In their footsteps/Lewis & Clark

When Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery braved the unknown perils of the Columbia River in the fall of 1805, there were no guidebooks or maps to help out. It took the explorers more than 30 days to make their way from the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers to the Pacific Ocean near Ilwaco, Wash., where they watched "the high waves dashing against the rocks" from Cape Disappointment.

Today's travelers - driving air-conditioned cars instead of portaging heavy wooden canoes - can retrace this challenging stretch of the Lewis and Clark Trail in a comfortable two to four days.

Begin your own adventure with a visit to the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, which sits on a high grassy plain just east of Pendleton, in sight of the Blue Mountains. The museum was established by the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes, whose ancestors helped the expedition navigate the Columbia's great rapids, sustaining them by sharing salmon, berries and filberts.

Tamástslikt provides an engaging introduction to the native culture and history of the Columbia Plateau, with beautifully designed exhibits of artifacts, artwork and historical documents. Galleries display contemporary work by tribal artists, furthering the understanding that the traditions observed by Lewis and Clark are very much alive today. With Tamástslikt's stories in mind, follow Highway 37 toward the Columbia River. Turn west on Highway 730 to Hat Rock State Park, where on Oct. 19, 1805, the explorers visited with Indians who were catching and drying salmon. Capt. Clark "assended a high clift" (Hat Rock) and saw the snow-covered peak of Mt. Adams, a view that remains the same today.

Continue west to Interstate 84, which offers an up-close look at the Columbia's remarkable basalt cliffs. The Deschutes River State Recreation Area is about 85 miles further west; there you can stretch your legs on the same ground Lewis and Clark walked on Oct. 22, 1805. An easy 4.5-mile trail along the lower Deschutes meanders between stands of cottonwood and willow. A short drive downstream is Celilo Village, where Celilo Falls - an important tribal fishing site - rumbled and tumbled until construction of The Dalles Dam in 1957.

For historic film footage of fishing at Celilo, visit the Columbia River Gorge Discovery Center at The Dalles, near Lewis and Clark's Oct. 28, 1805, campsite. The Discovery Center features interactive exhibits of the area's natural and pioneer history. Visitors can then walk the trails at the Tom McCall Preserve at Rowena, where balsam root, lupine, Indian paintbrush, shooting stars and other native wildflowers bloom profusely all spring. The Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks, which links Oregon to Washington, offers an exquisite view of the Columbia Gorge. It was here that Lewis and Clark observed rapids pouring down a "Great Shute." The riverbank at Rooster Rock State Park affords a good view of Beacon Rock, described by Clark on Oct. 31, 1805. Enjoy the Sandy River (Lewis and Clark called it the "Quick Sand") where Clark first made note of Mt. Hood, by visiting Lewis and Clark State Park.

On Nov. 4, 1805, at what's now Sauvie Island, Lewis and Clark met a dozen men paddling a canoe "ornimented with Images carved in the wood." Travelers today can bike the island roads and watch the same birds that kept Lewis and Clark awake all night.

At Westport, ferry enthusiasts can make the short crossing to Puget Island, driving to its western end to see the river islands of the Julia Butler Hansen and Lewis and Clark National Wildlife refuges. From here it's a short drive to Astoria, where the Astoria Column offers extraordinary views of the mouth of the Columbia River.

Astoria is also the destination of the new Lewis and Clark Explorer Train, which follows the Columbia River from Portland. The trip takes four hours each way, and the train connects with shuttle buses to Astoria home to a variety of Lewis and Clark related sightssites and nearbyincluding Fort Clatsop National Memorial, winter site home of the Corps of Discovery in's 1805-1806 winter camp.

At Seaside, a short drive south on Highway 101, the Corps of Discovery extracted salt from seawater to flavor and preserve their food. Stroll the beach at Ecola State Park and follow the trail at Tillamook Head where, on Jan. 8, 1806, Capt. Clark saw the remains of a "Monster" whale.

On March 23, 1806, weather-weary but otherwise reasonably well, the Corps of Discovery left Fort Clatsop to begin their homeward trip. Consider commemorating the completion of your own journey with a meal of freshly caught spring salmon.