Fort Stevens State Park

Yet another one off Oregon’s great coastal state parks. The historical value in this one surpasses the rest. From a civil war fortification to a WW2 Battery, these grounds have seen a lot of change. Kids love running in and out, up and down the concrete remains of a historical outpost that had one exciting evening of action during WW2! The West Battery has a great little military museum.
If you want to have a great beach experience, had to the Peter Iredale shipwreck… prepare for great pictures and lots of fun regardless the time of day or heighth of tides. DO NUT TURN YOUR BACK ON THE OCEAN AND WATCH OUT FOR THOSE DRIVING ON THE BEACH… it is a driveable portion of the beach and sometimes they get carried away and drive a bit fast.
FINALLY, head out to parking lot C where from atop a lookout tower you can view the sheer power of the Pacific Ocean crashing into the jetty protecting the mouth of the Columbia…
Whatever you do… go here and enjoy this beautiful park!

Went to the park 10÷29÷15 and was extremely disappointed. The ranger office was only open from 9−11am. Which was unfortunate because we couldn’t find day pass papers in any of the boxes. The military museum and battery box area road was blocked off. Didn’t know why and nothing was posted at the ranger station even. Wasted a few hours drive from Salem.

great park to fish, picnic, or simply explore on.
I took a quick pit stop to drink a beer on the beach. This is a short beach facing the Mighty Columbia River in Hammond, OR.
Gorgeous, somewhat secluded spot.
Clean
Pit Toilets
A Bird/​Wildlife Observatory
Big Parking Lot
A bit off the beaten path, after the signs direct you, it’s still a ways out.

I’ve seen a lot of pics of the old Peter Iredale shipwreck. Super excited that I finally got to see it in person! The park is very beautiful with lots of camping sites and it is very well maintained.
We stopped at the information center because we thought we had to pay, but apparently the shipwreck beach is open to the public. There are only two places in the park that require a day pass or permit. The park ranger was very polite and helpful, she gave us a map and showed us all the places we could check out for free. We took a right turn out of the parking lot and just drove a couple minutes down before we hit the beach. Parking was a little tight, but the beach is literally a few steps away from the lot. Directly over the hill and to the right is the wreck. The beach was populated but not overly crowded. I was actually able to get a few shots with the wreck without other people in the background.
Although we only swung by in order to view the wreck, I would love to come back and explore the park in its entirety. It also seems like a prime camping place with lots of sightseeing and exploring.

Great beaches. Great trails (and lots of them!). The shipwreck is pretty neat — my kids loved exploring all around it.

went camping a couple years ago… had a blast with the kids… we biked, hiked, and played at the beach. Just dont forget the bug spray lol

Fort Stephens State park is a playground of the pacific and mouth of the mighty Columbia river. They have 4200 acres of land there to frolic on and are rich in historical and natural points of wonder. The Russell battery was fascinating as well as the wreck of the Peter Iredale still holding a solemn memorial to all the ships that have wrecked there, over 100 years later. It is a sobering sight. Then the Columbia river area is alive with wild life and birds! We had a very fruitful time there bird watching with a few close sightings of Bald eagles and Caspian Terns busy with mating rituals. We even saw some elk!
We stayed there in our RV and was pleased to see that since the campground wasn’t full (I think they have around 500 sites! Bet it is crazy in the summer!) they spaced out the campers so that no one was next to each other. How thoughtful. The campgrounds were super clean and beautiful with large trees and plenty of undergrowth for an added element of privacy. The bathrooms were the cleanest we had ever been in. On top of all that, Astoria is about 15 minutes away with wonderful restaurants, museums and trolleys on the Columbia. We highly recommend this magnificent State park for all your needs and play! Thank you Park employees for all the work and maintenance!

Fort Stevens does not hide what it is. It used to be a fort in WW2, Spanish-​American War, and WW1. It was retired. Nature came in, walked through the absent door, and made it a general field for deer/​elk/​birds to go through. It is hard to find that a place that is of the military and states it so. The first time visitor must be aware that the place is ruled by Nature and has been that way for many decades, The staff who run the small visitor’s center are patriotic and it’s good to see appreciative staff that do take the time to show what X was used in X war and so on.
The fort itself is in shambles. I came in at a later time and just that 20 minutes was worth it. I could see the general field and the river as it went by. I saw an elk. Not many parks have that great feature of seeing an elk 5 minutes into the drive to the place. It is strange how Fort Stevens would represent a great investment by the military to thwart any further attacks that never came by a mass group of people that came on land. Fort Stevens got bombed once by a Japanese sub. That is a major note in the history books. Yet here is this fort in a forest with the gun towers absent the artillery piece that used to be there and a steam room that is a hill. I am glad that I took the time to come by this place.

So big, so pretty, so clean! I have been here several times during the summer and was surprised how uncrowded it is here. The beach areas and shipwreck are great places for long and quiet walks along the water. I love the lake, which has lots of picnic tables including a few on ramps on the water. Very bike and pedestrian friendly here, tons of dogs. I’m not a camper, but there seems to be a lot of options like cabins, yurts, RVs, tents, etc. They also do Civil War reenactments.
Some parts of the trail do feel pretty remote, especially with all the trees. I’ve only had one negative encounter here and that involved some large animal carcass lying on the beach (I’m guessing a dead sea animal washed ashore) and giving off the worst smell I’ve ever encountered. But that’s just nature, right?

Upon a recommendation from a co-​worker, we made our way over to Fort Stevens to see the museum and sites.
It was great! We were able to purchase a day use pass from the Museum for all of $ 5 and toured the area. The museum staff gave use a wonderful map which had details of each location on the reverse. This was definitely useful! The museum staff were friendly and extremely helpful!
We climbed up, through, and around the various buildings and loved it. The views from atop it were amazing! This is a must see if you get a chance to come out here.
We spent a good two hours there and still didn’t see the entire site, so we will have to return at some point to see the rest!

I was looking at the grounds model inside the military museum when an elderly male volunteer started yelling complaining about my dog in my vehicle. He complained that it was in a hot car which was untrue. My vehicle had windows rolled down and the outside temp. was 68 degrees with a 10 mph breeze, a perfectly mild climate for my dog. The elderly women running the gift shop starting talking about me to another volunteer as I caught her doing it. These volunteers were out of line.
As for the camping grounds they looked nice so it deserves some stars.

This trip I took the underground tour of the fort. The tour costs $ 5 for adult and $ 3 for children. It says it 30 mins long but can go longer if people ask question or move slow.
The tour takes you into a closed of battery. The guides have flashlight but you really don’t need them. The temp can drop to 57 degrees so you might want to wear warm clothes. It is dark, damp, cold, muggy, and smelly but super awesome! The tour is rich with history and the areas you see are amazing. Make sure you have a camera handy. The guides are fun and know there history. Had a blast can’t wait to do it again.

We went camping here over the weekend. Extremely kid friendly and beautiful. I was a little shocked on how far the walk to the beach was from our campsite. We stayed in the K loop.
Loved the fact that they deliver firewood to your site, there is a place across the street that delivers ribs and pizza right to your camp site too. :-)
The ONLY thing I had an issue with was the other patrons. Its literally lights out at 10 pm. I know thats «quiet time» but the woman next to us yelled at my 5 year old at 10:15pm because she was talking. She wasn’t talking loudly at all, more like whispering and apparently this woman next to us felt like we needed to be in bed.
If your type of camping is staying up all night and talking to friends and enjoying the open air, you may not want to stay here. We looked around the campgrounds and only noticed a few people staying up past 10pm.
Lots to do. Bring bikes if you can. Everyone rides around. Beach is nice!

I would definitely give 5 stars for the state park, which hosts a plethora of activities, from hiking, biking, camping, watching wildlife, and chilling on the beach, to checking out wonderful historical artifacts such as the Fort and the Peter Iredale. We mainly went to the Jetty and Peter Iredale due to the long list of other activities we had to fit into one day. The Jetty was nice, with a tower you can climb «at your own risk» to get a better view, lots of nearby biking/​hiking trails, and ample parking. However, the Peter Iredale didn’t have a lot of parking, though it seemed to be the busiest attraction in the park. We were very excited to view the shipwreck and planned to come at low tide so we could get close and take some sweet pictures. Here is where my rant begins…
Certain people with children kind of ruined it for us. Several families had children that they were allowing to climb on, dig around, etc. this historic shipwreck. Not only did this obviously make it impossible to take pictures without the precious little darlings in them (and we waited patiently), but it is a huge safety hazard. It is a rusty metal structure, for Pete’s sake (tetanus, anyone?). It is also very old and I wouldn’t trust it to be structurally sound. Not to mention that this is a historical monument that I hope generations to come will have the opportunity to view. That is, if it isn’t already destroyed by humans. There weren’t any signs around instructing people to be careful and not let their kids play on the ship, not that there should need to be. Consideration for others and common sense are rarities these days.
People, if you’re bringing kids to this monument, let them look at it, tell them the story of the Peter Iredale, constructed in 1890 and wrecked on the shore en route to the Columbia River in 1906, but DO NOT let them play on it like it’s a toy. Find a PLAYGROUND.

Gorgeous, pristine beach and easy access. Beautiful, tranquil woods!

Absolutely loved this place. This was the 2^nd Fort we visited on our trip in Seaside.
The ladies at the lodge where you get your information and maps are super friendly and sweet.
Overall, it has the best views. There are more than one spot to take a look at. You see lots of deer just driving up to the viewpoints.
Totally enjoyed just sitting on top of the sand dunes and watching the waves. Super relaxing.
Nice and very upclose view of the waters and you feel like you’re elsewhere aside from being at Seaside :)
I must say this was one of my favorite touristy activities on my trip.

Lucky to have nabbed a campsite the night before the 10K Columbia Crossing.
It’s difficult to get a rez, which reflects directly upon its popularity. Fort Clatsop nearby, the trails, the beach, and Ilwaco/​Long Beach across the Astoria-​Metzger Br. Perfect spot for families to set up for the weekend. Lots to see and do—
I seem to remember being so rushed to get here, that there was a neaby Ross in order to pick up last minute items (uh.like a towel after a campground shower!), and a windbreaker befitting for the area!

Amazing, beautiful, and historic state park on the Oregon Coast at the mouth of the Columbia River!
There is so much to see and do in this HUGE park that you could easily spend several days here exploring it all. Diverse areas such as the ocean beach, sand dunes, forest, freshwater lake, riverfront, and historic military fortifications support activities such as hiking, bicycling, kayaking/​canoeing, surfing, swimming, fishing, etc. There’s even a 105-​year-​old ship wreck to investigate on the beach and a 50 mph highway running through the park!
The only negative aspect to my visit here was the cramped and crowded camping area. As far as state parks go, this one wasn’t too bad– it just seemed really small, crowded, and expensive after primitive camping in a National Forest. Actually I considered myself lucky to be able to get a site here at all without a reservation during the busy summer season.
The tent sites were all taken so I ended up paying $ 27 for a hookup site– pretty standard setup with asphalt parking pad, fire pit, picnic table, and tent area. There were just enough trees and shrubs around the site to provide some semblance of privacy in this full-​capacity campground but we could still hear everyone around us. Oh well, at least they had running water (even flushing toilets and showers!) and it was a hell of a lot cheaper than staying at a motel or across the street at the K.O.A.
A bonus of staying at the campground is that the day use fee (required for parking at the lake or the historic fort) is included with the camp fee.

As I am sure you are aware, every year for untold years the families Zellerbach, Smythington, and Farthingbottom gather the first weekend in June at Ft. Stevens State Park campground.
As I am sure you are aware, every year for untold years they reserve Yurts #7 — 12, carefully planning the midnight pounce upon the online reservation systems, precisely 9 months ahead, as is the state-​mandated limit.
So. What what what are you doing in Yurt #10? right in the middle?! right where the children always gather to put on plays and recitals and whatnot?!? right where we sing the vespers!!! What what what???
…Yeah. My bad… Jim Beam?
***
Ft. Stevens, on the coast 8 miles past Astoria, is your typical large state park campground with all that entails: small sites, little privacy, rambunctious kids, screeching shrillmoms, and a 10pm noise curfew.
But Ft. Stevens does several things right:
— Strategically placed restrooms. Downed a beer before the 2-​mile walk to the beach? No problem. There’s a clean toilet waiting for you. There’s a clean toilet everywhere.
— Separate, individual locking showers.
— Wide bike paths throughout the grounds, and to the lake and the beaches.
— So much to do & see & explore! Trails, beaches, shipwrecks, a lake etc etc
— Wood on Wheels. Camped a ways from one of the wood stations? No problem. They drive around delivering firewood to your site. $ 5/​bundle — and it’s dry. Proceeds go to the Friends of the Old Fort.
All that, plus the yurts provide a reasonable level of space and privacy (#3 is the best).
I will return! And hopefully not crash another family reunion.

A pirate wedding wasn’t part of my master plan to beat the heat and escape to the coast, but it certainly made our visit to Fort Stevens a little more interesting. We were frolicking on the beach and enjoying the roar of the ocean waves when all sorts of very interesting people started to arrive on the beach.
Turns out it was a wedding taking place at the Peter Iredale wreck and the entire party, except the MOTB, were dressed in pirate attire. It was brilliant! I love Jerry Seinfeld, but «I (do) wanna be a pirate!»
The beach has a few dunes that the kids had fun rolling down and it is a smooth, sandy beach with no rocks. The problem is that even on a sunny August afternoon, it is still very windy. Fantastic spot for cycling, so don’t forget your bikes.