The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail spans nearly 4,900 miles, traversing the ancestral lands of over 60 Indigenous nations. It traces the paths taken by the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806, spanning from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
Podcast Episode Overview
We are doing something new on the podcast! We want to start interviewing some of the coolest people on the planet – park rangers!
For our very first interview, we are talking to Ranger Ryan Cooper, who works for Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. His job is to map the Lewis and Clark Trail, so he’s basically a modern-day explorer!
Today, he is giving us a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work as a park ranger, sharing fascinating stories about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and diving into his other passion: delicious BBQ.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Ryan became a park ranger
- What he does on a day-to-day basis in his job
- Cool information about the Lewis and Clark Trail
- The unique artifacts that have been found by archeologists on this trail
- The fascinating history of the expedition
- The coolest part about Ryan’s job
- The best BBQ along the Lewis and Clark Trail
We hope you enjoy this conversation with Ryan! If you want amazing BBQ restaurant recommendations, be sure to follow Ryan on Instagram @bbqtourist. You can also check out The Smoke Sheet at bbqnewsletter.substack.com.
Let us know if you know of anyone who works for the national parks that we should interview! We are always looking for fun and interesting people to connect with.
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode:
What was Ryan’s path to becoming a park ranger?
Ryan is a GIS Specialist for the National Park Service at Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems – it’s how maps you see in national parks are made!
He began his journey after visiting Rocky Mountain National Park for the first time. In his own words, he could have been more prepared but had a great time. From there, he visited several more national parks and fell in love.
Ryan studied geography and history in college. After his trip to Colorado, he discovered that Missouri, where he grew up, had its own NPS sites. He wrote his graduate thesis on the creation of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, a park dedicated in 1964 to protect the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers in the Ozark Highlands.
He worked as a seasonal ranger in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways park, beginning his journey working in the field of conservation.
After his experience working in the Ozarks, Ryan applied to more NPS jobs. After coming close to landing a dream role several times, Ryan took the advice of one NPS staff member and found a job with the National Resources Conservation Service, an agency within the USDA.
Ryan worked his way from GIS Technician to GIS Coordinator, moving around as he took new positions. At one point, he lived in Reno, Nevada, where he spent his weekends visiting national parks.
In Episode 33: How to Become a Park Ranger, we discuss the different paths you can take to become a park ranger!
What does Ryan do for the NPS now?
Ryan works on the Integrated Resources Stewardship Team for Lewis and Clark NHT in Omaha, a project team made up of different specialists who collaborate to ensure the trail’s care.
Unlike traditional “square” parks (e.g., Yosemite, Zion, Grand Canyon, etc.), the Lewis and Clark NHT is a linear park made up of land owned by different stakeholders and entities—states, tribes, private landowners, and more. Ryan’s job, and everyone he works with, is to advocate for the Lewis and Clark NHT with all these stakeholders and entities.
Through GIS, Ryan calculated that 70 percent of the Lewis and Clark NHT is water. Much of Lewis and Clark’s journey took place on rivers—the Mississippi, the Ohio, the Missouri, the Yellowstone, and the Columbia.
The trail isn’t necessarily a trail you can walk, but there are portions you can hike. Along the historic trail, the Lolo Trail stretches from Lolo, MT, to Weippe Prairie, ID. Today, you can experience the same ruggedness Lewis and Clark did along this mountainous trail.
Does Ryan ever get to travel to see the trail?
Despite being a “behind the scenes” park ranger, Ryan and his coworkers get to take trips to see the Lewis and Clark NHT.
On some trips, they carry out archeology projects. Other times, they take inventory of recreational infrastructure like signs and interpretive panels. Sometimes, they meet with partners who also work along the trail.
Have there ever been any artifacts found along the Lewis and Clark NHT?
Some artifacts survived the expedition, and plenty did not. Because the trail stretches nearly 4,900 miles, artifacts are scattered across the country in different museums and collections.
Does Ryan have a favorite section of the Lewis and Clark NHT?
In Ryan’s opinion, some of the best sections of the NHT are in the West. Lemhi Pass sits on the border of Montana and Idaho and is the infamous spot where Lewis ascended a mountain expecting to see the Pacific Ocean, only to see more mountains they had to cross.
Another memorable spot is the Qoq’aalx ‘Iskit, or the Road to the Buffalo. Native Americans used this part of the trail for thousands of years, and so did Lewis and Clark on their journey home. It’s a rich part of human history in Montana that you can still see today on Montana Highway 200 through Sanders County.
Does Ryan have a favorite story about the Lewis and Clark expedition?
After the disappointment at Lemhi Pass, the expedition met with members of the Shoshone tribe. Sacagawea, who was herself Shoshone, had previously been kidnapped by members of the Hidatsa tribe before marrying Toussaint Charbonneau.
During their meeting where Sacagawea was translating, she slowly realized the chief they were speaking to was her brother, whom she hadn’t seen in years. The Lewis and Clark expedition led her back to her home and her family.
Later, when the expedition arrived at the Pacific Ocean, they had to decide where to set up camp. Each party member was given the chance to vote, including Sacagawea and York, who at that time didn’t have the right to vote anywhere else in the country.
What is the coolest part of Ryan’s job?
Ryan loves the collaborative nature of his job, from working with his colleagues to partners along the trail.
He also loves the size and complexity of the Lewis and Clark NHT, which covers a massive area of the continent and tells the unique story of Lewis and Clark.
What part of the Lewis and Clark NHT has the best BBQ?
Besides being an awesome park ranger, Ryan loves to share his insights into the world of BBQ on his blog and Instagram page!
His definitive answer on where you should stop to get BBQ along the Lewis and Clark NHT? Kansas City! A close second is St Louis and Kentucky. Ryan’s top three BBQ places you have to stop at in Kansas City:
- Chef J BBQ
- Buck Tui
- Night Goat
Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Please let Ryan know that you appreciate him coming on the podcast over on his Instagram page!
Links mentioned in this podcast episode:
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- NPS Sites in Missouri
- Ozark National Scenic Riverways
- Lolo Trail
- Lemhi Pass
- Qoq’aalx ‘Iskit, or the Road to the Buffalo
- Chef J BBQ
- Buck Tui
- Night Goat
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