Lewis and Clark Historical Parks

Best Western Ocean View Resort Lewis Salt Works Ecola State Park

Fort Clatsop National Memorial. Located in Seaside, Fort Clatsop National Memorial commemorates the 1805–06 winter encampment of the 33–member Lewis and Clark Expedition. The park includes the reconstructed fort, a visitor center and museum, historical exhibits, a canoe landing, a spring and a picnic area joined by 2 miles of hiking trails through the wetlands and rainforest. The fort, historic canoe landing, and spring are nestled in the forests and wetlands of the Coast Range as it merges with the Columbia River Estuary. www.nps.gov/focl.

Seaside ’s Promenade & Turnaround. Stroll down Seaside’s historic ocean front Promenade for a unique tribute to the famous explorers. Reconstructed in 1920, this Seaside centerpiece at the end of Broadway Street features an automobile “Turnaround” – the official end of the Lewis and Clark Trail – and a bronze statue of Lewis and Clark.

Lewis and Clark Salt Works. Near the southern end of the Seaside Promenade sits a replica of the salt cairn the Corps of Discovery used. Some members of the troop were sent south from Fort Clatsop to boil sea water for salt in late December of 1805 and returned in late February with three bushels of salt. You can find this replica along Lewis & Clark Way. This stop offers Annual Living History programs in the summer. Call 503–738–7065.

Cape Disappointment State Park. Cape Disappointment State Park is a 1,882–acre park on the Long Beach Peninsula, fronted by the Pacific Ocean. The Park offers 27 miles of ocean beach, a boat launch, two lighthouses, excellent hiking trails and a rich cultural history. Enjoy beachcombing and exploring old–growth forest, lakes, freshwater and saltwater marshes, streams and tidelands. Perched on a 200–foot cliff, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center features exhibits and films that tell the story of Lewis and Clark’s journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Hikers will experience stunning views of the mouth of the Columbia River, the Pacific Ocean, North Head Lighthouse and Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.  [Top]

 Ecola State Park. Follow the path of Lewis and Clark along the north side of Tillamook Head at Ecola State Park. Experience the arduous hike over a 7–mile trail with spectacular ocean views from high cliffs. In 1806, Capt. William Clark and 12 members of the Corps of Discovery climbed over rocky headlands and trekked through thick shrubs and trees to get to a beached whale in today’s Ecola State Park. Hike a beach path from Seaside or walk an easier paved road from Cannon Beach. Winding through towering Sitka spruce, you emerge upon a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean, so have your camera ready.

Lewis & Clark Explorer Train. Ride the Lewis & Clark Explorer Trainalong the Oregon side of the lower Columbia River to Astoria. The train takes you close to several historic sites visited by the famous Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery expedition and includes passage through nature reserves and over river trestles. Sit back, relax and enjoy panoramic views, through wide picture windows, of this scenic country traversed by the Lewis & Clark Expedition on their journey to the Pacific.  [Top]