Cape Disappointment State Park has many things to offer and is a great getaway on the Washington coast. It is located at the mouth of the huge Columbia River that spills into the Pacific Ocean, bounded by a protected inland bay on one side and the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean on the other side. A long jetty has created a vast area of trapped sand that now forms the majority of the most accessible land in the park, including the campground, store, and general facilities.
Exploring the park shows many things for many different tastes: two lighthouses, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, historical plaques, flat biking roads, casual forest hiking trails, and plenty of open sandy beach for beach fun. The campground is well situated for easy access to the beach, yet has some wind protection from trees. Restrooms, picnic facilities, and campground layout are all very good.
Cape Disappointment State Park is the kind of place where you can easily stay either a day or a week.
View from North Head Lighthouse looking south toward Columbia River and jetty
View north from North Head Lighthouse along Pacific Ocean coast
Trail to North Head Lighthouse
North Head Lighthouse
Bell’s View Trail viewpoint on foggy day
Baker Bay from Forest Coastal Trail
Shallow Baker Bay
Kayaking Baker Bay
The trees around the campground are perfect for climbing kids
Kids taking pictures with their parents’ phones along Forest Coastal Trail
Links
Cape Disappointment State Park
Book: Cape Disappointment Light The First Lighthouse in the Pacific Northwest
