How long was the Louis and clark expedition?

Answer 1

Contrary to popular belief, the expedition DID NOT begin in St. Louis, Missouri. The first entry in the Lewis and Clark Expedition Journals state that the journey began in Pittsburgh, PA on August 30, 1803. Lewis, who had been assigned by Jefferson sailed down the Ohio River with supplies towards St. Louis.

William Clark would offer to join Lewis on the expedition weeks later on October 13, 1803 at Camp Dubois (in present-day Indiana). They then named their team the "Corps of Discovery." From there, they sailed down the Ohio River towards St. Louis. Meriwether Lewis had spent the time prior to their departure in St. Louis gathering information from mountain men returning from the west. They then departed St. Louis in May 1804 heading up the Missouri River.

Answer 2

Before Lewis met up with Clark, he began the expedition on August 30, 1803 in Pittsburgh PA. Lt. William Clark would offer to join Lewis on the expedition weeks later on October 13, 1803 at Camp Dubois (in present-day Indiana). From there, they sailed down the Ohio River towards St. Louis. In spring 1805, they continued to the headwaters of the Missouri River, struggled across the Continental Divide, and headed west along the Salmon, Snake, and Columbia Rivers to the Pacific. They landed at the mouth of the Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon. The expedition then ended on September 23, 1806 upon their return to St. Louis from Oregon.

If you believe that the expedition began in Pittsburgh, then it took 2 years and 25 days.

If you believe that the expedition began when Clark joined then it took 1 year 11 months and 11 days.

Answer 3

Before Lewis met up with Clark, he began the expedition on August 30, 1803 in Pittsburgh PA. Lt. William Clark would offer to join Lewis on the expedition weeks later on October 13, 1803 at Camp Dubois (in present-day Indiana).

The team departed St. Louis in May 1804 heading up the Missouri River. They would spend their first winter at Fort Mandan at the present site of Bismarck, North Dakota. In spring 1805, they continued to the headwaters of the Missouri River, struggled across the Continental Divide, and headed west along the Salmon, Snake, and Columbia Rivers to the Pacific. They returned to St. Louis the following year.

And being that the expedition began in Pittsburgh, states they passed through would include: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, then Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.