Fort Clatsop, Lewis & Clark National Historical Park, Oregon

Fort Clatsop, near present day Astoria, Oregon, was the winter encampment for Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery from December 1805 - March 1806. Lewis and Clark had built this fort near the Pacific coast after completing the first overland journey across the North American continent. Today the reconstructed fort is a part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.

I visited Fort Clatsop in August, 1991, with my son, Christopher. At that time it was called the Fort Clatsop National Memorial, before the creation of the more encompassing Historical Park. During our visit we enjoyed seeing the interpretative center which has exhibits which recount the story of the Corps of Discovery, the building of the fort, encounters with Native Americans, etc. There is also an orientation film, ranger-led programs and hiking trails.

The reconstructed log fort and buildings as would have been built and used during the winter encampment were particularly interesting. The original Fort Clatsop rotted away by the mid-1800s. The average annual rainfall in the area is about 70" so untreated, unmaintained wood rots quickly. Fort Clatsop is open every day of the year except December 25th. Costumed programs are scheduled during the summer months, beginning mid-june and ending Labor Day weekend.

Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint

As Karen and I were driving through Oregon, a few miles north of the town of Redmond, we were very pleasantly surprised to come upon a scene that took our breath away. The Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint is a small state park which overlooks a large canyon with sheer basalt sides. Three bridges cross the canyon at the viewpoint and the scenic Crooked River flows through the canyon.

The facility is named in honor of Peter Skene Ogden who first entered the Crooked River Valley while leading a Hudson's Bay Company trapping party in 1825. It is located on the west side of U.S. Hwy. 97, nine miles north of Redmond. Facilities include a parking area, restrooms, picnic tables and dramatic overlooks.

The viewpoint is also the site of a memorial honoring World War II flying ace Rex T. Barber.

Sahalie Falls, Linn County, Oregon

Travel brochures say the best time to visit Sahalie Falls is during the snowmelt of Spring. We were there in August, and I can't imagine the falls being more spectacular - or more lovely.

This thundering falls plunges more than 100 feet over a lava cliff to form a glorious display. On the day of our visit there was even a rainbow in the mist. The waterfall is reached by an easy paved path from a parking area to a an overlook with guardrails. We took the dirt trail downstream below the main waterfall and discovered another very interesting cascade of 30 to 40 feet which was impressive in its own right.

Sahalie is a Chinook Indian word meaning "high," and we found visiting the falls to be a high experience in more ways than one.