Lewis & Clark Trail: Pompeys Pillar

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Okay, don't blame me for the missing apostrophe in Pompeys Pillar; this is the way the name appears on all of the maps, tour guides and Web sites. Who can explain it? Anyway...

This wonderful Montana landmark along the Yellowstone River was proclaimed a National Monument by former President Clinton on January 17, 2001. It is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). You'll find it about 25 miles east of Billings, right off of I-94.

A Homeward Bound Landmark

After weathering a miserable, wet winter in Oregon, the Corps of Discovery finally set out on its homeward trek in March of 1806. Despite all of the hardships the expedition had endured on the entire trip, I was surprised to read that the two captains still had a great deal of the exploring spirit, a desire to learn about the world around them. So on the way home, they took a number of side trips and detours, just to compile even more facts concerning this remarkable real estate purchase.

Around the vicinity of present day Missoula, they decided to split the party in two. Meriwether Lewis and his group would proceed eastward following the Missouri, while William Clark's band would investigate a possible shortcut by way of the Yellowstone River.

Near what is today the city of Billings, Clark spied a sandstone butte on the south side of the river. (See the photo to the right; click the thumbnail to enlarge it to full size). This was quite a landmark, some 150 feet tall with a footprint of nearly 2 acres. There aren't many buttes like this in the vicinity which made it seem even more singular.

Clark proclaimed the promontory "Pomp's Tower," in honor of Sakakawea's infant. This was the nickname he gave the boy who was born during the bitter 1804/1805 winter the Corps of Discovery spent at Fort Mandan. (If you're curious, his full name was Jean Baptiste Charbonneau — remember, Sakakawea was married to a French trapper).

One of the early books on Lewis & Clark's expeditions was edited by a certain Nicholas Biddle. It was he who altered Clark's designation in 1814 to the Pompeys Pillar we know today. (I wonder, do you think this was the nincompoop who dropped the apostrophe?)

The Last Remaining Physical Evidence

When Clark saw the Pillar, he clambered up it part way and found that Indians had engraved various pictures and emblems in it, things like animals and so forth. He added his own name and the date, July 25, 1806.

As the picture to the left shows, his inscription is still visible to this day! This is literally the last remaining physical evidence along the entire transcontinental route to prove that Lewis & Clark were ever out West. And we can all go see it ourselves; a neat staircase and boardwalk takes you right up to it. More about that in a moment.

Let me tell you, this was a peak moment for both my companion and me. To actually stand where Clark stood and to see something created by his own hands really sent shivers down our spines. All this, in one of the prettiest settings imaginable, for remember the beautiful Yellowstone flows down in the valley below.

But there's even more history here. Some seventy years later, in 1873 to be precise, Custer and his crew camped in the shadow of Pompeys Pillar. And, of course, long before any of the white invaders passed by, this natural landmark was well known to the local residents such as the Crow Indians. In a nutshell, here's a site that anyone with an ounce of curiosity about the West ought to see.

Our Trip to Pompeys Pillar

We came here in May of 2002, as part of our Little Bighorn Battlefield vacation. If you check a map, you'll see that the Battlefield is very close by; it was easy for us to make a swing to Pompeys Pillar along the way. (Our path took us from North Dakota that day, and in fact followed the Yellowstone River for a good part of that distance.)

Let me tell you how the entrance works. Pompeys Pillar National Monument is open year round. If you arrive between Memorial and Labor Days, you can drive right in and just a few footsteps take right to the Pillar. There's also a small Visitor Center and gift shop, and various talks are presented on Friday evenings.

As I mentioned, our arrival was in May, since we despise summer vacations (too much heat, too many people and too many bugs, don't you know). So, the various facilities mentioned above were closed. However, the BLM permits parking at the entrance gates, and then you simply hike in about a half mile along a gravel road. The walk felt good after too many hours in the minivan, and we got to observe and think about the landmark all the way along. (Incidentally, most monuments are more fun to see as a pedestrian — this is the same approach I took to exploring Stonehenge back in 1974. I could notice a tiny pin point in the distance, and as I proceeded it slowly grew in size to become an eyefilling marvel of weird rocks.)

I strapped on a pack with drinking water and camera in tow, and we headed out. Once we got to the base of Pompeys Pillar we found a very nice wooden staircase and boardwalk. The 200 steps take you all the way to the top for a mind boggling panoramic view of the Yellowstone River valley. And part way up, there's a jag that leads you to Clark's inscription; you can stand right in front of it and marvel. By the way, the engraving is protected by a glass cover now.

Back at the base, you can hoof it down a sidewalk right to the Yellowstone. This really is an extremely pretty river with very little in the way of the 21st century around it to detract from the view. We stopped to snap a few pictures.

This was our first time ever at a BLM facility, and we were mightily impressed. The grounds and facilities were immaculate, with lots of good info posted on the bulletin board. The walkways, paths and observation decks were top notch. And there was even waterless hand cleanser provided in the kybos! I think the BLM has really put on a good show here.

And this brings us to the end of our explorations along the Lewis & Clark Trail. We obviously have quite a bit more ground to cover before arriving at the Pacific — that'll have to wait for trips a couple years down the line. For my partner and I still have to head out to Comanche National Grassland to see those dinosaur footprints! And then there's Independence Rock on the Oregon Trail, and then...

Contact Information		Links to Related Resources


Pompeys Pillar National Monument BLM Billings Field Office 5001 Southgate Dr. Billings, MT 59101 Office Phone: (406) 896-5013 Contact Station: (406) 875-2233		Federal Bureau of Land Management Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument State State of Montana Tourism Municipal City of Billings City of Hardin Other Interesting Sites Andalusia: Home of Nicholas Biddle Biography of George Armstrong Custer Fort Mandan Jean Baptiste Charbonneau (Pompey's links)