Lewis & Clark National Historical Park
|
|
|
courtesy of the National Park Service |
Contact Information:
92343 Fort Clatsop Rd
Astoria, OR 97103-9197
503-861-2471
http://www.nps.gov/lewi/
Location: The Lewis & Clark National Historical Park is made up of 12 park sites located on a 40-mile stretch of the Pacific coast from Long Beach, WA to Cannon Beach, OR. Most of the sites are located near US 101.
Description: Preserves sites associated with the arrival and winter encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the lower Columbia River area in the winter of 1805-1806, following its successful crossing of the North American Continent. Among the sites to be preserved on the lower Columbia River that played crucial roles during the Corps of Discovery expedition's arrival at the Pacific Ocean, include: Clark's Dismal Nitch, where the expedition first viewed the ocean and was trapped during a six-day storm; Station Camp, where the group held a historic vote among all group members – including Sacagawea and York – on where the expedition should stay for the winter; and Cape Disappointment, marking the furthest point westward reached by Lewis and Clark. Fort Clatsop, which was the expedition's winter encampment from December 1805 to March 1806, was already a unit of the National Park Service and has been incorporated into the newly designated national historical park. Other park sites include Washington's Cape Disappointment State Park and Fort Columbia State Park, and Oregon's Fort Stevens State Park, Sunset Beach State Recreation Area, and Ecola State Park.
Activities: A good starting point is to visit Fort Clatsop or the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment State Park. Both offer park rangers and exhibits on the heritage of the region. Costumed programs are scheduled at Fort Clatsop during the summer months, beginning mid-June and ending Labor Day weekend. From near the fort, visitors can hike the Fort To Sea Trail, which winds its way through woods to Sunset Beach on the Pacific Ocean. From Netul Landing, south of Fort Clatsop, visitors can kayak or paddle the Lewis and Clark River Trail, a gentle 1.5-mile meander along the river. The launch at Netul Landing is also part of the Lewis and Clark Columbia River Water Trail, a 146-mile stretch of water that follows the explorers' route on the Lower Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean, near Ilwaco, Washington. Park
hours: Fort Clatsop is open every day of the year except December 25th.
History: Authorized on October 30th, 2004, incorporating state parks in Washington and Oregon along with the current Fort Clatsop National Memorial.
See other National Historical Parks
See other Oregon National Parks
See other Washington National Parks