The campground is located not far south of Portland, Oregon, take exit 278, turn west and follow the signs for six miles to the state park. The park entrance is near the intersection of French Prairie Road and Champoeg Road. East from the entrance on Champoeg Road about four miles is the historic Butteville, Oregon.

This state park is on the Willamette River and has a boat dock with boat in camping.

The state park includes the original territory provisional government site.

Pacific Coast Region of Oregon

Coastal Ranges Ecoregion

This is a riverside day use area commemorating the site of the 1843 vote to form the first government in the Northwest. Also, the Hudson Bay Granary was here until destroyed in the 1861 flood. The monument was erected in 1901 and celebrated annually. The pioneer memorial building was built in 1918 and served as the state park visitor center until 1977.

Pioneer Mothers memorial cabin was built in 1931 as a museum contains original items owned by pioneers of Oregon. The reconstructed Robert Newell house and museum shows what a a home was like in the town of Champoeg before the great flood of 1861 destroyed the entire town.

Walking trails are throughout the park, connect the Champoeg Townsite with the campground and goes directly by the boat dock on the Willamette River which has boat-in camping and fishing.

A paved trail for bicycles or pedestrians about four miles long from the Monument to Butteville with views of the river travels the park through meadows, open groves of trees as well as hills and forests .

The store in Butteville is the oldest continuously operating store in Oregon, established in 1863, now operated by Friends of Historic Champoeg. There is a cafe serving ice cream, berry pies, cold drinks, coffee and snacks. Also, sold in the store are Oregon art and mementos.

Eleven Full hookups sites: $33.00

Sixty-seven Electric sites: $29.00

Six walk in Tent sites: $19.00

Six Yurt: $43.00, with Pets: $53.00

Six Cabins: $43.00, with Pets: $53.00

Hiker / Biker camp: $7.00 per person, per night

Boater Camp: $5.00

RV group camp w/meeting hall: $102.00 & $10 per unit after first ten

Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring, and water. A shower-toilet house is located in both A and B loops. Ice for $2 and firewood for $5 are available, just see the host. Trash, recycle and RV dump station on site.

A large nature play area is located between the two loops. There is a bicycle repair-pump station in the park next to the campground entrance.

Awake at six, rise at seven, walk to the shower house for some hot water on my body, return to the jammer, unplug and drive out of the campground.

I head back to the interstate highway, turn right and head south on IH 5 until I arrive at Keizer, Oregon where I exit and stop at a w-mart for coffee, com and computer. I update my journal, crop photos, upload to my website and make a post on social media.

The drive today begins the second most boring portion of this journey south, the first being the section to highway between Olympia, Washington and Vancouver, Washington just before the crossing of the Columbia river.

Even so, I decide to learn about the natural features of this passage during this drive. On one of my past journeys, I was to learn that the IH 5 corridor south from Champoeg state park is the path of the Applegate Trail, which is one of the routes taken by those traveling westward in wagons to settle the Oregon Territory. I will follow the path of the Applegate Trail for the next two days, although in 1846 it would have taken much longer to travel the 500 plus miles that I am planning to traverse.

I leave the w-mart at seven-thirty this morning, drive to a ag-mart, fill up with gas, and then drive out of Oak Harbor right at eight this morning, first north on SH 20 to Burlington, then south on IH 5 headed to Seattle and the rush zone. I do arrive in Seattle at ten and except for one short section driving twenty-five mph, the rest of the drive through the city was at 40-55 mph. I was out of Seattle in about an hour and then continued south on the Five, with most of the drive in the sun, albeit, it was partly cloudy and rain at times.

Arriving in Portland during mid day, there was no trouble getting through this city and then at exit 278, I take a couple of county roads for six miles and soon arrive at Champoeg state park, drive to the campground and check in.

Next, I plug in to get the charge on my batteries started, then get out my bucket and scrub brush to clean the mold and mildew off of the picnic table. After that, and while it is drying, I grab my soap bag, towel and clean clothes and walk to the shower house. I was hoping that the water was steamy hot but it was not. However, it was the next best and good enough to keep me warm while taking a shower.

After getting the clean on, I walk back to the campsite and set up my stove on the picnic table, boil water and begin preparing my Repast. I add the sprouted grains, chop up a medium beet, some ginger, turmeric, garlic, three large leaves of chard and add to the boiling water. I did not have any onion or it would have gone in chopped as well. Standing here with the tail gate of the jammer open, it comes to me that I am outside doing all this food preparations and not the least bit cold.