Astoria

The Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Park was our first stop in Astoria. The visitor’s center tells a great deal about the Lewis and Clark expedition and the winter they spent camped near at Fort Clatsop, a stockade they built and named after the local Clatsop Indians who befriended them. The displays were excellent and gave a real sense of the expedition’s struggles and accomplishments. The Columbia River Maritime Museum gave a real appreciation of the role of the Coast Guard in keeping boats and passengers safe in the very treacherous waters of the Columbia at its mouth flowing into the Pacific. High seas and constantly shifting sands make the Columbia one of the world’s most difficult rivers to navigate. The lightship Columbia, the last seagoing lighthouse ship to serve on the West Coast, is docked at the museum. We had good views of Astoria from the Astoria Riverfront Trolley and the Astoria Column. The trolley runs along the riverfront and includes a narrated tour. The Astoria Column is 125 feet high with 164 steps leading to the top. It’s patterned after Trajan’s Column in Rove and on the exterior wall has a mural depicting the history of the area. Yes, we climbed to the top and the view was spectacular! The photo shows the bridge to Washington and The haystack rock at Cannon Beach. Click HERE to see more pictures.