| TRAIL DETAILS
March to the sea:
The Fort-to-Sea Trail replicates the route members of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery may have taken from the original site of Fort Clatsop to the Pacific Ocean. Hikers may stroll through a varied landscape from replica of the fort through wetlands, coastal woods, along the edge of a coastal lake and through shore-pine covered dunes. The Fort-to-Sea Trail has been built in nine segments. The segments are described below as if they were completed. From east to west, they are:
Segment 1:
Fort Clatsop to Overlook along Perkins Road
This segment follows what may have been the actual route taken by the Lewis and Clark expedition to the beach. The trail accommodates non-motorized pedestrian and bicycle users. The corridor from the fort’s Visitor Center to the old dirt road has been improved to an average 36-inches in width with a natural surface. The corridor from Fort Clatsop Road to the Overlook is eight feet wide with minimum grades to accommodate accessibility. The surface is firm and stable (crushed rock).
Segment 2:
Fort Clatsop Road to Overlook Spur Trail
Segment 2 provides access to the Overlook Trail and eventually loops back to the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center. It is a fully accessible path under ADA rules. This segment has a firm and stable surface of crushed, compacted rock and is a minimum of four inches wide. The segment also allows visitors to make a loop hike with Segment 1, between the Visitor Center and the Overlook.
Segment 3:
Overlook on Clatsop Ridge
The Overlook offers visitors expansive views of the ocean and surrounding landscape.
Segment 4:
Hiking Trail from Overlook west across Skipanon River to Highway 101
This hikers-only segment provides users with a primitive hiking experience at a moderate level of difficulty. Grades along this segment may be as steep as 15 percent, but mostly fall within the range of 8-to-10 percent. The trail offers views of the wetlands and forested hillsides. This segment provides visitors with the most remote experience along the entire trail. The area is home to bear, elk, bobcat and many other species. The westernmost end of this area includes crossing via a pedestrian footbridge across the Skipanon River. Boardwalks, small bridges and puncheons span small drainages and cross wet areas. Bicycle may use an alternative route by following the Old Stage Coach Road to the west and connecting with Perkins Road to U.S. Highway 101.
Segment 5:
Private Property Easement west to ODOT Right of Way (Railroad Road)
This hikers-only segment of trail is short, about one-quarter of a mile. It provides a transition from the "back country" trail to U.S. 101 and eventually to Sunset Beach.
Segment 6:
U.S. Highway 101 underpass
The U.S. Highway 101 underpass, constructed by the Oregon Department of Transportation, is a fully accessible, paved, 14-foot-wide underpass. It is designed for non-motorized pedestrian and bicycle users, and is fully ADA accessible. Included are ramps for access to the highway and an Oregon bike route on both the northbound and southbound lanes.
Segment 7:
Properties west of U.S. Highway 101
This segment is designed for non-motorized, pedestrian users only and offers a high level of accessibility, but isn’t fully ADA accessible. Bicycle users may use an alternate route to reach the Sunset Beach trailhead by using U.S. Highway 101 and Sunset Beach Lane. To protect the trail experience, and to avoid potential impacts to private property and the environment, the trail width was designed at a pedestrian-scale, with widths 36 inches or greater. Most grades are no greater than 8 percent, although they may be higher in certain, short sections. Depending on location, the trail has various widths and surface materials.
Segment 8:
Southeastern Boundary along Camp Rilea to Neacoxie Lake
This segment is intended for use by pedestrians only and is designed for a high level of accessibility, but isn’t necessarily fully ADA accessible. Bicycle users may use an alternate route to reach the Sunset Beach trailhead by using Highway 101 and Sunset Beach Lane. Trail width are 36 inches or greater. Grades are no greater than 8 percent, although some greater slopes exist for short segments. The trail surface is firm and stable.
Segment 9:
Sunset (East Neacoxie) Lake to Sunset Beach Trailhead
This segment is intended for use by pedestrians only and is not fully ADA accessible. Bicycle users may use the alternate route to the Sunset Beach trailhead by using Highway 101 and Sunset Beach Lane. The trail within the Sunset Beach property is the last segment of the Fort-to-Sea Trail and includes a trailhead located north of Sunset Beach Lane. A fully accessible pedestrian-only trail runs from the parking lot to a viewing platform in the dunes overlooking the ocean. A foot trail connects the platform to the beach.
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