Fort Clatsop National Memorial

Address:92343 Fort Clatsop Rd.
Astoria, Oregon
Tel: (503) 861-2471

The Fort Clatsop National Memorial, named for the local Clatsop Indian tribe, was the winter encampment from December, 1805, until March, 1806 for the 33 member Corps of Discovery with Lewis and Clark in their exploration of the western United States. A 1955 community-built replica of the explorers' 50'x50' Fort Clatsop is the centerpiece of the park. The park consists of 12 sites and stretches for over 40 miles from the Pacific coast to Long Beach, Washington. As part of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Park Sites, the Fort Clatsop National Memorial makes for a great outdoor adventure and history lesson.

You can take the Fort to Sea Trail and the Netul River Trail to get you started. These trails will walk you around the park and on your way you'll see what the area has to offer. It's a gentle 1.5 mile walk along the river, the same walk the first expedition members took. You'll see The Salt Works, a Station Camp, Sunset Beach, and much more. You'll also have a chance to take in a life-sized bronze statue of Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who accompanied the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean. You'll also find exhibits on the region and its wildlife in the main building.

The park offers interpretive programs with park rangers in costume at the replica of the fort. Schedules are posted in the visitor center daily mid-June through Labor Day. The park's gift shop is filled with useful outdoor equipment and munchies.

To get to the Fort Clatsop National Memorial, take Route 401 down to US Route 101. Continue south west past Astoria and follow the signs. You'll head east in the opposite direction of Warrenton and will see the park nestled between the Lewish and Clark River and the Youngs River.

Life at the fort was far from pleasant. It rained every day but 12 of the 106 days at the Fort. Perhaps the most important activity undertaken during their winter here was the reworking of the journals by the leaders, and the preparation of organized accounts of the scientific data gathered during the journey.