Long Beach
This bronze sculpture marks the westernmost and northernmost point of Lewis and Clark's journey on the Pacific coast.
Easy (3 short hikes)
2.8 miles round trip
No elevation gain
Moderate (from Ilwaco to beach)
4.4 miles round trip
200 feet elevation gain
Difficult (entire trail, with shuttle)
7.2 miles one way
100 feet elevation gain
William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition hiked north along the shore of Long Beach on November 19, 1805. Before turning back, he carved his name on a tree to claim the territory for the United States.
Today the community of Long Beach is a strip of tourist shops and vacation homes, but a 7.2-mile path follows Clark’s route through a quiet landscape of forests and dunes. The wide, mostly paved Discovery Trail is popular with beachcombers, strollers, and families on bicycles.
If you’re short on time, sample the route with . . .
This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes : Oregon Coast