Willow Creek Camp

Willow Creek Camp (1805, 1806) - A Lewis and Clark Expedition Camp established in 1805 near present day Malmstrom Air Force Base, Cascade County, Montana. Named Willow Creek Camp after the nearby Willow Creek now the Box Elder Creek. Established as a rest and repair stop along the portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri and located between the Upper Portage Camp and Lower Portage Camp. Revisited but not reused on the return trip in 1806. History of Willow Creek Camp Established on 28 Jun 1805 as a way stop for the portage crews. The stop was made necessary because the carriages transporting the dugout canoes were made from soft woods and tended to break down. The carriages were pulled by crewmen on the outgoing trip. The Willow Creek Camp had both water and timber for repairs. Four trips were required to portage all the canoes and baggage from the Lower Portage Camp to the Upper Portage Camp. During the portages the crews experienced rain which turned the prairie into a muddy mess and delayed the transit as well as hail so large that it injured crew members. The Willow Creek Camp provided shelter, food and repair for the portage crews. By 30 Jun 1805 the Willow Creek Camp was no longer necessary. On the return trip there were fewer things to be portaged and fewer people to do it. Captain Lewis took a alternate route to examine the headwaters of Maria's River. Clarke was exploring another route back via the Yellowstone River. Fewer canoes needed to be portaged and this time there were horses to pull the carriages. The Willow Creek Camp was not required but was observed in passing. Current Status No visible remains. On private property, no public access. {"selectable":false,"width":"500"} Location: Near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Cascade County, Montana. Map point is approximate. Maps & Images Lat: 47.51721 Long: -111.08871 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 3,300' See Also: Lewis and Clark Expedition Lewis & Clark Camps Sources: The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 2005. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center. Links: North American Forts - Willow Creek Camp Creek Camp Wikipedia - Willow Creek Camp Visited: No