Leaving Fort Mandan on April 7, 1805, the thirty-three member Corps of Discovery team began their long journey to the Pacific Ocean. Encountering wildlife, waterfalls, and breathless beauty their toilsome persistence rewarded them in November of 1805 "Ocian in view O! The Joy!".

After making initial campsites on the Washington side of the Columbia River, the group voted on where winter headquarters should be established. On November 24, a vote was cast and the majority voted to cross the Columbia River and look for a site that would provide hunting, salt making, and possibly await the arrival of a trading vessel. This vote was the first vote ever for an African American (York) and Native American Woman (Sacagawea) in military history. The group then moved south and on December 30, 1805, the fort was completed and named after the local Clatsop Indians.

Nestled in a lush spruce and hemlock forest, the Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805-06 at their coastal retreat Fort Clatsop. They documented flora and fauna that was unknown to science and experienced the constant roar of the ocean and the aroma of cedar.

On March 23, 1806, the Corps of Discovery began their journey home.  

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