ASTORIA "Footprints of Lewis & Clark"
FULL DAY TOUR

Activities: Hiking, wildlife viewing, birding, ecological & geological sightseeing with naturalist interpretation
Interests: Lewis & Clark history, coastal ecology, glaciology, Columbia River, botany, natural & local history (wildflowers in summer)

Inclusions: Hotel pick up and drop off, highly qualified naturalist guide, travel in adventure-outfitted luxury Mercedes Van or Jeep, lunch, scrumptious morning tea with pastry, lunch, afternoon tea, refreshments, all park entry fees and comprehensive naturalist commentary.

Escape Plan
Situated at the mouth of the great Columbia River, Astoria has served as a port of entry for over a century and remains the major trading center for the lower Columbia basin. The infamous Columbia bar, nicknamed “the graveyard of the Pacific” was the ultimate destination of two pivotal and epic expeditions in American history. In1804 the Lewis and Clark “Corps of Discovery” set out to discover a northwest passage and chart lands previously known only to native peoples. Only a few years later in 1810, John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company sent the Astor Expedition on a perilous journey across the country to establish Fort Astoria as its primary fur-trading post in the Northwest, making Astoria the first permanent U.S. settlement on the Pacific coast!

From the day it was founded Astoria became an extremely important post for American exploration of the continent and was influential in establishing American claims to the land we now call the Pacific Northwest! Nowadays Astoria's many museums, bridges, lighthouses, historic forts and growing art scene are all major regional attractions. As we follow in the footsteps of these great explorers, your guide will bring the landscape alive by telling the stories of brave men and women that paved the way for future generations of pioneers. You guide will also interpret the rich geology, ecology and wildlife visible at every turn of the winding coastal road. Our first stop in town is the Maritime Museum, perhaps the finest maritime museum on the west coast and the official maritime museum of Oregon. See relics from the hundreds of ships that have fallen prey to the deadly storms and swift currents of the Columbia bar.

Next we will visit the Fort Clatsop national monument. Here you can explore of a replica of the fort where in 1805–1806 the Lewis and Clark Expedition endured a torturous winter of rain and cold before heading east after two long years in a foreign land. Then it’s across the 4mile Astoria-Megler Bridge where we visit Washington’s Cape Disappointment State Park and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. We will learn even more about the Corps of Dicovery at the Center, and just outside we can see the oldest functioning lighthouse on the western coast of the United States, first lit in 1856. We finish our day with a visit to the Astoria Column; a tower 125 feet (38 m) high built atop the hill above the town, with an inner circular staircase allowing visitors to climb to see a panoramic view of the town, the surrounding lands, and the Columbia flowing into the Pacific. The Astor family built the column in 1926 to commemorate the region's early history. The optional climb to the top may leave your legs burning, but the view is absolutely worth it!

Tour Length: 10 Hours
Tour Code: EV64
Pick up: Downtown Portland Hotels & Cruise Terminals
Departing: 8:00am
Returns: 6:00pm
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Season: Year Round
Offset your Carbon Footprint: Contact for a quote
Tour Cost: $175 per Escapist
Departs: Saturday - and at private request

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Northwest with EverGreen Escapes!