Lewis and Clark Monument at Rainbow Point, Council Bluffs

This monument honors the Corp of Discovery and, specifically, Lewis and Clark’s meeting with local Oto and Missouri Indians who were some the first people of what is now the midwest. It sits atop a ridge of the Loess Hills, which run along much of the western edge of Iowa, and boasts views of downtown Omaha. Far enough away from the busy city, it is the perfect spot for hiking and walking through woods. It is also very popular among mountain bikers!

Dedicated in 1936 to honor the Corps of Discovery, the park has a small observation deck and two large commemorative stone markers, quarried from the Folsom Quarry in Vermont and created by sculptor Harry E. Stinson and architect George L. Horner. The images and text on the markers explain Lewis and Clark’s meeting with local Oto and Missouri Indians.  (The actual site of the meeting took place on the west side of the Missouri about 10 miles north of Omaha near today’s Fort Calhoun, Nebraska.)