Lewis and Clark

Lewis and Clark State Park is a 621-acre forested sanctuary located in Lewis County, southeastern Washington, approximately 30 miles south of Chehalis. The park preserves one of the few remaining old-growth forests in southwestern Washington, featuring massive Douglas-firs and western red cedars, some exceeding 800 years old. Despite its name, there is no historical evidence that the Lewis and Clark expedition actually camped at this location. The park offers a peaceful retreat into towering ancient forest, with trails winding among giants.

Lewis and Clark State Park's old-growth forest supports diverse wildlife typical of Pacific Northwest lowland forests. Black-tailed deer browse throughout the park, particularly in meadows and forest edges. Black bears occasionally wander through from surrounding forest lands. The ancient forest provides essential habitat for northern spotted owls, barred owls, and pileated woodpeckers that require large snags and downed logs. Numerous songbirds inhabit the multi-layered canopy including Pacific wrens, varied thrushes, and winter wrens.

The park's primary ecological treasure is its old-growth forest featuring massive Douglas-firs and western red cedars up to 12 feet in diameter and reaching heights exceeding 200 feet. These ancient giants, many over 600 years old, create a multi-layered canopy structure that supports complex ecological communities. Western hemlock fills the understory and middle canopy, while bigleaf maple draped with epiphytic mosses and ferns creates a rainforest atmosphere. The forest floor is carpeted with sword ferns, vanilla leaf, and various mosses.

Lewis and Clark State Park sits on sedimentary deposits of the Puget Sound lowland, with underlying bedrock consisting of Tertiary-age sedimentary rocks including sandstone and siltstone. These formations were deposited in marine and coastal environments millions of years ago and later uplifted. During the Pleistocene epoch, while massive glaciers covered areas to the north, this region remained ice-free, though it received abundant rainfall and sediment from glacial meltwater.

Lewis and Clark State Park experiences a maritime climate characterized by mild, very wet winters and warm, relatively dry summers. Annual precipitation exceeds 50 inches, with the majority falling between October and May as steady rain from Pacific storms. Winter temperatures typically range from 35-50°F, with freezing temperatures and snow uncommon at the park's low elevation of approximately 400 feet. Summer daytime highs average 75-85°F, with cool nights dropping into the 50s.

The forested area that became Lewis and Clark State Park was historically utilized by indigenous peoples, likely the Cowlitz and Chehalis tribes, for hunting, plant gathering, and travel routes connecting the Columbia River to Puget Sound. The massive old-growth trees in this area were somehow spared during the extensive logging operations that cleared most of southwestern Washington's forests in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Whether this was due to difficult access, ownership patterns, or deliberate preservation is unclear.

Lewis and Clark State Park was established in 1922, making it one of Washington's early state parks. The initial acquisition preserved a core of old-growth forest that had escaped logging, recognizing the rarity and value of these ancient trees. The park was named to commemorate the Lewis and Clark expedition, though no evidence supports their actual presence at this location. During the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps developed much of the park's infrastructure including trails, picnic facilities, and rustic structures.

Lewis and Clark State Park's primary attraction is simply walking among ancient forest giants, experiencing the cathedral-like atmosphere created by trees that were saplings when Columbus reached America. The park features approximately 5 miles of hiking trails winding through old-growth groves, including the self-guided Old-Growth Forest Trail that interprets the ecology of ancient forests. Hikers can marvel at Douglas-firs exceeding 250 feet tall and western red cedars with massive buttressed trunks.

Lewis and Clark State Park is located along Highway 12, approximately 3 miles east of Interstate 5 Exit 68 near Chehalis, making it easily accessible for travelers between Portland and Seattle. The park features 37 campsites including both standard and primitive sites, though no RV hookups are available. Facilities include restroom buildings with flush toilets but no showers, picnic areas with shelters available for reservation, and a playground.

Lewis and Clark State Park's primary conservation mission is protecting one of southwestern Washington's few remaining old-growth forest remnants. Forest management emphasizes minimal intervention, allowing natural processes to proceed while removing only hazard trees that threaten visitor safety. Downed logs and standing snags are preserved as essential wildlife habitat and nutrient cycling components. The park monitors for invasive species including English ivy, Himalayan blackberry, and garlic mustard that threaten to alter the native understory.