Nestled into the northwest tip of the state, at the mouth of the Columbia River, Fort Stevens has enough attractions to fill several days, if not a full week. It’s easy enough to take a day trip out past Astoria to the 4,300-acre state park, but once you’re there you might regret not allotting more time.
Standing in contrast to some of the more tranquil shoreline found on the northern Oregon coast, Fort Stevens sits at what has been called the “graveyard of the Pacific” – and if you think that’s hyperbole, just take a walk to the shipwreck that still haunts the park. It was also the site of the primary military defense system on the Columbia, which remained active from the Civil War through World War II.
All that history is on full display at Fort Stevens, connected to sandy beaches rife with wildlife by hiking and cycling trails that run through a sprawling campground with options for every season. It would be hard to hold up any one park above all others, but in that contest, Fort Stevens would be a strong contender. Here’s what to see and do at the expansive state park.