Fort Simcoe was built to support the European expansion into Washington Territory in the 1850s, but was only actively used as a fort for a few years. Today, under an arrangement with the Yakama Nation, it serves as one of the few remaining preserved settlements in our area from that time.

The grounds and some of the residences are largely as you might imagine them to have been when the fort was first constructed.

Outside the forest that immediately surrounds the barracks and residences, there are expansive views of the surrounding landscape and a few of the lookout structures:

The officer’s quarters were not open for tours at the time I visited, but by pressing my phone up to the windows, I could get some pretty nice pictures of a few rooms inside:

For more information:

• State Parks web site