Fort to Sea Trail

Every American knows the story of Lewis and Clark.  These famous explorers traveled into the unexplored west in search of a fabled "Northwest Passage."  Although this route was never found, these men did successfully reach the Pacific Ocean.  Their party wintered near what is now the NW Oregon coast, in a place they named "Fort Clatsop."

Lewis and Clark didn't have these nifty boardwalks

Many years later, the National Park Service recreated Fort Clatsop in a place believed to be close to it's original location.  During the snowless winter of 2015, I made a visit to the fort.  While browsing around, I discovered a trail existed that stretched from Ft. Clatsop to the Pacific ocean.  This 6.5-mile "Fort to Sea" Trail attempted to replicate the path Lewis and Clark's men took when traveling to the coast. 

Fort Clatsop replica

I'd always intended to return and hike this trail.  But compared to the Gorge and Cascade Mountains, it looked a little bit boring.  Plus I didn't want to do a round-trip journey of 13 miles. 

Then my blogging buddies Hans and Lisa said they'd be visiting nearby, and was I interested in a hike?

Clatsop Ridge viewpoint

Hans and Lisa live full time in their 5th wheel and travel the country.  You can follow their adventures on Metamorphosis Road.  They'd spent an entire summer journeying up the Oregon Coast, finally landing near Astoria in late August.

Lush coastal forest

A perfect chance to explore the Fort to Sea trail!  Plans were made to meet my friends and leave a vehicle at each end.  This enabled us to do a shuttle so we'd only have to hike the trail in one direction.

Lots of ferns and mossy trees

On the appointed day, I left hot, smoky Portland for the Oregon Coast's cool, cloudy skies.  After weeks of above-90 temperatures, the chilly weather was such a relief.  I met my friends at the Sunset Beach parking lot.  Hans and Lisa piled into my Subaru and we headed towards Fort Clatsop.

Genuine Oregon slugs!

Once at Ft. Clatsop, we did a quick tour of the rebuilt replica of the fort itself, and walked down to the Lewis and Clark river's banks.  But my friends were eager to explore the Fort to Sea Trail, so upon locating it's beginning, off we went!

Halfway point

Lewis and Clark's party made several trips to the Pacific Ocean, in search of salt and to trade with the local tribes.  This trail is thought to cross forest, fields, and dunes similar to those traveled by Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery.

Forest transitioning to brown

However, the first section of trail traversed through this lovely coastal forest on a nice wooden boardwalk.  Hmmm....don't think the Corps of Discovery had that luxury!

Pastureland

My friends and I climbed about a mile and a half through dense woods before reaching Clatsop Point.  At 370 feet, this was the highest point of our trek.  Despite the cloudy skies, we did enjoy sweeping views of the nearby forest and hills.

Blackberries!

From our lofty perch, the trail then descended down into a lovely coastal forest, full of lush ferns and huge mossy trees.  I even spotted a bit of wildlife - two huge slugs stuck to a fallen tree!

Our hikers pause to pick berries

Several other trails branched off from the main Fort to Sea path, and Hans, Lisa and I commented it would be fun to explore these on a future trip.  Our trail was wide, evenly graded, and well-signed.  There was even a restroom at the halfway point.  (An amenity I know wasn't around in Lewis and Clark's day!)

Lisa found a ripe one

Soon after, the forest began to transition into pastureland.  My friends and I crossed over a slough via a nice wooden bridge and found a large patch of ripe blackberries on the other side.  Those plump, deep purple berries looked too good to resist!

Hans has a mouth full of berries!

Let the picking begin!  Perfect for a quick snack.

Hwy 101 underpass

After the berry patch, we began hearing traffic noise.  Soon our path dipped under Highway 101 via a sturdy concrete tunnel.  (Of course, there was no traffic in Lewis and Clark's day, except maybe large herds of elk)

Winding through a grassy farmer's field

On the west side of the highway we found golden farmer's fields and a cute country church.

Cute country church

And more rivers and sloughs to cross.  Luckily the parks service had built some nice bridges (poor Lewis and Clark's men would've had to wade through all these water bodies).

Bridge over Skipanon River

In this area, the trail was wedged between farmer's fields, sometimes hemmed in by fences on both sides.  Not exactly a scenic place to hike....

Crossing stiles

And for some reason, we had to pass through a couple wooden stiles that appeared to be located along property lines.  Not sure of their purpose.  Maybe to keep cattle out?

Narrow trail between fields

Lovely arched bridge over slough area

But luckily, the flat barren field areas were relatively short, and before I knew it we came upon a lovely arched bridge spanning another slough.  This was my favorite bridge of the entire trail.

Lilypads

The slough below had a large patch of lilypads floating in it's water.

Hans strikes a hikers pose

Passing by a couple of tiny lakes, I noticed the forest was beginning to thin, and the soil was looking a bit more sandy.

The trees begin to thin

Then we passed by the parking area for Sunset Beach, and Hans and Lisa's truck.  Not much farther now!

Almost there!

The final leg of our journey was a short trek through tall beachgrass.  We could hear the roar of the waves, and Lisa spotted a couple of kites floating in the sky.

The mighty Pacific

Ocean in sight!  I wonder if this was the same view that greeted Lewis and Clark upon their arrival?

Waving beach grass and dreamy blue hills

Although I hadn't expected much, I came away mightily impressed with the Fort to Sea Trail.  It passed through an amazing coastal forest, over beautiful sloughs and creeks, and ended at a scenic, windswept beach.  Although an easy trek for us modern adventurers, it made me appreciate the difficulties Lewis and Clark's party endured just to obtain basic supplies.

Great to reconnect with blogging buddies while trekking a historic trail.  Now on to Astoria for an after-hike brew at one of their wonderful pubs!  (Sorry Lewis and Clark, you were 210 years too early)

Fort Clatsop

"Ocian in view! O! the joy."

These words were written in Captain William Clark's journal upon taking his first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean.

Guess where I went?

The most famous journey in American history, the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled over 4,000 miles across the North American continent exploring a huge unknown territory west of the Mississippi River.  Their group spent the winter of 1805-06 near the Oregon coast at a place they named "Fort Clatsop."

A replica of the original fort

In my recent coastal jaunts, I've come within close proximity of the old fort site, now a National Historic Park.  After a couple of readers inquired about it's location, I decided it was time for a visit.

Enlisted men's quarters

On the day of my trip, a huge "pineapple express" rainstorm battered western Oregon.  These warm, extremely wet weather patterns wreak havoc for skiers, as they produce torrential rain, instead of snow, in the mountains.  Although I love skiing, I draw the line at doing it in the rain.  With no trip to the mountains on the agenda, I had to think of somewhere else to go.  That's how I ended up at the coast.

The rain barrels were full!

Throughout my drive west, the rain came down in sheets.  More than once I questioned the wisdom of traveling to the coast on such a stormy day.  Arriving at the fort, the deluge wasn't letting up in the least.  Although these dismal conditions gave a very good picture of what Lewis and Clark endured, I would've welcomed a little less of the wet stuff.

Lewis and Clark's quarters

One benefit of bad weather - I'd have the place to myself.  Pulling my car into a nearly empty lot, I congratulated myself for such good planning.

Thick forest beyond the fort

But, when I stepped into the visitor center, I was surprised to find it full of teenagers.  Two busloads of kids from a nearby school happened to be visiting on the same day as I.  So much for having the place to myself....

Looking out one of the rooms

Still, I'd traveled here specifically to see the fort, and told myself to make the best of it.  After one group of rain poncho-clad kids had exited the visitor's center, I was able to pay my admission and get some maps and literature.  The ladies working here were exceptional.  They were very much into the  history of this place, and full of knowledge that they freely shared.  One women, seeing my camera, directed me to a barrel of loaner umbrellas, specifically for use on days such as today.

River view through the trees

Out the visitor center's back door, signs directed me to the fort.  Although no one knows the exact location where Lewis and Clark spent the winter, historians believe the park is within very close proximity.

Entrance door

A short (and very wet) walk from the visitor center, and there it was, the fort itself.  Built from drawings in Clark's journal, this replica is thought to closely resemble the original Fort Clatsop.  An amazing bit of historic recreation, I felt as if I was going back in time as I passed through it's gates.

Lewis and Clark's room

The fort consisted of two rows of log buildings.  One side had three rooms, and was where most of the men stayed.  The other side housed the storeroom, and two separate rooms, one for Lewis and Clark, and the other for Sacagawea, her husband, and infant son.  A thick log wall surrounded both buildings, with a sturdy gate, which was closed each night.

Thick log structures

I wandered through the buildings, marveling at how dark and cold they were.  I couldn't imagine how dreary it must've been to live here all winter.  One of the rooms was packed full of schoolkids, and a lady dressed in period clothing was giving a talk about the fort.  I stood by the doorway and eavesdropped for awhile.  This lady was an excellent speaker.  I wish I could remember all the facts she was throwing out - living the way these men did, how hard they worked, and how much food they had to harvest to feed themselves.  These people were tough!  We modern folk, in comparison, are a bunch of weenies.

Lewis and Clark River

After listening to the park volunteer for several minutes, I exited the fort and began to explore the surrounding woods.  A trail led to the nearby river (originally called the Netul, it's been renamed the Lewis and Clark River).  Lewis and Clark paddled their canoes up this very river in search of a winter encampment site.

Dugout canoe replica

Wooden boardwalks led visitors to several river viewpoints, and past a dugout canoe replica.  The forest here was thick and lush, with some enormous trees.  Despite the rain, a most beautiful setting!

The fort's back entrance

Some interesting facts about Fort Clatsop:  Lewis and Clark's men built the original fort in 3 1/2 weeks.  The first replica, built in 1955, took 18 months to erect.  It lasted until October 3, 2005, when a fire destroyed the entire structure.  A second replica was finished in 2006, and now features a fire detection system (a necessary modern deviation from the original).

Boardwalk near river's edge

As I walked from the river landing back to the fort, I noticed the rain had stopped.  The only water falling was dripping from tree branches.  Wishing to ditch the umbrella, I made a side trip to the visitor center.

Park volunteers demonstrate a black powder rifle

Now that it wasn't raining, I headed back to the fort in hopes of capturing some better images.  Nearing the structure, I noticed a large group of the schoolkids gathered in a nearby clearing.  One of the adult chaperones told me there was going to be a black powder rifle demonstration very soon.  Curious, I decided to stick around.

The same lady who'd given the terrific talk in the fort demonstrated how a black powder rifle worked.  She held the kid's attention well.  I guess the subject was mighty interesting - who doesn't want to see someone shoot off a gun?  I whipped out my GoPro and captured a short video of the event.

Thick gate

After the demonstration, as the kids dispersed, I wandered back into the fort with my GoPro for one last look around.  The wonderful park lady who'd given such good talks, invited me in to the captain's quarters, and I got a brief bit of footage before my battery died.  The lady explained that this room was normally only open for groups, so it was lucky I'd chosen my visit to coincide with a scheduled tour.  Same with the black powder demonstration - now I was glad those schoolkids were here!

A very interesting look into a huge event in our nation's history.  During summer weekends, Fort Clatsop features costumed reenactments and more ranger-led programs.  A good reason to return!  However, it felt much more authentic to visit this place on a rainy, winter's day.


Sharing with:  Our World Tuesday

In Search of Lewis and Clark

It all started with this article in May's issue of Backpacker magazine.  The Oregon Coast Trail, from Ecola State Park to Arch Cape, was featured in the "destinations" section.  The trail description and beautiful magazine photo got me thinking "why don't I ever hike at the coast?"


Size matters!  Click on any photo to enjoy a larger version.

The first explorers

Growing up in South Dakota, I never had access to an ocean.  When I moved to Oregon, 24 years ago, I gravitated to familiar surroundings - rivers and mountains.  Having never lived near the sea, I didn't know what I was missing.  My home is an hour's drive from the coast, but I hardly ever visit.

Ocean view from Ecola Point

So I decided, if there's a local trail good enough to be featured in a national magazine, I'd better go hike it.  The original plan was to visit Ecola State Park on my Friday off.  But the weather for the coast that day didn't look promising (lots of rain) so instead I went to Three Corner Rock (see previous post).  Sunday's weather, although not sunny, was at least predicted to be dry.  It was as good as it gets for a trip to the beach.

White foamy waves

A big fan of William L. Sullivan's hiking books, I also own his "100 Hikes on the Oregon Coast."  This particular edition details a section of the Oregon Coast Trail, from Seaside to Ecola State Park.  Not only does Sullivan give a dead-on accurate description of this trail, he also includes some historical tidbits.  I learned this portion of the Oregon Coast trail was first traversed by explorers Lewis and Clark during the winter of 1806.

Ancient coastal forest

Wintered at Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark heard from the local Indians of a huge whale that had washed up on a beach south of their encampment.  The party set off in search of the "monstrous fish," hoping to acquire some of the blubber for food.  Led by a native guide, the explorers scaled a large headland now known as Tillamook Head.  Clark described this headland as "the steepest worst and highest mountain I ever ascended." 

A Lewis & Clark viewpoint?

But once on top, the men marveled at the amazing ocean views.  Clark liked one viewpoint in particular, where he exclaimed "I behold the grandest and most pleasing prospect which my eyes ever surveyed."

 

Frilly petals

Their party found the whale after descending to a "beautiful sand shore" and crossing a stream, which Clark later named Ecola Creek, from the Chinook Indian word for whale ("ekoli").

Wood steps through a muddy area

It was exciting to learn this hike would follow in the footsteps of these great explorers.  My plan was to park at the southern parking area at Ecola State Park.  From this lot, I'd hike 1.5 miles north along the bluffs of Ecola Point until winding down to Indian Beach.  From Indian Beach I'd climb north, hugging the high cliffs for another 1.8 miles, to reach the rocky promontory of Tillamook Head.  From this viewpoint, the trail continues further north 4.3 miles to the town of Seaside. 

A steep, windy trail leads to Indian beach

Sullivan's book promised some excellent ocean views on this final stretch of the trail, including the one that Clark liked. Since I had to hike back the way I came, it was too far to go all the way to Seaside. But I really wanted to find Clark's favorite viewpoint. From the sketch in Sullivan's book, it appeared it was about a mile or so north of the Tillamook Head viewpoint. That seemed doable.  I decided Clark's viewpoint would be my goal.

Bear checking out Indian beach

Bear and I set out under cloudy skies and mild temperatures.  The first leg of our hike, across Ecola Point, wound through a mossy forest of gigantic trees.  Large ferns grew everywhere, and the forest floor was a lush carpet of greenery. 

The tide comin' in

The trail was very muddy in places.  A wooden boardwalk was placed across a few extremely swampy portions, but there were also plenty of boggy areas where Bear and I had no choice but to slide and squish through.

Waves splashing on the rocks

The first section of the trail, from Ecola parking area to Indian Beach, offered two very nice viewpoints, one at Ecola Point.  This headland jutted out into the sea, offering vistas all around.  From the promontory, one could see a trail of sea stacks stretching out into the ocean.  One was in the shape of a small arch - super cool!  Watching white foamy waves crash onto these rocks was mesmerizing.  I sat and enjoyed the show for several minutes before moving on.

Surfers

As I approached Indian Beach, I saw a trail descending through the forest underbrush.  Thinking this was the way to the beach, I started down.  Not only was this trail extremely steep, it was also super muddy. I gingerly crept downhill, hanging onto trees and vegetation to arrest my slides.  Luckily, I managed to stay upright the entire trip down, but it was pretty nip and tuck. 

Nice place for a picnic

But at the bottom of the path was my reward.  Indian Beach spread out before me.  I walked through a band of perfectly round rocks until I hit the sandy shoreline.  The southern end of the beach was wilder, hemmed in by Ecola Point and the rows of sea stacks.  The northern end was more developed, a parking lot close by.  There were quite a few people on this portion of the beach, sitting in the sand or walking around.  There was also a small band of surfers in wetsuits tackling the waves.

Lovely wild irises

Bear enjoyed running around the beach, but didn't like the waves coming at him.  I, however, had fun talking photos of the crashing waves, and liked the challenge of trying to click a shot before my feet got wet.  In the sand, there were many interesting things to photograph - rocks, seaweed, and one little sand dollar (which you saw in an earlier post).

Hangin' off the cliff edge

I could've stayed at Indian Beach the rest of the day, enjoying the magnificent sights.  But remembering my goal - Clark's viewpoint - I knew I had to get moving.  So Bear and I walked through the surfers and beach goers, past the crowded parking lot, to the trail's continuation on the south side of Tillamook Head.

Windswept tree

The path climbed steeply from the parking lot.  But not very far up the trail, I was stopped by the most gorgeous viewpoint.  The forest opening offered a wide-angle panorama, looking back over the entire stretch of Indian Beach.  And there in the foreground was a patch of lovely purple wild irises.  The scene was absolutely jaw-dropping!  Certainly one of the highlights for the day. 

One last gorgeous bloom

After memorializing this fantastic place with dozens of photos, Bear and I continued on.  The trail climbed and climbed and climbed some more.  It was steep, muddy, and slippery.  After the wonderful viewpoint, and one other clearing close by, our path turned into the forest and there were no more ocean views.  This middle portion of the hike seemed to take forever, even though it was only a mere 1.8 miles.

Hiker's camp near Tillamook Head

I finally emerged from the forest, coming upon the spur trail leading to Tillamook Head viewpoint.  There at that junction, I was surprised to see three wooden bunkhouses and a covered picnic area.  I'd stumbled upon the hiker's camp.  My guidebook alluded to a hiker's camp in this area, but I wasn't expecting anything quite as established as this!  (The camp even had its own pit toilet.)  I chatted with a young couple who were packing up from a night's stay and they told me it was free to stay here, first come, first served.  The State park hosts even provided firewood.

Tillamook Head's amazing view

After checking out the hiker's camp, I followed the short spur trail to the end of Tillamook Head's rocky point.  And my timing couldn't have been better.  As I approached the clearing, the clouds that I thought would be hanging around the entire day, magically parted to reveal a sunny, blue sky.

Seafoam leads to the lighthouse

And, oh were the views glorious!  They were even better than the Indian Beach panorama, I'd seen previously.  Perched on the side of a steep cliff, I could see for miles in all directions.  The Pacific Ocean stretched before me to the horizon.  Sunshine made the sea sparkle in a lovely shade of blue-green.  Waves churned against the rocks below, foaming white.  Dark green forests framed the rocky cliffs.  Blue skies complimented everything.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse

Far out in the distance, perched on a rocky island, I had a great view of the old Tillamook Head Lighthouse.  This lighthouse operated from 1881 to 1957.  It's nickname, "Terrible Tilly," was due to its perilous location.  Sitting a mile out to sea, this island was repeatedly battered by winter storms.  Waves brought water, rocks, and fish crashing into the building, at levels as high as the lantern room, which was located 150 feet above normal sea level.  Abandoned since 1957, today the structure stands empty.

Vibrant blue-green sea

A young couple I met on the trail told me they'd seen a bald eagle nest in the forest below Tillamook Head.  But they mentioned in order to see the nest, you had to climb over the protective fencing across the top of the bluff.  As I now scanned the cliffs below, trying to locate the nest, I briefly considered ducking over the fence to get a better look.  But not wanting to be on the evening news, common sense prevailed, and I stayed put on my side of the fence.  Not worth risking my life over, the eagles would have to wait for another day.

Boardwalk through the boggy trail

After taking a long lunch break and soaking in the incredible views at Tillamook Head, I again reminded myself there was one more goal for the day.  I still wanted to reach Clark's viewpoint.  Time to pack up and hit the trail for leg three of my journey!

Late afternoon light on Indian Beach

So off Bear and I went, climbing through more dense forest.  The trail became incredibly muddy, much worse than anything I'd encountered thus far.  A couple of stretches had wooden planks placed over the soupy muck, but for the most part, we were on our own.  Bear's white legs and underbelly turned black with mud and my boots became caked with the sticky stuff.  Climbing up the steep trail, I often held onto adjacent trees to stop myself from sliding.  Progress was glacially slow.

Nice evening for a beach walk

I kept scanning the trees ahead, trying to locate Clark's viewpoint.  Small openings between the trees provided occasional glimpses of the ocean, but nothing seemed to open up to a broad panorama.  These little peep shows were such a tease, I began to get annoyed.  The climbing continued, the mud wasn't letting up, and I was surrounded by dense forest, with nary a viewpoint in sight. 

My gps battery died, so I'm not really sure how far I traveled.  But I'd chosen 3:00 as my turn-around time (promising Roger I'd be home at six for dinner).  The appointed hour arrived, and I still was no closer to the final goal.  I conceded defeat, turned around and slid back down that muddy trail, returning to my car.

Beautiful rugged Oregon coast

As I retraced my steps back to the parking area, I thought about Lewis and Clark and their team of men, who made their way through these very woods over two centuries ago.  There wasn't a nicely-graded, cleared trail back then.  Certainly nothing as established as the trail I hiked today (mud and all).  The men didn't have Vibram hiking boots or technical clothing.  They didn't have a gps, ergonomically designed backpacks, or fancy Camelback hydration bladders.  The explorers didn't have Cliff bars, trail mix, or peanut butter.  All they had was their buckskin clothing, and dried elk to eat.  And yet Lewis and Clark's party successfully traveled through these rugged, muddy woods, discovering amazing viewpoints in their quest to obtain food.

Even though I didn't reach my final goal, this was hands-down the most incredible hike I've completed so far this year.  I've forgotten what a beautiful place the Oregon Coast really is.  I totally understand now why Backpacker magazine included this hike in one of their current issues.  No, this won't be my only trip to the coast.  Next time, I plan to finish the rest of the hike described in Backpacker, starting at Ecola State Park and heading south. 

And of course, I'll also come back another day and find Clark's elusive viewpoint.