Fort Washakie Travel Guide

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Every American school child learns about Sacajawea. This young Shoshone Indian acted as guide and interpreter for the 1804-5 Lewis and Clark Expedition which charted the unexplored northwest territories obtained by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase, discovering a route through the Rocky Mountains to Oregon and the Pacific Ocean.

Sacajawea is buried in a hilltop cemetery west of Fort Washakie, and a memorial to her son Baptiste Charbonneau is adjacent to her tomb. The cemetery itself is colorful and affords a beautiful view of snow-capped peaks (in June anyway) in the distance. The photographer in me was totally fascinated by the site and could have stayed around much longer; my wife was less-enthralled and felt compelled to keep from getting too far off-schedule.