Make the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center the first stop during your visit to Cape Disappointment State Park. Perched high above the mouth of the Columbia River, where it meets the Pacific Ocean, the center offers insight into the Corps of Discovery’s famous journey, in particular, their stay on the Pacific coast.
The interpretive center has interactive exhibits for the whole family to enjoy. Let kids take part in a treasure hunt, load a canoe without tipping it over and find out what the explorers ate during their adventures.
The center is also a great spot to get a panoramic photo of both the Columbia Pacific Confluence and the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, one of the oldest operating lighthouses on the West Coast. Learn about the area’s North Head lighthouse too. If you’re visiting during the winter or spring, ask one of the volunteers to help you look for migrating gray whales.
Follow Lewis and Clark on their journey, as reflected on mural-sized panels with drawings, paintings, photos and the words of Corps members. Watch the short film for more information. Other exhibits include a short film, maps, posters and artifacts related to local maritime and military history.
While you’re in the interpretive center, ask for advice regarding the state park’s various hikes. Walk through ancient forests, to freshwater lakes, along saltwater marshes and through tidelands. Bell’s View Trail offers a leisurely stroll with a view of the beach. North Head Trail is more difficult it connects to McKenzie Head and Fort Canby’s old gun battery.
Find the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center within Cape Disappointment State Park. The center is open daily April through October and Wednesday through Sunday from November through March. There is an admission fee to visit the center. Children age six and younger are free. The on-site parking lot is free however, it is not large enough to accommodate RVs.