Lewis and Clark River
Encyclopedia
The Lewis and Clark River is a tributary of the Columbia River
, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) long, in northwest Oregon
in the United States
. It drains 62 square miles (160.6 km²) of the Northern Oregon Coast Range
in the extreme northwest corner of the state, entering the Columbia near its mouth. Near the river's mouth is the site of former Fort Clatsop
of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
. The river is named for Meriwether Lewis
and William Clark.
in the central Clatsop County
. It flows generally west and slightly north. Near Seaside
it turns north and flows parallel to the coast, approximately 5 miles (8 km) inland. It enters the Youngs Bay
, part of the Columbia River, at Astoria
. The site of Fort Clatsop is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream from the mouth of the river.
people who were living in the area at the time. It continued to be known as the Netul River until 1925, when it was renamed to honor Lewis and Clark. The river flows through Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks
, which were collectively designated as a National Historical Park
in 2004.
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) long, in northwest Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It drains 62 square miles (160.6 km²) of the Northern Oregon Coast Range
Northern Oregon Coast Range
The Northern Oregon Coast Range is the northern section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, located in the northwest portion of the state of Oregon, United States. This section of the mountain range, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, contains peaks as high...
in the extreme northwest corner of the state, entering the Columbia near its mouth. Near the river's mouth is the site of former Fort Clatsop
Fort Clatsop
Fort Clatsop was the encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the Oregon Country near the mouth of the Columbia River during the winter of 1805-1806...
of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
. The river is named for Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
and William Clark.
Course
The Lewis and Clark River rises south of Saddle MountainSaddle Mountain (Clatsop County, Oregon)
Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain in Clatsop County, Oregon. Part of the Oregon Coast Range, Saddle Mountain is in Saddle Mountain State Natural Area in the northwest corner of Oregon...
in the central Clatsop County
Clatsop County, Oregon
Clatsop County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans, who lived along the coast of the Pacific Ocean prior to European settlement. As of 2010, the population was 37,039. The county seat is Astoria.-Economy:The principal...
. It flows generally west and slightly north. Near Seaside
Seaside, Oregon
Seaside is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The name Seaside is derived from Seaside House, a historic summer resort built in the 1870s by railroad magnate Ben Holladay. The city's population was 6,457 at the 2010 census.-History:...
it turns north and flows parallel to the coast, approximately 5 miles (8 km) inland. It enters the Youngs Bay
Youngs Bay
Youngs Bay, or Youngs River Bay, is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. The Youngs River meets the Columbia River at this point, which is situated between Astoria and Warrenton. There are two bridges that cross the bay, with the busiest being Old Youngs Bay Bridge, a...
, part of the Columbia River, at Astoria
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. The site of Fort Clatsop is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream from the mouth of the river.
History and parks
The river was called the Netul River by Lewis and Clark and the Native American ClatsopClatsop
The Clatsop are a small tribe of Chinookan-speaking Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. In the early 19th century they inhabited an area of the northwestern coast of present-day Oregon from the mouth of the Columbia River south to Tillamook.-Language:Clatsop in the...
people who were living in the area at the time. It continued to be known as the Netul River until 1925, when it was renamed to honor Lewis and Clark. The river flows through Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks
Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks
The Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks, in the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia River, commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition...
, which were collectively designated as a National Historical Park
National Historical Park
National Historic Sites are protected areas of national historic significance in the United States. A National Historic Site usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject...
in 2004.
Fish
The river is widely known in the region as an excellent place to catch the bottom-feeding sturgeon, which is a popular sport fish in the area, and is home to an extensive salmon repopulation program, just outside of Astoria, Oregon proper, that is currently run by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The salmon fry, called "fingerlings" can be seen writhing and jumping within their net-lined pens along the river's eastern banks.See also
- Skipanon RiverSkipanon RiverThe Skipanon River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, on the Pacific coast of northwest Oregon in the United States. It is the last tributary of the Columbia on the Oregon side, draining an area of coastal bottom land bordered by sand dunes and entering the river from the...
- List of rivers of Oregon
- List of tributaries of the Columbia River