Lewis & Clark Festival Park — Attraction in The Dalles

As others have noted, this park is 'full of potential' and perhaps has the 'good bones' to be a nice park. A park, yes, with green grass, garbage receptacles, and local plaques commemorating benefactors and patrons. It appears the structure that houses the bathrooms, etc. is nice. But, also as others have noted, there are address-less people (about 10 probably) hunkered around this structure with their belongings while a handful of others were tweaking in the shade of the nearby trees. There was also what a appeared to be an older lady washing her beat up 98 Saturn using the park sprinkler water...

Besides the address-less people and the roar of the interstate within a stone's throw, it's also operated by "Asshat Park Management, Inc." If you think I mean that in jest, I do, but hear me out. I stopped by recently with my wife and 4 month old. We intuited that a far flung shady spot would be ideal to avoid the other type of "shady spots" milling around the bathrooms (and the grandmother and her soap bucket). We found a spot, the grass was green, only one spent Narcan canister nearby (checked for needles). I spread out my hopefully puncture resistance camping blanket to have a meal and allow my son to spread his little legs. It was 6pm, sun was going down, interstate was roaring, but there was a pleasant breeze. Then the sprinklers came on and proceeded to ruin everything. Yes, the sprinklers. One head popped up right by us and soaked everything in a few seconds. Yes, at 6p while there were other patrons enjoying the park (besides the ones squatting in the park). That's the Asshat part. Living up to its name. Who schedules sprinklers to come on at 6p in May? We won't be visiting again unless I get a written apology and money for therapy for my 4 month old who was traumatized by the sprinkler (kidding of course). I gave the park one star because, with some work (and not confusing 6a for 6p perhaps), it could really be a nice spot. Until...

Lewis and Clark Park what can I say about the scenery at this place it is absolutely beautiful the perfect place to have a wedding or a barometer or quinceanera or baby shower oh and you should check out the bushes here and they're really cool I'm reviewing the only one really big downfall to Lewis and Clark Park is they close the public restrooms to the public on November 1st and it's closed all winter long not to reopen until spring where the hell are the homeless supposed to take a s* or a pee or even just to warm up we have a serious homelessness crisis and the homeless needs some place to go to to rest their feet wash up it's pretty bogus if you ask me but that's the only downfall it's a really...

I don't even know where Lewis and Clark Festival Park is at. Google Maps is telling me I stop there though. However if it is in the vicinity of the memaloose eastbound rest area, I did stop there. I had to go. imagine they paid 1000 fat guys to eat asparagus, boiled eggs, and beans for a year. And wash it all down with a ton of beer. And urinate on a piece of particle board everyday.

The bathroom at memaloose rest area smells the way you would imagine that piece of particle board with smell! Stop here only if you can hold your breath long enough to do your business then get out of the bathroom! Otherwise wait till you get to The Dalles and go inside one...