To the driver and leaders of the September 2012 Lewis and Clark trip.
August 24, 2012
Here are the latest driving directions. During our August trip our driver, Matt Lewellen suggested directions more like the ones that come from Google Maps or their GPS devices, so I’ve made them turn by turn and one page per day. Many of the directions come directly from my Google Route Maps, all of which are published at http://www.clarkandlewis.com/routemaps.html
We do want to make use of the magic of GPS when we can, but in 2011, when I wasn’t paying attention, our driver took us on wrong roads by plugging in various street addresses, and following the machine blindly. Once I caught on and paid more attention I found there were many places where we could plug in, and we did. So I say we should use GPS but not blindly.
This is not just a city to city tour. Our directions are written for the sake of interpretation and many times the roads themselves are part of that interpretation. For instance ND and SD Rts 1804 and 1806 are closest to the river and the Lewis and Clark Route, so we use them when we can.
Plugging in street addresses for some locations sometimes does not work, because it may be an administrative address. A case in point is Traveler’s Rest State Park in Lolo, MT. The plugged in address is not where the interpretive site is located. Another quirky happening was with Pompey’s Pillar National Landmark. There is also a town Pompey’s Pillar and the GPS wanted to take us there instead of the National Landmark. I think it is possible today’s devices can pick up Pompey’s Pillar National Landmark
In working with Matt we were able to follow our printed route and still often make use of his TomTom. In the directions I have indicated places where I am reasonably sure you can plug in locations. Another great help is that many locations can now be identified by name in the GPS Navigator Often that helped us get a good idea of time and distance ahead of us.
Please do not use any earlier versions of driving directions because several changes have been made because of conditions we encountered in August.. The biggest change is on Day 10 for the route from Three Forks to Helena. There was 11 miles of construction and rough road on the regular route, 287, so I created an alternate which is not very much longer.
I am sure if everyone works together you will have a safe and successful trip. Have fun. If you need any help here is my info, and I’m looking forward to meeting you On Monday, Sept. 24th.
Tom Laidlaw
360-695-4824
http://www.clarkandlewis.com
On the Road: Folowing in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark
Driving Directions (modified 8/24/2012)
(Please do not use any earlier directions)
Day 1 - To Country Inn & Suites, 1190 South Main Street, Saint Charles, MO
From the West--Take I-70 East to Exit 229 –- Fifth Ave
1. Turn left, cross expressway, stay right
2. Turn right on Ameristar Blvd. 1/3 mile
3. Turn left at South Main. 1/3/mile.
4. Continue ½ mile to motel on right. No projecting sign, check signs on buildings.
From the East--Take I-70 West to Exit 229B - Fifth Ave
1. Turn right, stay right 1/3 mile
2. Turn right on Ameristar Blvd. 1/3 mile.
3. Turn left at South Main. 1/3 mile.
4. Continue on South Main ½ mile to motel on right. No projecting sign, look for above picture
Notes: Because of road construction driver and leaders will have to figure out parking and turnarounds. Consult motel staff and get a local map. On the August trip we parked right outside the motel and used the lower level parking lot of the casino to get back to Ameristar Blvd. Investigate it for yourself and make your own decisions.
Day 2: St. Charles to St. Louis:
1. I-70 East to downtown St. Louis. Approx. 22 miles
2. Take Exit 251 - I-55 North across Mississippi River toward Illinois. ¾ mile.
3. Take Exit 1, IL Rte. 3 right about 1 mile to a truck stop on right for turnaround.
4. Return to I-70 West. 1 mile and recross Mississippi R (Great Arch pix on return)
5.
Exit at Memorial Drive and immediately stay right to park facing the old cathedral. ¼ mile
(This is a temporary unloading area for buses, so you may have to move and come back.)
Gateway Arch to Old Town St. Charles:
1. Take I-70 West to Exit 229 B (5th Street),
2. Turn right and continue on 5th to First Capitol Dr. 1 mile
3. Turn right on First Capitol Dr. and go to Main St.
4. Turn right and go to Little Hills Winery on right about 3 blocks. Unload
5. Continue to McDonough St.
6. Turn right and go up to 2nd St.
7. Turn right and find bus parking lot on left. You’ll have to walk back for lunch.
8. After lunch take 2nd St. East to First Capitol Dr. and back to restaurant to pick us up.
9. Continue to McDonough St.
10. Turn right and go up to 2nd St.
11. Turn right and go to First Capitol Dr.
12. Turn right and go to Riverside. (Note First Capitol Visitor Center & parking on left.)
13. Turn right on Riverside and continue to Boones Lick Road
14. Turn left into big parking lot and go to Boathouse by the river.
You are also only a couple of blocks from back of the motel. Confer with leaders about the rest of the day. In the past we have returned to 1st Capitol parking lot and waited while
people walked around town. Some may want to stay at boathouse for a movie.
Day 2 Dinner Country Inn & Suites to St. Charles Community College:
Confer with local host on Sunday night for exactly which entrance to take and which building
will be used. Sometimes they change meeting rooms. The following is usual:
1. Take I-70 West to Exit 222 (MO Route-C/Mid Rivers Mall Drive). 7 mi
2. Turn left and continue to 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Dr.
3. Turn right at Cottleville Parkway to the second stoplight
4. Turn right into college and look for local host at SSB
St. Charles Community College to Country Inn & Suites:
1. Take Mid Rivers Mall Dr East to Veterans Memorial Parkway
2. Turn right to ramp onto I-70. Go to Exit 229. 7 mi.
3. Turn left, cross expressway, stay right
4. Turn right on Ameristar Blvd. 1/3 mile
5. Turn left at South Main. 1/3/mile.
6. Continue on South Main 1/2 mile to motel on right.
Day 3 St. Charles, MO to Arrow Rock:
(I think you can plug in today’s stops one at a time.)
1. Take I-70 West to Missouri Rte. 41 Exit 98 -131 mi.
2. Turn right on 41 and continue on 41 About 12.8 miles to Arrow Rock State Historic Site
3. Turn Right into the second entrance (signed on the left “Visitor’s Center”)
4. Pick up local host, who will guide you to the lunch area after a talk at the visitor’s center.
Arrow Rock to Ft. Osage: (taken directly from my Google Map)
1. Head west on Main St toward 5th St 0.3 mi
2. Slight right onto MO-41 N 10.2 mi
3. Turn left onto MO-240 W/MO-41 N/Santa Fe Trail
4. Continue to follow MO-240 W/Santa Fe Trail 5.5 mi
5. Turn right onto US-65 N/Lexington Ave
6. Continue to follow US-65 N 17.2 mi
7. Turn left onto US-24 W/E Walnut St 0.2 mi
8. Take the 1st right to stay on US-24 W/E Walnut St
9. Continue to follow US-24 W 39.6 mi
10. Turn right onto N Buckner Tarsney Rd/N Sibley St
11. Continue to follow N Buckner Tarsney Rd 2.1 mi
12. Turn right to stay on N Buckner Tarsney Rd 0.7 mi
13. Turn left onto Chicago Ave 390 ft
14. Take the 1st right onto Santa Fe St 0.6 mi
15. Take the 1st right onto Falconer St 0.1 mi
16. Falconer St turns left and becomesOsage St
17. Destination will be on the right 322 ft
Fort Osage National Historic Landmark
Ft. Osage to Truman Library, Independence, MO:
1. Retrace route to US 24.
2. Turn right on 24 and continue west and cross Noland Road. Watch for signs to Truman Library & Museum (on US 24 & Delaware). Bus parking adjacent to Library. About 14 miles
Truman Library to Higher Ground Hotel about 1 mile
1. Delaware St. leads right out of library and under Rt. 24
2. Travel south on Delaware to Truman Rd. (Truman House on SE corner) about 1 mile.
3. Turn right on Truman Rd 1 block.
4. Turn left on Union St.
5. Turn left on Maple (one way), and pull into Higher Ground Hotel on the left.
Day 4 Higher Ground Hotel to Kaw Point: 11.9 miles, 25 min.
1. Take Truman Road west to I-70 W
2. Turn right onto I-70W and continue on I-70W to cross into Kansas.
(Note: the I-70 interchanges can be a little confusing.)
3. Take Exit 423 D right to Fairfax Trafficway. Watch for signs on the right
to Kaw Point Riverfront Park. Go to wall and turn right then continue to the interpretive display near the river. You will go through a narrow passageway.
Kaw Point to Missouri River Basin Interpretive Center in Nebraska City
4. Return to Fairfax Trafficway by going to wall nearest highway.
5. Turn right on Fairfax Trafficway and go to Sunshine Rd - about 2 miles
6. Turn left. About 1 mile
7. Turn right at N. 7th St. (U.S. 69). Cross into Missouri and merge onto I-635 N.
8. Exit 12A left: Merge onto I-29 North
9. Rest Area at MP 27. MP 82 is closed
10. Take I-29 N into Iowa to Exit 10
11. Turn right onto Iowa Rte.2.
Cross bridge into Nebraska
12. Turn left quickly after bridge: Missouri River Basin Interp Center - 140 m.
Interpretive Center to Valentino’s:
13. Return to Hwy 2
Turn left on Rte. 2 and go to Business Hwy 75.
14. Turn right on 75 and go ½ mile. Restaurant on left. 1710 S. 11th St.
1. Valentino’s to Western Historic Trails Center Council Bluffs:
2. Turn right out of Valentino’s onto Bus. 75.
3. Turn left at Rte. 2 and return to I-29 N
4. Turn left on I-29 to I-80 (about 45 miles)
5. Turn left onto I-29/I-80 (west) to second exit - Exit 1B, 24th Street.
6. Turn left (south) onto 24th and take the first right into the Western Historic Trails Center.
Western Historic Trails Center to Ft. Atkinson S.H.P:
1. Return north to I-29/I-80, turn left (west). Stay on I-29 North to I-680 Exit 61-B. 10 mi.
2. Turn left onto I-680 West into Nebraska to US Rte. 75. About 4 miles
3. Turn right on Exit 12 US 75 to Fort Calhoun, NE. East on Madison St. follow signs to Ft. Atkinson S.H.P about 8 miles
Ft. Atkinson SHP to Comfort Suites, Council Bluffs:
1. Retrace route to I-29 S. (75 South to 680, 680 East to I-29)
2. Take Exit 52 and turn left onto Nebraska Ave. to S. 35th Street. Hotel is 1801 S. 35th St./
About 23 mi. (can see motel on left from freeway)
Comfort Suites to Tish’s Restaurant: From the Comfort Suites go right on 35th St. and go approximately ½ mile. It will be on the right. 1207 S 35th St. Return to hotel
Day 5 Council Bluffs, IA to Lewis & Clark State Park, Onawa, IA:.
1. Take I-29 north to exit 112, Rte. 175. About 70 miles
2. Turn left for about two miles and look for the Lewis and Clark Park sign on right.
3. Turn right at SR 324. Follow road into the park
Lewis & Clark State Park, Onawa, IA to Sgt. Floyd Monument, Sioux City, IA:
Return to I-29N. Continue North to Exit 143 – Singing Hills Blvd. About 31 miles from Onawa
1. Turn right on Singing Hills Blvd. about 1 mile to Bus Rte. 75.
2. Turn left on Bus. 75. And go about 1.5 miles. After going under a bridge note obelisk above you on the left and watch for sign and turnoff left (no stoplight)
3. Turn left at monument sign and follow around to parking.
Sgt. Floyd Monument to Longline Family Recreational Center, Sioux City, IA:
4. Return to I-29N
5. Exit at 147B to stop light.
Turn left on Gordon Drive/Hwy 20B, and get in the north (right) lane. Go through 2 stoplights to Pearl St. You’ll pass LLFRC on the right.
6. Turn right at Pearl St. and take your first right into the big parking lot. Go past the Tyson Events Center to the last section of brown doors on the south side of the LLFRC. by double row of flags.
LLFRC to Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. & Sgt. Floyd Visitor Center
1. Return to Pearl St.
2. Turn left on Pearl, then right to enter I-29N to get off at next Exit – 149
3. Take Exit 149 to Hamilton St., then left and follow around to Interpretive Ct. Park where
you can between the Charles Floyd River Museum and Interpretive Center.
4. Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center to Spirit Mound, South Dakota
5. Return to I-29N and take it to Hwy 50.
6. Turn left and follow 50 West to Rte.19 in Vermillion, SD
Turn right on Rte. 19 and travel about 5 miles north to Spirit Mound on left at 312th St.
Alternate route from LCIC to Spirit Mound Get back on I29E and take Exit 148 and cross the bridge south into Nebraska. Turn right onto Hwy 77 (a bypass and shortcut to Hwy 20). Follow Hwy 20 to 12. Continue on 12 to15 Turn right on 15 to Vermillion to Rte. 50. Go east a little way on 50 to Rte. 19. Turn left on Hwy 19, go across Hwy 50 and proceed about five miles to Spirit Mound on 19. This is 8 miles and 15 minutes longer, but it avoids a weigh station
Spirit Mound to Kelly Inn, Yankton, S.D: (you can plug in motel address now)
1. Loop back to Hwy 19.
2. Turn right and follow 19 back to Hwy 50.