Fort Columbia State Park is a 593-acre park located in Chinook, Washington. The historic park encompasses Fort Columbia, one of the few intact coastal defense sites in the United States.
Fort Columbia State Park is one of several state parks and sites in Washington and Oregon that make up the Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks.
Fort Columbia was built from 1896 to 1904 to support the defenses of the Columbia River. The fort was constructed on the Chinook Point promontory because of the unobstructed view. Fort Columbia was declared surplus at the end of World War II and was transferred to the custody of the state of Washington in 1950.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Battery 246 was outfitted to serve as a Civil Defense Emergency Operating Center and was one of several possible locations the governor could use in an emergency.
Twelve historic wood-frame fort buildings still stand. The Fort Columbia Commanding Officers Quarters is decorated with turn of the century furnishings and is open for tours in the summer. Exhibits at the Fort Columbia Interpretive Center focus on the fort's history, early explorers and pioneer history. Visitors can walk around three artillery batteries on the park grounds. There are five miles of hiking trails that work their way up Scarborough Hill.
The park is open during daylight hours and does not offer camping. The Steward's House and Scarborough House are available as vacation rental homes.
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