In the fall of 1805, after navigating their canoes through weeks of cold rain and fog, the Corps of Discovery reached the mouth of the Columbia River.

The entry William Clark jotted down in the notebook, which he kept ready on his knee while noting bearings, captures the sense of accomplishment: “''Ocian in view! O! the joy.” However, his enthusiasm was a little premature since what Clark probably saw was the Columbia estuary. After battling bad weather for a week, the expedition finally reached their destination.

When Clark and ten men hiked to Cape Disappointment, the vast Pacific was at last in sight. The closing sentence in his November 18 journal entry read, “men appear much Satisfied with their trip beholding with estonishment the high waves dashing against the rocks & this emence ocian.”

After a year-and-a-half, their journey took them over 4,000 miles through the rivers, plains, and mountains of the American West. Through true grit, and a lot of help from Native Americans along the way, a major part of the Lewis and Clark expedition was complete.

The same area that the Corps reached to view the Pacific can be visited today at Cape Disappointment State Park. Situated on the cliffs of the state park is The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. An observation deck at the center allows breathtaking views of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean, which the Corps had traveled so far to reach. Museum exhibits inside feature the Lewis and Clark expedition as well as local maritime and military history. Visit the gift shop or watch a short feature film inside the center.

Call 360-642-3029 or visit http://www.parks.wa.gov/187/Lewis-Clark-Interpretive-Center/ for more information concerning operating hours, fees, and directions.

Credits and Sources:

Content for this Next Exit History site sponsored by the Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. For more information visit http://lewisandclark.org/.

Photos courtesy of Aaron Webster, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington.

Lewis, Meriwether, William Clark, Bernard DeVoto, Stephen E. Ambrose, and Erwin Raisz. The Journals of Lewis and Clark. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

Moulton, Gary E. The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery, An Abridgement of the Definitive Nebraska Edition.Lincoln, Nebraska: Bison Books, 2003.

National Park Service. The Lewis and Clark National Park Guide. Canon Beach, Oregon: Pelican Productions, 2006. Washington State Parks. “Cape Disappointment State Park.” Accessed June 24, 2014. http://www.parks.wa.gov/486/Cape-Disappointment.