Montage of Washington State Park scenes
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Fort Columbia State Park – Over the Rocky Point

1805 To the Pacific – Walking to the ocean

Sandy beach strewn with driftwood and bordered by lush hillsides leading into the Pacific Ocean at Cape Disappointment.

William Clark and 11 men left on Nov. 18 for a three-day exploration of Cape Disappointment and the Long Beach Peninsula. Shortly after leaving Station Camp, the men climbed "a point of rocks about 40 feet high." "From the top of which," continued Clark, "the hill Side is open and assend with a Steep assent to the tops of the Mountains ..."

The point of land is today's Chinook Point. As they crossed the point, the men were walking across present-day Fort Columbia State Park. Visitors to the park are in for a treat. You will step into a 100-year-old coastal defense site, complete with original buildings, a visitor center and very big guns.

View overlooking Fort Columbia's coastal defense gun emplacement and historic buildings

History of the journey through Washington The Corps of Discovery Enters Washington Sacajawea State Park – Reaching the Columbia River at Last! Proceeding Down the Columbia Maryhill State Park – At the East End of the Gorge Columbia Hills State Park – Between the Long and Short Narrows Doug's Beach State Park – The Friendly Village Beacon Rock State Park – A Remarkable Rock Approaching the Coast Station Camp State Park – End of the Voyage Fort Columbia State Park – Over the Rocky Point Cape Disappointment State Park – Clark's Trip to the Ocean A Shortcut on the Way Home Lewis and Clark Trail State Park – On the Overland Shortcut

  1. History of the journey through Washington
  2. The Corps of Discovery Enters Washington
  3. Sacajawea State Park – Reaching the Columbia River at Last!
  4. Proceeding Down the Columbia
  5. Maryhill State Park – At the East End of the Gorge
  6. Columbia Hills State Park – Between the Long and Short Narrows
  7. Doug's Beach State Park – The Friendly Village
  1. Beacon Rock State Park – A Remarkable Rock
  2. Approaching the Coast
  3. Station Camp State Park – End of the Voyage
  4. Fort Columbia State Park – Over the Rocky Point
  5. Cape Disappointment State Park – Clark's Trip to the Ocean
  6. A Shortcut on the Way Home
  7. Lewis and Clark Trail State Park – On the Overland Shortcut


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