In 1805, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark, the leaders of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, or the Corps of Discovery, came to a point of their travel where three rivers converged and flowed into the Missouri River. Those three rivers, moving from west to east, were named for President Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State James Madison, and Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin
The mission of Lewis & Clark's journey was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, to establish trade and sovereignty over the natives that lived near the Missouri River, and hopefuly, claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon Country for the United States before European nations.
When you visit the Missouri Headwaters State Park you can't help but get the feeling of stepping into history. Looking around at the wild mountain peaks, capped with early snow, with so much of the land still mostly unaffected by the technology and busy-ness that pervades every other part of our lives, it isn't hard to imagine the land as those explorers saw it. Maybe with a few more bison roaming around.
This State Park is unassuming, yet easy to access and the grounds make for a perfect day trip, with easy hiking paths and benches to sit and take in the beauty.
Only 30 minutes from Lewis and Clark Caverns to the West, Bozeman, to the Southeast, and about 2 hours from West Yellowstone, you are right in the middle of some amazing historical and natural opportunities. After visiting this State Park, where would you go next?