▁in ▁Broad water ▁County , ▁Mont ana , ▁about ▁ 4 ▁miles ▁south ▁( up - river ) ▁from ▁Town send , ▁Mont ana , ▁along ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁ 2 8 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁islands ▁were ▁named ▁by ▁the ▁Lewis ▁and ▁Clark ▁Ex ped ition ▁( 1 8 0 3 – 1 8 0 6 ) ▁for ▁Clark ' s ▁slave ▁York , ▁when ▁the ▁expedition ▁passed ▁this ▁way ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 5 ▁on ▁their ▁historic ▁journey ▁of ▁expl oration ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁ ▁The ▁islands ▁may ▁be ▁accessed ▁from ▁U . S . 2 8 7 , ▁as ▁a ▁Mont ana ▁Fish ing ▁Access ▁site . ▁ ▁N aming ▁York s ▁Islands ▁ ▁The ▁islands ▁were ▁named ▁for ▁York ▁( ca . ▁ 1 7 7 0 - 1 8 3 1 ), ▁Captain ▁William ▁Clark ' s ▁lif el ong ▁slave ▁companion , ▁and ▁" body ▁servant " ▁who ▁accompanied ▁Clark ▁on ▁the ▁expedition ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁and ▁back . ▁ ▁The ▁expedition ▁passed ▁this ▁point ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 8 0 5 . ▁The ▁name ▁" Y ork s ▁ 8 ▁Islands " ▁is ▁not ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁narr ative ▁journ als ▁of ▁Lewis ▁and ▁Clark ▁for ▁that ▁day ; ▁it ▁is , ▁however , ▁found ▁in ▁Clark ' s ▁tab ulations ▁on ▁his ▁map ▁draw ings ▁and ▁in ▁his ▁list ▁of ▁" C ree ks ▁and ▁R ivers ." ▁Clark ' s ▁map ▁for ▁this ▁area ▁has