Discover the Wonders of Washington with the U.S. National Park Service

Welcome to the National Historical Reserve!

Discover the breathtaking beauty of Ebey's Landing located in Coupeville, WA. This landscape on the Salish Sea, with its fertile farmland and promising seaport, captivated the earliest American pioneers who ventured north of the Columbia River. Explore, enjoy, and learn about the cultural traditions of both Native and Euro-American peoples that are preserved in Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve.

Visit the National Historic Site at Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, OR, WA. Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, this prominent park offers a rich cultural past. Trace the transition from frontier fur trading to an illustrious military legacy, flight magic, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest. Listen and absorb stories of settlement, conflict, and community as they come alive at the four unique sites at Fort Vancouver and its surrounding area.

Experience the National Geologic Trail!

Learn about the Ice Age Floods that permanently altered the lives and landscape of the Pacific Northwest. Witness how a 3,000 square mile Glacial Lake Missoula in Montana, formed during the last Ice Age 18,000 to 15,000 years ago, emptied swiftly into the Columbia River in Washington, reaching Oregon before finally ending in the Pacific Ocean. Indulge in the sheer beauty of four states: WA, OR, ID, MT, as you explore the effects of these ice age floods.

Check out the National Recreation Area!

Perched between Canada and Coulee Dam along the Columbia River in WA, Lake Roosevelt forms a stunning sight with its ancient geologic landscape. Massive ice age floods carved stone walls surrounding Lake Roosevelt, providing a wealth of knowledge and hidden gem-worthy experiences. Learn about American Indians, traders, trappers, settlers, and dam builders who once called this place home. Camp, hike, fish, swim, or boat, all while indulging in the stories and scenery that Lake Roosevelt provides.

Explore the vastness of America's National Historic Trail designated for Lewis and Clark's expedition that spreads over 16 states across IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MO, MT, NE, ND, OH, OR, PA, SD, WA, and WV. The trail, spanning nearly 4,900 miles, runs through the lands of more than 60 Tribal nations and follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the explorers' 1803-1806 journey from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean. Walk along the path that once formed the legacy of this complex expedition and discover the stories, places, and people that made it possible.

Embark on a journey through time and nature with Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Traverse across Long Beach to Cannon Beach, OR, and WA, through timeless rainforests, majestic coastal views, and the heritage of the native people. Learn about the dramatic stories of the explorers and their most famous expedition across the Columbia River and the Pacific Coast. Travel in the footsteps of the explorers and carve your own adventure through history.

Step into the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, spread over NM, WA, and TN, and experience the transformative event of the 20th century that ushered in the nuclear age with the creation of the world's first atomic bombs. Witness the development of atomic weapons, begun in 1942 at three secret communities around the nation, during the waning years of World War II in 1945. Discover the far-reaching impact of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, on the future of the world.

Delve into the Pearl Harbor attack's aftermath and the pre-existing hostility towards Japanese Americans through the story of Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome, ID, and WA. Explore the impact of Executive Order 9066, signed by President Roosevelt as wartime hysteria peaked and over 120,000 Japanese Americans (Nikkei) were forced to leave behind their homes, jobs, and lives for one of ten prison camps scattered across the nation. Discover the narrative of Minidoka's internment camp and the story of those affected.

Experience the natural wonders and diversity of Washington State through its National Parks, Historical Parks, Trails, and Sites.

At Mount Rainier National Park, marvel at the iconic 14,410 feet active volcano, the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A, and witness the abundance of wildlife that calls this unique ecosystem home.

Nez Perce National Historical Park boasts 38 places of cultural significance that celebrate the resilience of the nimíipuu people who have adapted to a changing world since time immemorial.

Discover the ecological heart of the Cascades at North Cascades National Park, where you can witness the impact of climate change on an alpine landscape, listen to the soothing sound of cascading waters, and explore communities of life that have adapted to recurring fire and moisture.

Olympic National Park protects a vast wilderness and a mosaic of ecosystems that spans from glacier-capped mountains to old-growth temperate rainforests and a 70-mile wild coastline, inviting explorers to immerse themselves in thousands of years of human history and the beauty of nature.

Follow in the footsteps of American settlers who walked the Oregon National Historic Trail, stretching over 2,000 miles in six states, and imagine the struggles and triumphs of those who sought a new beginning on the lush farmlands promised in Oregon.

At San Juan Island National Historical Park, learn about the near-war crisis between the United States and Great Britain in 1859, triggered by the death of a pig, and enjoy the natural beauty of saltwater shores, woodlands, and native prairies.

The Whitman Mission National Historic Site tells the story of the violent act of desperation by the Cayuse Nation to protect their community against the influx of missionaries, newcomers from the Oregon Trail, and diseases that would reshape the United States forever.

Experience the richness and diversity of the Asian American community in the Pacific Northwest at the Wing Luke Museum, where you can take a guided tour of a historic hotel and explore thought-provoking exhibitions that showcase real stories, including that of Bruce Lee, an actor and martial arts master.