Places to Visit in Washington

On November 24, 1805, members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition voted on where to spend the winter. The opinions of Sacagawea (an Indigenous woman) and York (a Black man enslaved by William Clark) were recorded along with those of the other crew members.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s party got stuck here, near the mouth of the Columbia River for six nights. Their buckskins and buffalo robes rotted in the damp climate.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark arrived at the Walla Walla River during the fall salmon run. Indigenous people such as Yelépt graciously hosted them as they passed through.

When Walamottinin (Twisted Hair) and Tetoharsky brought the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the point where the Snake River flowed into the Columbia River, 200 people came down to the confluence to greet them with song.

Outside Skamania, Washington is the 848-foot-tall Beacon Rock that overlooks a breathtaking section of the mighty Columbia River. Beacon Rock State Park is a 4,464-acre, year-round camping park sitting in the midst of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. The core of an ancient volcano, Beacon Rock is essentially a basalt plug; the Missoula Flood waters eroded away the softer outer material. Captain Clark wrote in his journals, “…a remarkable high rock on Stard."

When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reached the Pacific Ocean, they were in an area where Chinookan people controlled the extensive trade along the rivers, including trade from ocean-going European ships.

Located in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge near Ridgefield, Washington, the Cathlapotle Plankhouse is a full-scale replica of structures built by the Chinookan People who made the Columbia River their home for at least 2,300 years.

In 1805 a small group of cross-country travelers set up camp at what is now Sacajawea Historical State Park. These explorers formed part of the group known to modern Americans as “The Lewis and Clark Expedition.” The arrival of these explorers where a harbinger of the significant change white settlers would bring to the Pacific Northwest.

When you visit Cape Disappointment State Park today, you certainly won’t be disappointed in what you find. It’s an amazing park that’s home to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Perched on a cliff 200 feet above the pounding Pacific surf, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center shares the story of the Corps of Discovery’s journey, focusing particularly on their Pacific Coast stay during the winter of 1805-1806.

Located in Ilwaco, Washington, Cape Disappointment State Park was named for Captain John Meares’ first failed attempt to find the Columbia River in 1788. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark would later conduct reconnaissance of this area during their stay at Station Camp from November 15 to November 24, 1805.