Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Use and Economic Expenditure Patterns

A 2024 study of visitor use patterns and economic impact across five sites along the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

Published December 2024
Ryan L. Sharp , PhD James N. Maples , PhD Taylor Bogucki , BS Russell Hicks , MS
$14.5M
Annual visitor expenditures
5 LECL sites, 2023 visitation
195
Jobs supported in the Midwest
$7.49M
Labor income
165,642
Visitors across study sites
Sum of 5 surveyed sites

What this study found

The Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail (LECL) generated $14.5 million in annual visitor expenditures across five surveyed sites, supporting 195 jobs in the Midwest and $7.49 million in labor income.

  • 62% of visitors were first-time visitors
  • 14% described their visit as part of a longer LECL trip — averaging 10 sites
  • 73% planned their trip in advance, most using the NPS website
  • Repeat visitors made an average of 3 trips to their survey site in the prior 12 months

The study combined on-site visitor surveys, aggregated mobility data (MDD), and IMPLAN economic modeling. Six sites were selected; the figures above exclude Gateway Arch National Park.

Site-by-site impacts

360° view of Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters Visitor Center

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters Visitor Center

Explore in 360°
34,272
Annual visitors
$3,001,374
Visitor expenditures
40.3
Jobs supported
$4,336,277
Total output
360° view of Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum

Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum

Explore in 360°
25,670
Annual visitors
$2,248,053
Visitor expenditures
30.4
Jobs supported
$3,428,629
Total output
360° view of Lewis & Clark State Park

Lewis & Clark State Park

Explore in 360°
90,000
Annual visitors
$7,881,761
Visitor expenditures
106.4
Jobs supported
$12,020,410
Total output
360° view of Missouri River Basin Interpretive Center

Missouri River Basin Interpretive Center

Explore in 360°
9,700
Annual visitors
$849,479
Visitor expenditures
11.2
Jobs supported
$1,226,789
Total output
360° view of Fort Osage National Historic Landmark

Fort Osage National Historic Landmark

Explore in 360°
6,000
Annual visitors
$525,451
Visitor expenditures
7.1
Jobs supported
$801,394
Total output

Sites compared

One site — Lewis & Clark State Park — carries most of the corridor’s economic weight. The same ranking holds across every dimension the study measured.

Annual visitors
L&C State Park
90,000
L&C Trail Headquarters Visitor Center
34,272
L&C Boat House and Museum
25,670
Missouri River Basin Interpretive Center
9,700
Fort Osage
6,000
Visitor spending
L&C State Park
$7,881,761
L&C Trail Headquarters Visitor Center
$3,001,374
L&C Boat House and Museum
$2,248,053
Missouri River Basin Interpretive Center
$849,479
Fort Osage
$525,451
Jobs supported
L&C State Park
106.4
L&C Trail Headquarters Visitor Center
40.3
L&C Boat House and Museum
30.4
Missouri River Basin Interpretive Center
11.2
Fort Osage
7.1
Total economic output
L&C State Park
$12,020,410
L&C Trail Headquarters Visitor Center
$4,336,277
L&C Boat House and Museum
$3,428,629
Missouri River Basin Interpretive Center
$1,226,789
Fort Osage
$801,394

Visitor profile

First-time visitors
62%
Planned trip in advance
73%
Part of a longer LECL trip
14%
Avg repeat trips in last 12 mo
3
Avg sites visited (longer-trip cohort)
10

Where visitors came from

The Trail draws visitors from across the country — not just the Midwest. The biggest cluster is the corridor itself (Missouri + Nebraska + Iowa + Illinois), but every region of the continental U.S. is represented.

44+DC
U.S. states represented
10
countries
4
continents

Top 15 states by share of respondents

Missouri
18.5%
Nebraska
10.5%
Florida
5.1%
Illinois
4.1%
Iowa
4.1%
Ohio
3.5%
California
3.2%
Colorado
3.2%
Michigan
3.2%
Tennessee
3.2%
North Carolina
2.9%
Texas
2.9%
Indiana
2.6%
Georgia
2.6%
Kansas
2.6%

… plus 29 more states and Washington, D.C. at lower percentages.

International visitors

Australia Brazil Canada Germany Haiti India Mexico New Zealand Scotland Taiwan

Methodology in brief

The study combined three methods: on-site intercept surveys at six selected sites along the trail, aggregated mobility data (MDD) for site-level visitation, and IMPLAN economic modeling to derive direct, indirect, and induced impacts.

The economic-impact totals reported here apply the IMPLAN Type SAM multiplier (1.8435) and Type I multiplier (1.4339) to expenditure data scaled from intercept surveys against 2023 visitation estimates. Gateway Arch National Park was excluded from the $14.5M aggregate.

Read the full methodology in the PDF (jump to page 7) →

Full report

Download Full Report (PDF) 6.4 MB · 50 pp.

Recommended citation

APA
Sharp, R. L., Maples, J. N., Bogucki, T., & Hicks, R. (2024). Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail visitor use and economic expenditure patterns. National Park Service & Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc.
Plain text
Sharp, Maples, Bogucki & Hicks (2024). Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Use and Economic Expenditure Patterns. Commissioned by the National Park Service (Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail) and the Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc.

The study data are open to the public for use without cost. The Lewis and Clark Trust respectfully requests credit for the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail and the Lewis and Clark Trust in any publication or use, print or digital.

Authors & sponsors

Ryan L. Sharp PhD
Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Lab, University of Tennessee
James N. Maples PhD
Independent Researcher
Taylor Bogucki BS
Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Lab, University of Tennessee
Russell Hicks MS
Applied Park Science Lab, Kansas State University

Funded by: National Park Service · Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc.

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