The lofty firs of Lewis and Clark State Park, an improved forest area, shade the highway on warm summer days, and the park’s rich vegetation exudes a sweet, refreshing dampness. Woodland trails leading off through heavily timbered sections provide short hikes. The park is in one of the last major stands of old-growth forest in the state, comprised of coniferous trees, streams, wetlands and dense vegetation. The park, separate from the Lewis and Clark Trail, began as a “public camp” for automobile tourists in 1922. The old north spur of the Oregon Trail, which extended from the Cowlitz River landing to the city of Tumwater, passed directly through the present park site.