South Dakota: Lewis & Clark, Creating a Family Field Trip. Getting out and doing as well as seeing the real stuff is energizing for everyone, which is why field trip days during the school year are happy days for kids. Organizing a family version takes a little more time but is definitively worth the effort. Just for the fun of it, try  "milking" the cow at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre, SD, just like their descendents used to.

First encounter of the Sioux kind. Lewis and Clark Visitor Center, was built on a bluff overlooking Lewis and Clark Lake and Gavins Point Dam, on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River across from Yankton, South Dakota. It is an ideal place to learn more about the expedition, the tribes they encountered and the river itself. Near this site Lewis and Clark met with the Yankton Sioux and as the exhibits explain there were many discoveries made. Bonus Points: There is a 30-minute video presentation about the entire Lewis and Clark expedition. Adjacent to the Center is a short trail leading to the Dorian Prairie Garden with variety of grassland plants labeled to make identification easy. The Lewis and Clark Recreation Area frames the Missouri River (Nebraska and South Dakota) upstream from the Visitor Center.  Discovery: The area offers a full-service marina, sandy beaches, hiking/biking trails and paved trail that traces the South Dakota shoreline. (Lewis and Clark Visitor Center. Highway 121. 1(402) 667-2546)

 

River mission impassable? The Adams Homestead & Nature Preserve is one place visitors can see some of the natural “roadblocks” discovered by the members of the expedition. The river is still unpredictable but no one needs to pull keelboats over sandbars anymore, nevertheless, this is one of the last free-flowing segments of the Missouri River that retains its original character. More than ten miles of hiking and biking trails crisscross the preserve. Located near southeast corner of state and north of Sioux City, Iowa. (McCook exit off I-29 and follow the signs. McCook Lake. 1(605) 232-0873)

Campsite on a haunted hill. Spirit Mound Historic Prairie is located along Highway 19 about six miles north of Vermillion. This location is important because most of the sites where the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped are now underwater. This prairie mound is one of a few places described in the journal and accessible today. There is a trail for hiking to the top. The land is currently being restored to original grasses similar to the prairie 200 years ago. Discovery: According to historic accounts, this is the hill that local tribes believed was inhabited by dangerous spirits. The explorers could not find evidence of the danger but a journal entry indicates that from the vista they did see herd of bison in the distance. (NW corner of the intersection of SD Highway 19 and 312th Street, Canton.  1(605) 987-2263 or Spirit Mound Historic Prairie)

When worlds collide. The South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center exhibits on Sioux life and culture include a walk-through tipi as well as clothing and tools typical for North American Plains Indians. European-American exhibits include France's claim to the area and a replica of the Jefferson Peace Medal that Lewis and Clark presented to tribal leaders along the way west. (900 Governor's Drive, Pierre. 1 (605) 773-3458)

Celebrate, celebrate! There is still time to plan a family field trip to South Dakota. Even without the Lewis and Clark connection , it is an amazing place to enjoy with kids.  We have several dozen cow pictures taken during one of our first drives through the state. Our then five-year-old had never seen real cows. She did on that trip and we have photos to prove it. On our next pass through we discovered bison, less curious than cows they did not pose as well, but our picture collection increased.

For planning purposes there are oodles of festivals and reenactments to commemorate the epic journey through 2006.  The checklist from our research starts with the family-friendly events that provide a living history experience for all ages. Bonus points: South Dakota has a terrific online visual journey location. While it is no substitute for the real thing it is a nice way to get a sense of the journey. Click here to view Lewis & Clark Online Journey

Read the book. Explaining prairie life to children is truly enjoyable. One of the best references is a series of books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Little House on the Prairie series provides youngsters with a reference point. Many of the stories center around her life in the small town of De Smet. In celebration of her pioneer sagas the residents of De Smet recreate the spirit of the “Little House” series in an outdoor drama each summer. The location is just south of town and on the prairie near the five-cottonwood trees planted by Pa Ingalls. 1(605) 692-2108 or 1-800-880-3383. www.liwms.com

For fun, kid-friendly Hotels in South Dakota check out Uptake.com. They search 5000 travel sites...so you don't have to!

Content updated by TravelComunications.net 8/2009. Details, accurate at the time of writing, need to be confirmed prior to making plans. Images provided by South Dakota State Historical Society.