Clark's Tree & North Head Discovery Trail

The bronze statue commemorating Clark carving his name into a tree in 1805

"Clark's Tree - The Lewis and Clark Trail" by Boyd Shearer is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Quick Facts

Location:

Ilwaco, WA

MANAGED BY:

Washington's Long Beach Peninsula

Amenities

6 listed

Benches/Seating, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles, Wheelchair Accessible

Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor Centers and Museums

Visitor Centers (shown in orange), High Potential Historic Sites (shown in black), and Pivotal Places (shown in green) along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

At the northern terminus of the North Head Discovery Trail in Long Beach, Washington, there stands a 20-foot-tall bronze statue known as “Clark’s Tree.” Created by Stanley Wanlass in 2009, the sculpture commemorates the location where, on November 19, 1805, William Clark carved his name into a living tree, thus establishing a precedence of discovery for the young United States. The site is a few miles from the location of Station Camp, which served as the Lewis & Clark Expedition’s base of operations from November 15 to November 24.

Clark documented the marking of this tree in his journal, saying:

“…I proceeded on the Sandy Coast 4 miles, and marked my name on a Small pine, the Day of the month & Year…”

Today, visitors to the 8.5-mile North Head Discovery Trail can walk the same route followed by Clark and his men. The well-maintained looped trail is approximately 14.5 miles roundtrip and is open to both hikers and bicyclists. Interpretive exhibits and beautiful vistas can be found along the way.

The trail is accessible year-round. For trail maps and more information, visit their website at Discovery Trail - Visit Long Beach Peninsula.