I’ll be honest, I am not a huge fan of US history after the “discovery of the New World”. Still, I appreciate a few moments of it, and the Lewis and Clark expedition is one.
As a naturalized citizen, I learned basic US history for my exam, but it wasn’t much. Growing up in Eastern Europe, before the Wall fell, our history curriculum for the US was virtually nonexistent. And the little we learned was warped.
Then my kids went to school, and I learned American history with them. My son became fascinated by the Lewis and Clark expedition when they studied it in fourth grade. During the year, they had a fun history project.
Each child picked one historical figure they studied during the year and presented a moment pretending to be this person. My son picked Meriwether Lewis. I heard the name for the first time.
He had to dress up like the person he picked to make his presentation more authentic. I sew, and my son needed a costume, so I made him one.
I researched not only the clothing Lewis wore but the expedition he led, too. Under the pretext of helping my child with a school assignment, I studied a moment in US history I enjoyed. Explorers always fascinated me.
Explorers in the 19th Century US. The Corps of Discovery
Lewis and Clark and the members of their expedition were true explorers. They set out to learn about the cultures of people who inhabited the land they crossed, about the flora, fauna, and geology they encountered. Though not scientists, they had enough knowledge and interest to get the job done.
Their expedition, the Corps of Discovery, established trade relationships with the Native tribes they encountered on the way. While they must have had preconceptions about the “savages”, they could develop a good rapport with them. Like all explorers, this means they were open-minded.
They set off on May 14, 1804, from Illinois, and crossed the continent, reaching the Pacific on November 20th, 1805, at the mouth of the Columbia River. Imagine their joy when they reached the destination! But then I can imagine their next thought: now we need to go back.
Imagine dedicating three years of your life to an expedition through uncharted territory! What an adventure it must have been!
Since our kids are interested in this moment of US History, we make it a point to visit the Lewis and Clark Historical National Park when we are in Oregon. Not every time, but often. This time it worked out since we stayed in Oceanside, one of the closest towns to the Park.
Visiting the Lewis and Clark Historical National Park
Walking into the Fort Clatsop replica at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park is like a step back some 200 years in the US history.
As we walked through the rooms, we couldn’t help but admire the men who called it home for a whole winter. We were cold in May in those rooms. They had a fireplace in each of the six rooms, and with eight people sleeping in such a small area, their body heat would have added to the warmth. Four bunk beds, and a fireplace, in a room made of heavy timber. Could be worse, but it would not be my idea of fun.
We saw a ranger dressed in a replica of the clothes the explorers wore though he was only there to answer questions.
After taking a peak in each room, we started on the trail surrounding the premises, and later we took off on the 1.5 mile-long trail to the Netul Landing.
The hike took us through a forest, then parallelled the road for a while, following the Netul River.
We walked in the opposite direction of the troops, who had to reach Fort Clatsop after landing there.
The Park was quiet this time of the year though on our way out we met a group of school children on a field trip. School is not out in Oregon yet though our kids have been on vacation for a week. It was the perfect time to visit popular tourist destinations; other than the school-buses, groups easy to avoid since they stayed together, we didn’t meet many other visitors.
We explored the Visitor Center on the way out. It has a few exhibits worth a stop for.
If You Go
- The park is in Astoria, Oregon. Use your GPS to get there, or just follow the signs once you are close to Astoria, if traveling on I-101.
- Entrance fee is $7/person for 16 and older. Under 15 free. If you have a National Park pass, you don’t have to pay. It doesn’t seem worth it for this park alone, but if you visit more National Parks in one year, it pays for itself.
- Keep in mind that opening hours for the Visitor Center and the fort replica differ by season. Open daily 9 am – 5 pm from September to June 9 am – 6 pm in the summer months, June through August. Trails are all open year-round sunrise to sunset. This can be long, the sun doesn’t set until 9 pm in the summer months in Northern Oregon.
- You won’t find food or lodging, not even campsites within the park’s boundaries, but it is so close to Astoria and a few smaller communities you don’t need it.
- You’ll find water fountains and a filling station at the Visitor Center, stop and fill up your bottle before you set off on a trail, especially in the summer.
- Oregon is known for its rainy weather, it might be helpful if you carry a raincoat. In the summer, wear sunscreen and a hat. Don’t get burned, like I did. Used to the Phoenix sun, I forgot that the cooler weather doesn’t mean I wouldn’t need sunscreen.
- Cell phone coverage is spotty, you most likely won’t have any in most of the park and its vicinity. Don’t worry, enjoy being unplugged. Though if you plan to take a long hike, take a map with you.
- Enjoy your time if you go.
Let me know if you’ve visited the site, and what you thought of it if you did.
