<a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/moniteau-creek-at-manitou-bluffs.htm" target="" rel="">https://www.nps.gov/places/moniteau-creek-at-manitou-bluffs.htm</a><br><br>After setting out early on the morning of June 7, 1804, Clark noted that the expedition stopped for “brackfast at the Mouth of a large Creek on the S. S. of 30 yds wide Called big Monetou.” He documented that a “Short distance above the mouth of this Creek, is Several Courious Paintings and Carveing in the projecting rock of Limestone inlade with white red & blue flint, of a verry good quallity, the Indians have taken of this flint great quantities. We landed at this Inscription and found it a Den of rattle Snakes, we had not landed 3 minutes before three verry large Snakes wer observed on the Crevises of the rocks & Killed— at the mouth of the last mentioned Creek Capt. Lewis took four or five men & went to Some Licks or Springs of Salt water from two to four miles up the Creek on Rt. Side.”<br><br><span>Manitou and Moniteau are variations on the Algonquian name for the Great Spirit. The eponymous creek and limestone bluffs were likely first so-named by early European explorers due to pictographic representations of the Manitou and other related symbols. The construction of a tunnel for the Missouri–Kansas– Texas Railroad in the 1890s obliterated a large segment of the bluff along the west side of Moniteau Creek. Although the pictographs described by Clark at this location are no longer extant, there are preserved examples about four miles downriver at Torbett Spring. The Manitou Bluffs area is publicly accessible via the </span><a href="https://mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park" target="" rel="">Katy Trail State Park</a><span> at Rocheport.</span><br>
Sugar Loaf Rock
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/sugar-loaf-rock.htm" target="" rel="">https://www.nps.gov/places/sugar-loaf-rock.htm</a><br><br>Clark wrote on June 4, 1804, that he “assended a hill of about 170 foot to a place where the french report that Lead ore has been found, I saw no mineral of that description, Capt Lewis Camped imediately under this hill, to wate which gave me Some time to examine the hill, on the top is a moun of about 6 foot high and about 100 Acres of land which the large timber is Dead in Decending about 50 foot a projecting lime Stone rock under which is a Cave at one place in this projecting rocks I went on one which Spured up and hung over the Water from the top of this rock I had a prospect of the river for 20 or 30 ms. up, from the Cave which incumposed [encompassed] the hill I decended by a Steep decent to the foot…” In 1833, Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied visited the same location and noted, “On a wooded eminence, on the left hand, at some distance from the bank, is a high, isolated rock, which stands like a tower in the forest… some Joway Indians, was told by them, that there was a tradition among their ancestors, that this rock was formed of the dung of a race of bisons, which lived in heaven, but they themselves no longer believed this fable.”<br><br><span>Although Sugar Loaf Rock historically abutted the Missouri River, the channel has since shifted nearly a mile to the north. It is difficult to view the landmark, as it is privately-owned and not visible from the river. The expanse of bottomland below Sugar Loaf Rock is the property of the Central Missouri Correctional Center, which restricts public access. The hilltop mound described by Clark remains extant, and the summit of Sugar Loaf Rock overlooks a sweeping vista of the river valley.</span><br>
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/clark-s-hill-state-historic-site.htm" target="" rel="">https://www.nps.gov/places/clark-s-hill-state-historic-site.htm</a><br><br>The expedition camped at the confluence of the Osage and Missouri rivers between June 1 and June 3, 1804. As they waited for the arrival of George Drouillard and John Shields, who were traveling separately on horseback, Lewis and Clark took measurements and recorded observations. Clark climbed the hill behind their camp on June 2, noting in his journals that he “assended the hill in the point 80 ps. from the pt. found it about 100 foot high, on the top is 2 graves, or mouns, a Delightfull prospect from this hill which Comds. both rivers.”<br><br><span>Although the confluence of the two rivers was visible from Clark’s Hill in 1804, it subsequently shifted to a location approximately six miles further downstream. However, the woodland character of the river valley remains intact and visitors are afforded views that are relatively undisrupted by modern intrusions. The site is operated as a state park unit, and features a hiking trail that accesses a viewing platform over the rocky outcrop that Clark stood upon. The two burial mounds documented by Clark remain intact, and have been dated to the Late Woodland period (BCE 600-900). Three additional mounds and a village site have also been located in the area.</span><br>
iNaturalist Observations
