More commercial travel occurs between the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers and mouth of the Ohio than any other U.S. inland waterway. This Inspiration Trip takes you from the most southern-most point in Illinois to historic Fort Massac where the Expedition recruited soldiers. It then crosses the river to visit historic Paducah, Kentucky. Your adventure ends with a view of the Mississippi from the site of Fort Jefferson—visited by the captains on November 18. Follow along with the Lewis and Clark Expedition at our educational website starting November 11, 1803 and ending November 20, 1803.
Follow the Lewis & Clark Expedition as they move down the Ohio in early November 1803. Starting in Owensboro, Kentucky, visit ancient Indigenous mounds and pioneer river towns in both Indiana and Kentucky and end at one of the hideouts of the notorious Mason Gang. Follow the Lewis and Clark story at our educational website starting with November 1, 1803 and ending November 9, 1803.
On October 26, 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark boarded their military barge and for the first time during the expedition, moved as a team down the Ohio River. Completely on the Kentucky side of the river, this trip meanders to the northern tip of the “Big Bend” and stops in historic river towns. Create your own voyage of the “corps of volunteers for North West Discovery” between Louisville and Owensboro, Kentucky. You can follow the Lewis and Clark story on this stretch at our educational website starting with October 26, 1803 and ending November 1, 1803.
Follow the route of the Lewis’s boats when they left Cincinnati to meet him below Big Bone Lick. See the North Bend of the Ohio and then follow the Indiana shore to the Falls of the Ohio. Along the way, stop at a handful of historic Indiana towns. To learn about the expedition on this stretch of the Ohio, see at our educational website starting with October 2, 1803 and ending October 26, 1803.
Take a road trip down the historic Ohio River in Ohio and Kentucky with stops in Portsmouth, Maysville, and Augusta. On the Kentucky side, follow the Mary Ingles Highway as the river winds its way to Cincinnati. These four cities are worthy of an entire day’s exploration each, and they provide ample options for food and lodging. Follow along with Meriwether Lewis at our educational site starting with September 22, 1803 and ending October 4, 1803.
Learn about the Battle of Point Pleasant and Gallipolis—a French settlement present when Meriwether passed by in September 1803. Take a stroll in historic Ashland, Kentucky and enjoy one of its many locally owned shops and restaurants. Finish the day at Portsmouth, Ohio at the center of ancient—and present—travel ways and cultures. Follow along at our educational website starting with September 19, 1803 and ending September 22, 1803.
This trip is short on miles to provide more time to visit interesting places along the scenic Ohio River byways. Marietta, Ohio is a great place to stay prior to departure and one could also spend an entire day at Parkersburg and Blennerhasset Island. This trip ends at historic Point Pleasant. Follow along at our educational website starting with September 14, 1803 and ending September 19, 1803.
From the birthplace of West Virginia to one of the first pioneer settlements in the Northwest Territory, this trip takes you down the relatively remote Ohio River including its Long Reach. Nearing the trip’s end, there is an opportunity to enjoy the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. At Marietta, there are numerous historic attractions waiting to be visited.
Take a trip down the Ohio River just as Lewis and his crew did in September 1803. Instead of stopping a ‘riffles’ to drag the barge with horses and oxen, you can stop the car and enjoy some great historic sites along the river. This trip starts with an iconic view of Pittsburgh, pays homage to the oldest surviving member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and ends at ancient mounds built by the Adena culture. From modern to ancient, this trip shows it all.
Explore the Falls of the Ohio, a key site in the Lewis and Clark story along the Ohio River near Louisville. Walk in the footsteps of Meriwether Lewis, William and his brother George Rogers Clark while discovering the fossil beds at Falls of the Ohio State Park, historic Locust Grove, and Mulberry Hill. Pay tribute to York at the Ed Hamilton statue in Belvedere Plaza and visit Cave Hill Cemetery, where history comes to life. In 1778, Colonel George Rogers Clark established a fort at the Falls of the Ohio, a key western frontier outpost. Recognizing its strategic value, Virginia […]