Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their company established Camp Fortunate on August 17, 1805, in what is now Beaverhead County, Montana. For one week the expedition utilized this campsite along the Beaverhead River to provide shelter while conducting trade with the Lemhi Shoshone and preparing to march overland across the Continental Divide.

Several days prior, Captain Lewis and a few of his men left the main party to scout for the Shoshone. On August 13, the small party camped with a group of Shoshone, where they remained for a few days. Lewis held councils with the Indians, explaining to them the mission of their expedition and the need for horses. After convincing the chief and some of the Shoshones to travel with Lewis to meet the main party, they left the Shoshone camp. Once rejoined with Clark, the expedition established Camp Fortunate near the junction of Horse Prairie Creek, Red Rock River, and Beaverhead River. At this location Sacajawea reunited with her brother, Cameahwait, the Lemhi Shoshone chief.

After an emotional reunion with her brother, Sacajawea, Lewis, and a few interpreters began their negotiations for horses. The Corps traded clothing, knives, and various trinkets for horses. To ensure the Corps would have transportation and supplies for the return journey, the group submerged their canoes and built caches to bury equipment and various goods, including tobacco.

On the return journey, after successfully reaching the Pacific Ocean, Clark and his party arrived at Camp Fortunate on July 8, 1806. They pulled the sunken canoes from the water, repaired them, collected their supply caches, and enjoyed tobacco for the first time in several months.

Camp Fortunate provided an excellent base of operations to trade with Shoshone Indians on their journey westward and store necessities for the return voyage. Today, the campsite is submerged under Clark Canyon Reservoir several miles south of Dillon, Montana.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Jonathan Harwood.