The Soil Colors of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

Sacagawea Lewis & Clark Soil Paints

A portrait of Sacagawea by Janis Lang as seen by Lewis & Clark along the trail

Sacagawea and her son travelled with the Lewis and Clark expedition. Hematite colors (in the sky of this painting) are more prevalent in warmer climates or where soil has preserved a record of warmer climates from earlier geologic times. Hematite (Greek for blood-like) adds rich red tints. In general, goethite soil colors occur more frequently in temperate climates, and the smaller goethite crystals produce shades of brown. Large hematite crystals give a purplish-red color to geologic sediments that, in a soil, may be inherited from the geologic parent material.

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