Skipanon River
Encyclopedia
The Skipanon River is a tributary of the Columbia River
, approximately 7 miles (11.3 km) 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 south at its mouth west of Astoria
.
The Skipanon River issues from Cullaby Lake in western Clatsop County
, northeast of Seaside
and less than 3 miles (4.8 km) from the ocean. It flows north parallel to the coast and east of U.S. Route 101
. It enters the northwest end of Youngs Bay
at the mouth of the Columbia approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) northeast of Warrenton
. The mouth of the river is at river mile
10.7 miles (17.2 km) of the Columbia upstream from its mouth.
The river's name comes from the Clatsop
language, originally referring to a point at the river's mouth rather than the river itself. The charts of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
show the stream as Skipanarwin Creek. Another variant spelling, Skeppernawin, was common on maps into the 20th century.
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 7 miles (11.3 km) long, on the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast of 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 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 south at its mouth west of 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 Skipanon River issues from Cullaby Lake in western 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...
, northeast of 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:...
and less than 3 miles (4.8 km) from the ocean. It flows north parallel to the coast and east of U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
. It enters the northwest end of 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...
at the mouth of the Columbia approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) northeast of Warrenton
Warrenton, Oregon
Warrenton is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The city is named for D.K. Warren, an early settler. The population was 4,096 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. The mouth of the river is at river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
10.7 miles (17.2 km) of the Columbia upstream from its mouth.
The river's name comes from the Clatsop
Clatsop
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...
language, originally referring to a point at the river's mouth rather than the river itself. The charts 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...
show the stream as Skipanarwin Creek. Another variant spelling, Skeppernawin, was common on maps into the 20th century.