Rain. That is the first thing you have to understand about the Oregon Lewis and Clark experience. It wasn't some grand, sun-drenched victory lap when the Corps of Discovery finally hit the Pacific. Honestly, it was a soggy, flea-ridden, miserable slog.
By the time Meriwether Lewis and William Clark rolled into what we now call Oregon in late 1805, they were exhausted. They had paddled down the Columbia River, dodging massive rapids and trading with local tribes like the Nez Perce and the Chinook. They weren't just looking for a view; they were looking for a way home.
The Famous "Ocean in View" Moment
You've probably seen the quote. "Ocian in view! O! the joy."
Clark wrote that in his journal on November 7, 1805. Here is the kicker: he was wrong. He wasn't looking at the Pacific Ocean yet. He was actually looking at the massive estuary of the Columbia River. The water was choppy, the waves were huge, and the expedition was essentially pinned down by storms for weeks.
It wasn't until mid-November that they truly reached the coast. Imagine being that close to your goal but being stuck in a "dismal nitch" on the Washington side of the river, soaked to the bone, with your canoes nearly smashed by the tide. Not exactly the hero's welcome they expected.
Finding Fort Clatsop: A Vote Like No Other
In late November, the group had a big decision to make. Should they stay on the north side of the Columbia (Washington) or cross to the south (Oregon)?
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This is one of the coolest, most progressive moments in American history that people often gloss over. They held a vote. Not just the officers. Everyone.
- York, Clark’s enslaved servant, cast a vote.
- Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who had navigated them through the mountains, cast a vote.
In 1805, this was unheard of. They eventually chose the south side because the Clatsop people told them there were more elk for hunting. They needed meat. Lots of it.
Life in the "Soggy Fort"
They built Fort Clatsop near present-day Astoria. It wasn't a palace. It was a 50-foot square log stockade.
If you visit the replica today at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, you can feel how cramped it was. Thirty-three adults, one baby (Jean Baptiste), and a dog named Seaman lived there for three and a half months.
It rained. Oh, did it rain. Out of the 106 days they spent at the fort, only 12 days were without rain. Only six were sunny. Their clothes literally rotted off their backs. They spent most of their time sewing—making over 300 pairs of leather moccasins because the dampness destroyed their footwear.
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The Salt Works and the Beached Whale
Survival in the Oregon winter meant two things: salt and fat.
They set up a salt-making camp in what is now Seaside, Oregon. Five men spent nearly two months boiling seawater in large kettles. It was a brutal, boring job. But by February, they had about 3.5 bushels of salt. They needed this to preserve meat for the 4,000-mile journey back to St. Louis.
Then there was the whale.
In January 1806, word reached the fort that a massive whale had washed ashore near Tillamook Head. Clark took a small group to find it. Sacagawea basically demanded to go. She hadn't seen the "big fish" or the ocean yet, and she wasn't about to be left behind.
They found the whale (or what was left of it) at what is now Ecola State Park. The local Nehalem people were already harvesting the blubber. Clark managed to trade for some oil and blubber, which was a massive treat after months of lean elk meat.
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The Oregon Legacy
The Corps left Oregon on March 23, 1806. They were so eager to leave the rain that they actually left earlier than planned. They gave the fort to Chief Coboway of the Clatsops, who had been their most consistent friend in the region.
Today, the Oregon Lewis and Clark story is more than just a history lesson. It's the reason Astoria exists. It's why the Pacific Northwest has such a distinct "frontier" identity.
But it’s also a story of indigenous cooperation. Without the Clatsop and Chinook people sharing their knowledge of wapato roots and sturgeon, the "most successful exploration in U.S. history" might have ended in a very different, much darker way.
How to Experience the Trail Today
If you want to follow in their footsteps, don't just read about it. Get out there.
- Visit Fort Clatsop: It’s part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Astoria. The smell of the woodsmoke and the damp air gives you a real sense of 1805.
- Check out the Salt Works: There’s a small memorial in Seaside on Lewis and Clark Way. It’s right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, which is kind of surreal.
- Hike Tillamook Head: Go from Seaside to Ecola State Park. This is the path Clark took to see the whale. The views are, as Clark put it, "the grandest and most pleasing prospects."
- Look for the Monuments: In Astoria, the Astoria Column offers a bird's-eye view of the whole landscape they traversed.
Basically, go when it's raining. It’s the only way to truly understand what those 106 days felt like.
To get the most out of your trip, start at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria to understand the treacherous waters they faced before heading to the fort. If you're driving, the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway (US 101) follows their coastal explorations almost perfectly.