Fort Clatsop holiday happenings

By Information courtesy of Park Ranger Sally Freeman Lewis and Clark NHP • December 27, 2017 1:30 am

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park is offering special programs about the Corps of Discovery’s winter at Fort Clatsop this week.

Fort Clatsop has scheduled “living history” programs by park rangers from 9:30 a.m. until 4:40 p.m. each day through Jan. 1.

Costumed rangers will present flintlock muzzle-loading programs at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Hands-on programs about various aspects of the explorers’ winter at Fort Clatsop will be available at the fort from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m.

Ranger-guided walks on the Netul River Trail will be offered at 1:45 p.m. most of these days. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park will offer special programs about the Corps of Discovery’s winter at Fort Clatsop on the days following Christmas.

There are also movies being offered each hour in the visitor center: “A Clatsop Winter Story,” a 22-minute film about the 1805-06 winter from a Clatsop Indian perspective; and “Lewis and Clark: Confluence of Time and Courage,” a 34-minute movie about the entire voyage.

A unit of the National Park Service, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Fort Clatsop is located southwest of Astoria, Oregon, three miles southeast of U.S. Highway 101. The park — including the Fort to Sea Trail, the visitor center, the fort, the Netul River Trail and parking lots — is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lewis and Clark NHP also includes the Salt Works site near the Promenade in Seaside, as well as the Middle Village/Station Camp site just east of Fort Columbia in Washington. The ideal time to visit these sites is now, during the time of year the expedition stayed on the coast.

Admission to the Fort Clatsop unit of the park is $5 per adult and includes Netul Landing and the Fort to Sea Trail. Dogs that are leashed to their humans are welcome on the walks and at the outdoor programs. There is no admission fee for the Salt Works or Middle Village/Station Camp. Passes to National Park Service sites are accepted for free admission.

For further information, call the park at 503-861-4414, or visit www.nps.gov/lewi or the Facebook page: LewisandClarkNationalHistoricalPark.