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Touring: Omaha, Council Bluffs, and Fort Atkinson

By: Falcon Guides

Omaha, Council Bluffs, and Fort Atkinson

Lewis and Clark conducted their first council with an Indian tribe at a Nebraska site called Council Bluffs, not to be confused with the Iowa city of the same name. Early in August 1804, the captains met with a group of Oto and Missouri Indians at the site about 15 miles north of downtown Omaha. Fort Atkinson State Historical Park marks the site today, but before heading there, visitors may want to stop to see several points of interest in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area.

The Western Historic Trails Center, located about a half-mile south of I-80 Exit 1-B in Council Bluffs, ranks among the most inventive interpretive sites along the Lewis and Clark Trail. Unusual painted, three-dimensional aluminum sculptures detail the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the Mormon, Oregon, and California Trails. A short film in the museum theater contrasts nineteenth-century travel with the road trips of today. Before departing, visitors are asked to later send the center a postcard from their own travels along any of the trails. These are prominently displayed in a two-sided glass case near the entrance, and they’re lots of fun to read.

A 0.5-mile path leads to the nearby Missouri River banks. In addition, a 6-mile bike trail leads to Lake Manawa, near the site of the expedition’s July 22–26 “White Catfish Camp.” (Council Bluffs reenacts this encampment with a living history festival in late July.) The trails center also includes a very good gift shop and Iowa travel information center. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from May 1 through September 30, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily the rest of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Call (712) 366-4900 for more information.

Next, visit Lewis & Clark Monument Park on the hillside north of Council Bluffs. The stone-plaza monument offers an outstanding view of the Missouri River and Omaha; the city of Council Bluffs is all but obscured by the lush woods cascading down the hillsides. The site is a favorite with red-tailed hawks, which are often seen riding the thermals above the bluffs. It’s a splendid place for a picnic, especially at sunset.

To get to the overlook, take North 16th Street and turn right at the sign for Big Lake Park. Drive beneath a railroad trestle into the park and skirt its edges on the road. Past a second railroad trestle, turn left on North 8th Street. After about 0.3 mile, turn left again. The entrance to the park is 0.7 mile up the hill on the left.

Omaha’s N.P. Dodge Park also pays tribute to the corps’ first encounter with native people. A small plaque in the parking lot near the camping area notes that the expedition camped just across the river. Dodge Park has plenty of big grassy areas for a variety of sports, as well as a bridle trail, horse camping area, boat ramp, and RV dump station. To get to Dodge Park from Council Bluffs, take I-29 north, then Interstate 680 west over the Mormon Bridge, and then follow the signs to the park.
Traveling the Lewis and Clark Trail

Links:

http://www.councilbluffs200.com