City: Coastal Oregon, OR

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (503) 861-2471

Address: 92343 Fort Clatsop Rd.

Description: The Fort Clatsop National Memorial is administered by the National Park Service and is a memorial to the camp set up by Lewis and Clark, who spent the winter of 1805-06 in this area. The members of the expedition befriended the Clatsop Indians and decided to name their encampment after this resident Native American tribe. The national memorial is a reconstruction of the expedition’s camp based on sketches made by Lewis and Clark. One of the main attractions at this memorial is the reenactment of the day-to-day activities of Lewis and Clark’s party. Park rangers wearing 19th-century garb demonstrate how members of the expedition tanned hides; made candles, moccasins and clothing, jerky, canoes, and lead bullets; loaded muskets; used flint and steel to make fires; and much more. The memorial also has a visitor center adjacent to the fort with interesting displays that recount the events of the expedition, artifacts from the Clatsop Indians, and video and slide presentations. Well-maintained trails and picnic areas are also present at the memorial, making this a fun place to spend the day. Fort Clatsop is open every day year-round except Christmas Day. The visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from mid-September through mid-June and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from mid-June through mid-September. Admission prices are $3 for those 16 and older or $5 per car.