Fort Clatsop

Lily with Sacagawea

Traditional Clatsop dugout canoe

Lily finding all the specimens for Plant Bingo along the Lewis & Clark River

John working on his word find back at the Visitor Center

Lily and John trying on the authentic explorer clothing

We spent the morning at Fort Clatsop, just minutes from Seaside, learning about the winter that Lewis and Clark spent on the Pacific Ocean.  It was fascinating to the kids that the Oregon coast has elk just like the Kootenays.  And in fact, Lewis and Clark choose to make camp on the south side of the Columbia for that very reason.  We actually saw a herd of elk on our way home from visiting the fort.
The State Parks have a wonderful Junior Ranger program which we finally took part in on this outing.  They each had to complete a certain amount of activities in a workbook specific to the State Park (see John & Lily above) and visit at least two historic sites.  At the end of our visit the Ranger checked their work, filled out a certificate for each of them, and administered an oath.  They each received a badge, a stripe with the level they completed and a ranger pin.  Awesome!
While at the Visitor Center we watched a wonderful video made by the Clatsop people about the arrival of the explorers, Lewis & Clark's winter at the Fort, and the experience of the Clatsop people in relation to all of this.  It was very interesting to have the familiar story told from the Native perspective.