projects including on-going work with the Lewis and Clark Trail Bicentennial Commission of Lewis and Clark County in the development of an interpretive vista-house to be located at an overlook near Devil’s Elbow Campground east of Helena; the Bicentennial Plaza to be located at the Great Northern Town Center in Helena; the Crimson Bluff’s Chapter in Townsend and the Historical Park in Lincoln. The Forest is in the process of designing several interpretive signs that will be located at specific forest locations and will begin providing guided interpretive Lewis and Clark programs this summer.

USDA Forest Service - Helena National Forest
Last Modified: Thursday, 17 May 2007 at 12:28:56 EDT