Pompeys Pillar National Monument

Two paved parking areas serve the interpretive center and adjoining Monument. The smaller area, closer to the center, has 5 striped accessible spaces with access aisles for vehicles with a side lift or ramp for mobility devices. The larger lot has 113 parking spaces and 14 spaces for oversized vehicles such as RVs and buses.

Cell service at the site is generally good, depending on the service provider.

Entry doors for the center, which was built to comply with ABA accessibility requirements, operate via a push-button system. The center has 2 restrooms, each with an accessible toilet stall, as well as a 3^rd accessible restroom. A water fountain and bottle-filling station are at a height appropriate for visitors using wheelchairs and other mobility devices. In addition, there are benches with arm rests on both ends.

The center has Braille directional signs, as well as a National Park Service panel that provides a tactile guide to the entire Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, which runs through the Monument. The center’s exhibits, including those with audio-visual and interactive components, are designed to be accessible for visitors using mobility devices. Films shown in the theater include closed captioning.

Walkways to and around the center are paved and of varying widths, with none narrower than 6 feet across. An amphitheater, next to the interpretive center, is adjacent to one of the pathways. Angled interpretive panels provide information about the site, based in part on William Clark’s journal. Benches without arm rests are located throughout the grounds.

Picnic tables, 5 of which can accommodate wheelchair users at one or both ends, sit on the flat grassy area around the center, not on a concrete pad or walkway. The rustic play area was not designed with accessibility in mind.

Flat paved walkways lead to the base of Monument, but the top of the monument is not accessible to people with limited mobility. Visitors must climb 100 steps to the first landing, near Clark’s famous signature in the rock, then another 100 steps to reach the top of the Monument. 

Inside the center, visitors can experience the top of the Monument virtually. A ranger can assist with a pan-tilt-zoom camera that focuses on Clark’s signature and other points of interest. A virtual reality headset enables visitors to take a 360-degree tour of the Monument without leaving the building.

Descriptions and photos uploaded October 2024. Please note that actual on-the-ground conditions may vary due to natural events (e.g., weather, wildfires, erosion), normal wear and tear, or site improvements.