Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

How to Get There

Overview

The Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (including the former Fort Clatsop National Memorial), located in the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia River, commemorates the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Administration of the park, which includes both federal and state lands, is a cooperative effort of the National Park Service and the states of Oregon and Washington. The National Historical Park was dedicated on November 12, 2004.

After reaching the Pacific Ocean, the Corps of Discovery camped at Fort Clatsop in the winter of 1805-1806. The park features a replica of the fort and a nearby visitor center. Also included in the park are several sites on the north bank of the river in Washington and other sites in Oregon.

Ecola State Park was the site of the Corps of Discovery's 1806 trek over difficult terrain to see a beached whale. Today, it features several miles of hiking trails through old-growth forest and several beaches. Haystack Rock and the Needles are visible from many sites in the park.

Fort Stevens State Park

Fort Stevens, with its 3,700-acre (1,500 ha) park, offers exploration of history, nature, and recreational opportunities. The fort was the Oregon component of the three-fort Harbor Defense Command area at the mouth of the Columbia River (Fort Canby and Fort Columbia were the other two).

Sunset Beach State Recreation Site

Sunset Beach is the terminus of the Fort To Sea Trail, which begins in Fort Clatsop. Sunset Beach also provides visitors with direct access to the Pacific Ocean with expansive views from Cape Disappointment to the north and Tillamook Head to the south.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Lewis and Clark National Historical Park", which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0