Wildlife

Golden currant

Ribes aureum
Golden currant

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Habitat
At Three Forks in 1805, Narrows of Columbia 1806
Conservation
Secure
First Observed
1805-07-27

One of several currant species described by Lewis. Small, sweet fruits with tiny seeds pounded into meat for pemmican.

Recent sightings

Where it’s being seen today

22 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2024–2025. Most recent: 2025-09-07. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.

Journal References

15 journal entries mention Golden currant

Jun 9 1804
Missouri River near Jefferson City area — Joseph Whitehouse: June 9, 1804
...he Sand being Quick Vanquish*^ Suddently from Under her the Currant Being Rappid Neerly Swept the men of[f] their legs while Bearing her up from Sinquing. Got to the G...
Jun 12 1804
Missouri River near Jefferson City area — Joseph Whitehouse: June 12, 1804
...the Sand being Quick Vanquish* Suddently from Under her the Currant Being Rappid Neerly Swept the men of[f] their legs while Bearing her up from Sinquing. Got to the G...
Jun 19 1804
Missouri River near Boonville area — Joseph Whitehouse: June 19, 1804
...l* a bear brought the Skin left the Meat as it was poor the Currant was Strong towe* Our boat Untill we came to the head of the Strong watter Island whare the watter r...
Jun 25 1805
Great Falls Portage — Patrick Gass: June 25, 1805
... There is in the bottoms a great quantity of spear-mint and currant bushes. Also multitudes of black- birds. The musquitoes are very troublesome, though the snow is on...
Jul 20 1805
Missouri River above Great Falls, Gates of the Mountains — Patrick Gass: July 20, 1805
... are lower and not so rocky; and where there are the finest currants I ever saw of different kinds, red, yellow and black: the black are the most pleasant and palatabl...
Jul 27 1805
Three Forks of the Missouri — Patrick Gass: July 27, 1805
...d deal of timber on the branches, chiefly cotton-wood. Also currants, goose and service ber- ries, and choak-cherries on the banks. The deer are plenty too; some of th...
Aug 3 1805
Jefferson River ascending toward divide — Patrick Gass: August 3, 1805
... passed several fine springs that issue from the mountains. Currants and service berries are in abundance along this valley, and we regaled ourselves with some of the ...
Aug 20 1805
Camp Fortunate, Sacagawea reunites with Cameahwait — Patrick Gass: August 20, 1805
...hich we passed and all along the river, there are cherries, currants and other small fruit. The man who had remained behind at the first village and the other who had ...
Aug 21 1805
Camp Fortunate, Sacagawea reunites with Cameahwait — Patrick Gass: August 21, 1805
...hich we passed and all along the river, there are cherries, currants and other small fruit. The man who had remained behind at the first village and the other who had ...
Apr 12 1806
Lewis: April 12, 1806
...f maple, the purple haw, a small speceis of cherry; purple currant, goosberry, red willow, vining and white burry honeysuckle, huckkle burry, sacacommis, two speceis...
Apr 16 1806
Lewis: April 16, 1806
...ngers to me which I also preserved, among others there is a currant which is now in blume and has yellow blossom something like the yellow currant of the Missouri bu...
Apr 30 1806
Lewis: April 30, 1806
...he crimson haw, redwillow, sweetwillow, chokecherry yellow currants, goosberry, whiteberryed honeysuckle rose bushes, seven bark, and shoemate. I observed the corng...
Jul 10 1806
Lewis: July 10, 1806
...ndant of the common red kind and are begining to ripen. no currants on this river. both species of the prickly pears just in blume.
Jul 12 1806
Lewis: July 12, 1806
...ly 1805 saw the brown thrush, pigeons, doves &c. the yellow Currants begining to ripen.
Jul 29 1806
Lewis: July 29, 1806
...h us with shelters from the rain. we set out early and the currant being strong we proceeded with great rapidity. at 11 A.M. we passed that very interesting part of ...

Our Partners