Captain William Clark climbed a hill overlooking the Beaverhead River to scout what lay ahead for the Expedition. On August 13, 1805 "[O]n rising the hill beyond it had a view of a handsome little valley to our left of about a mile in width through which from the appearance of the timber I conjecture that a river passed."
He took compass readings to the Beaver's Head, and to the gap where the Wisdom (Big Hole River) passed through the mountains. Clark described the site as a "…high point of limestone rock on the Stard. Side (of the river)."
While Clark explored the landscape, Lewis gathered information from the Shoshones. "After smoking a few pipes with them I distributed some trifles among them … I now explained to them the objects of our journey…. Cameahwait informed me that this stream discharged itself into another doubly as large … the river was confined between inaccessible mountains. This was unwelcome news."
Lewis was coming face-to-face with the reality that the Northwest Passage was non-existent. The Shoshone were very helpful to the Corps providing horses and the services of a guide.
In 1985, Clark's Lookout State Park was established to commemorate the achievement of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the pivotal role that the Expedition played in Montana history. Clark's Lookout is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can enjoy interpretive exhibits and a moderately steep trail to the top where a monument stone has been placed. Nearby attractions are Beaverhead Rock State Park, Bannack State Park, the Old Montana Prison, and Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge, and the Beaverhead County Museum in Dillon.
