Trip Idea

Lewis & Clark Full Day Pacific Coast Trip

Multiple Parks

Rangers in Costumes at Dismal Nitch
Duration Full Day
Topic(s) Explorers and Expeditions, Forts, Oceans, Trails, Elk, Ruins, Architecture and Building, Colonization and Settlement, Trade, Estuaries and Mangroves, Rainforest, River and Riparian, Scenic Views, Westward Expansion, Native American Heritage more »
Activities Self-Guided Tours - Walking, Living History
Type Kid Friendly, Active, Educational
Parks Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

Follow in the Footsteps of Lewis and Clark Along the Pacific Coast
  • Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

    Stretch Your Legs at the Dismal Nitch Wayside

    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Self-Guided Tours - Walking
    • Pets: Yes
    • Location: Clark's Dismal Nitch
    • Duration: 5–30 Minutes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
    Dismal Nitch from Highway 104

    Start your Lewis & Clark journey where the Corps of Discovery did. Captain William Clark named the spot “that dismal little nitch.” For six stormy days, the group was trapped by fierce wind and high waves at the rocky shoreline. Today the spot boasts a beautiful view of the Columbia river, interpretive panels, and a short walking path.

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  • Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

    Survey a Chinook Trade Village

    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Self-Guided Tours - Walking
    • Pets: No
    • Location: Middle Village - Station Camp
    • Duration: 20–30 Minutes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
    Film camp youth learning about surveying at Middle Village

    Middle Village - Station Camp, has interpretive panels to inform visitors on the Chinook Indian Nation history, as well as telling the story of early contact, the Corps of Discovery, and the town of McGowan.

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  • Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

    See the Pacific at Cape Disappointment

    • Activity Fee: Yes
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Self-Guided Tours - Walking
    • Pets: Yes
    • Location: Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment
    • Duration: 2–4 Hours
    • Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day
    Cape Disappointment Landscape

    It was at the base of Cape Disappointment that the Corps of Discovery achieved their principal mission of traveling across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. Eleven expedition members led by William Clark surveyed the area, fulfilling President Jefferson’s instructions to the expedition.

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    • Activity Fee: Yes
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Living History
    • Pets: Yes
    • Location: Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
    • Duration: 1–3 Hours
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
    Fort Clatsop with Flag

    Visit the replica fort and visitor center to learn more about the Lewis & Clark expedition and local native culture. If you visit during our Summer or Winter programs you may even get to talk to rangers in costumes and try your hand at 19th century tasks. Experience this incredible story in a tangible way when you lay down on a bed in the fort or take a walk along the Netul river.

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  • Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

    Find a Salt Camp in Seaside

    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Self-Guided Tours - Walking
    • Pets: Yes
    • Location: Lewis and Clark Salt Cairn Historical Monument
    • Duration: 5–10 Minutes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day
    Salt Furnace Replica

    To make salt, the Corps had to find rocks to build a furnace, wood to burn, ocean water to boil, fresh water to drink and game animals. Nearby rivers weren't salty enough, but a site 15 miles southwest of Fort Clatsop proved perfect. What's more, there were homes of local Clatsop and Tillamook Indians nearby, local experts who could help the Corps members.

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  • Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

    Continue South to Find a Whale

    • Activity Fee: Yes
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Self-Guided Tours - Walking
    • Pets: Yes
    • Location: Ecola State Park
    • Duration: 1–4 Hours
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
    Ecola State Park

    Wrapping around Tillamook Head, between Seaside and Cannon Beach, Ecola State Park stretches along 9 miles of coastline and offers outstanding sightseeing and recreation opportunities combined with a storied past. Though the scenic and hiking opportunities may be the main allure, the diversity of outdoor recreation including picnicking, tidepooling, surfing and wildlife observation make Ecola State park a destination year round.

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Last updated: October 6, 2020