Waikiki Beach is one of my favorite spots on the Peninsula. A short walk from the campsite, it has a nice boardwalk for easy access. I love driftwood and this beach has tons! I went on during a summer weekend and there were a lot of teepees and structures built out of driftwood...so neat! Campsites were average. I scored a first come first serve spot along the lake ($25/night) and there was no privacy and little shade. I recommend the sites away from the lake (186-ish)...a lot more privacy! The bathrooms were kept clean during my visits. I also visited the north head lighthouse (currently under construction) and viewpoint and liked how it was a short out-and-back hike on an easily walkable trail. read more

Cape Disappointment State Park - Driftwood paradise at Waikiki Beach - Parks Near Me - Ilwaco, Washington

I would give 0 stars to this destination if I could. Cape Disappointment is a proper name now for what used to be a family day getaway. After parking and seeing that the parking kiosk was closed I had to drive down to the coast guard store and purchase a 10$ parking slip instead of 5$, which has been for many years. After I got back up to the parking lot and enter the trail I see that the trail is shut down after less than a 1/3 mile. There is no destination just barriers and a sign that says it's closed down. Nothing was posted or stated by the coast guard store or in the parking lot. No lighthouse, no cove, no beautiful hike. Just a waste of 10$. Truly disappointing. read more

While in Long Beach, we made several trips to cape disappointment State Park. It was absolutely beautiful. The hike to North Head Lighthouse is completely paved and we were able to take a stroller, which was great. Biking along the Discovery Trail was amazing as well, with forested, hills, and beach scenery. read more

When they told me about coming here I was thinking about the name but my expectations changed when we arrived. The landscapes are beautiful even before arriving!! The road and camp itself have fantastic views. This park has an enormous campsite and trails. There are two lighthouses (one for the ocean and one for the river), and a museum. You can stay in your own tent or rent a cabin. Few steps and you will be at the beach. Sea is amazing. Beautiful but a little cold. You can hear it while sleeping at night. Be aware to dispose your trash daily or keep it in your car as well as food. Raccoons will tear bags and open coolers. True story! Sometimes in daylight. Rangers will be around through the night. Friendly and helpful!! Be sure to check in first with them. If not, you can get a ticket. Drive carefully because people use the road with their bikes. If you go for a day, use your Parking Pass. Parking can be challenging. Logs of wood are a bit expensive at site (by your Camp Host). The package is small and burn fast but they are better than others. You could bring some from around but they might be a little smoky. There is a shop by the Camp entrance in case you run out of something. read more

We drove all the way from Sacramento to come see this wonderous location (we were actually going many places). The park was sadly closed for COVID. How disappointing. We decided to take the loop back to 101 and hoped for a sign that we could at least take a picture out next to. Yet another disappointment. Overall, 10/10, most honest advertising out there. Lol Ok, in all reality, this place was clean and ready for your exploration once parks are back to 100%, read more

Lots of hiking trails and scenic views that don't require long strenuous hiking. It's a state park so be sure to bring your pass or be prepared to pay $10 for the day pass. Hike to the lighthouse is definitely worth it! read more

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Lived in Washington most of my life and been by this park without stopping. Glad I finally found it. Nice little treasure of a place.

I look at the name and just want to laugh; I simply love the name. It's as if Greenland and Iceland also came up with the name Cape Disappointment to attempt to prevent people from swarming the area based on the name of the location. Cape Disappointment is anything BUT disappointment! We arrived an hour before sunset. The sky was GORGEOUS purple and blue. The water appeared to look like out of a scene from a movie or photo shoot. It was absolutely stunning. It also wasn't crowded with people either. The trees were wet and the day somewhat gloomy, the trees were so mesmerizing. It was truly a place to lose your thoughts and negativity. I would live here if I could!! read more

First off, for those bitching about the $10 day use fee, get over it. If you're going to gripe, take it up with the state of Washington, which imposed the fee a few years ago in order to maintain upkeep of our state parks. Or buy a Discovery Pass for $30 that grants you year-round access to all state parks. It's for a good cause and well worth the nominal fee. Think about it: two movie tickets, popcorn, and a drink will set you back at least that much (and you might be subjected to a crappy Owen Wilson flick in the process). By comparison, spending less for 365 days of natural beauty is one hell of a deal. Perspective, folks. We have been coming to Cape Disappointment to camp for the past couple of years, and have had a fantastic time each visit. Campsites are plentiful and scenic, with varying levels of privacy; tall trees and rock formations are abundant, and naturally, some sites give you better seclusion than others. My advice is to scout out the campground in advance and, when you're ready to make reservations (do so early in the year - this place fills up quickly!), snag the spot you want. Especially coveted are those nearest the beach; some spots are just a few yards from a sandy beach, and the constant background sound of the ocean is one of the things that makes this campground unique. The crashing surf is likely to lull you to sleep. Beware of the raccoons, though. During our first trip, they raided our beer. Definitely keep your coolers and food items in your car at night. There is a good mix of tents, campers, and RVs here, and whenever we've gone the crowds have been well-behaved and quiet. Lots of families here - no doubt the beach is a draw for kids. Bathroom facilities are fair, with showers that cost $.50 for three minutes. We haven't felt the need to bust out any quarters yet - after all, you're supposed to be "roughing it," right? Anything more than two days would definitely require some hot water and soap, though. One word of caution: there are no garbage cans in the campground. Instead, there's a trash compactor next to the entrance. This necessitates hauling smelly garbage there in your car, since it's not really walkable from most of the campsites. Kind of a pain, but what can you do? Plan accordingly. There's a general store selling camping essentials (marshmallows, mosquito repellent, bloody mary mix) but naturally it's pricey. Still, nice in case you realize you forgot to pack something (or, like us, went through your booze quicker than anticipated...no thanks to those damn raccoons). They also sell 28 varieties of wood-fired pizzas that they'll deliver right to your campsite if you're in a pinch, along with fresh steamer clams and oysters. Another nice option, though in my opinion, that's cheating. Firewood is available through both the camp host and the general store, but be prepared to pay. I know you're strongly encouraged not to bring your own wood (something about non-native insects escaping and destroying the nearby forest), but it's hard to resist picking up firewood at any Fred Meyer for half the price, and hauling it in yourself. Just be subtle about it. The beach is more than enough to keep you occupied, but if you want to get out and explore the area, the town of Long Beach is just a few minutes away. A great spot if you want to see the World's Largest Frying Pan or Jake, The Alligator Man. Plus, you can drive your car on the sand. Oysterville is maybe a half hour drive from LB, but worth the detour. Be sure to check out the mounds of discarded oyster shells that tower over your head, and the rustic little cemetery that is home to "the mad Russian of Oysterville." In the opposite direction is Ilwaco, a quaint little fishing village with a bustling Saturday market, and if you're in a Goonies frame of mind, Astoria never disappoints. All in all, a great campground, with plenty to do in the nearby vicinity. read more

Cape Disappointment State Park - North Head Lighthouse from the beach next to the campground. - Parks Near Me - Ilwaco, Washington

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I stayed at Cape Disappointment State Park with my spouse and our two elementary-school-aged kids for two weekend nights in early April. We had a reservation for one of the three cabins in the park, which I made in July of last year. The cabin was $75/night, which seemed a little bit steep for a very basic, and dated, facility that had beds (one futon and one bunk bed) to sleep 5 people, heat, one dim light, two chairs, one end table, and one slightly bigger table, picnic table, front porch, and fire pit. (Oregon State Parks have similar cabins that are in better shape/more modern with identical amenities for $40-$50/night.) The water faucet near our cabin was non-functional, so we had to walk across a big patch of wet grass to pot water for cooking and dishwashing. We were very close to public restrooms, but for some reason, the door was left propped open, so it was freezing in the facility. There was a shower in the restroom, where you could get 3 minutes of hot water for $0.50, but there was no way we were going to shower in there with how cold it was. Fortunately, another public restroom in the park had a shower stall with a heat lamp. I got it to put out hot water with 3 quarters, and then it abruptly shut off after 3 minutes. Oregon State Parks have showers with unlimited, free hot water. The three cabins are very near to the entrance of the park, along with a couple of tent sites. Most of the rest of the campground is about a mile into the park, and there are yurts, full hookup sites, and tent sites. These sites were much closer to the beach, and if we were to return to Cape Disappointment State Park, I would choose one of those sites over the cabins. The only place I saw in the whole park to collect garbage is the huge trash compactor at the park entrance. The recycling container at the park entrance accepts plastic only, so we had to bring home the rest of our recycling. Otherwise, Cape Disappointment State Park is beautiful. It is also very large. It encompasses two lighthouses, an interpretive center (which we didn't visit), a lake, a couple of different beach areas (some oceanfront and some bay), and lots of hiking trails. The hiking trail from the campground to the North Head Lighthouse was not very well-maintained. It was extremely muddy in some sections. The North Head Lighthouse was under renovation, so there wasn't much to see of it. The Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is under active control of the US Coast Guard, but still accessible to visitors. The hike to get there was much easier and better-maintained than the hike to the North Head Lighthouse. Looking out over the Columbia River Bar, one can see where the name Cape Disappointment came from. The sandbars and ocean activity are clearly treacherous! read more

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Cape Disappointing. Two stars rather than one, because the location has some nice natural sites. As a campground, it's unacceptable (unless you're in an RV). Interestingly, unlike other WA State campgrounds, I had noticed when booking that there's no "privacy" rating for sites. Turns out, because there is none. Sites range from open field with absolutely zero privacy, to tightly-packed rings of campsites that have maybe 2 yards between each site, and sparse trees. Unfortunately though many of those sites are without hookup, they still allow RVs on them. That results in the RVs having to idle and/or use generators. So all day, every day, our tent site was sandwiched shoulder-to-shoulder between RVs that seriously were either idling or running a generator, from 7AM through 9PM solid. This could be a lovely campground. Close half the tent sites, and plant privacy growth between them. Ban RVs from non-hookup sites, ban generators. Create more hookup sites in a different area (the park is surely large enough). In summary, lovely area, but won't be back to this park. read more

A must do when visiting areas along the coast of Washington and Oregon. This is the site where Lewis and Clark first spotted the Pacific Ocean. Cape Disappointment State Park is an impressive state park. The mouth of the Columbia River runs into the Pacific at this point. There is a short but steep hike from the parking lot to the "Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center". Along the path is an interpretative walk of local fauna. The site is up on a 200 feet cliff. What awesome views! From here it's just a short walk over to North Head Light House, the oldest operating light house on the west coast. I think we spent a couple of hours inside. Plus it was really cold outside (November). One benefit about coming during off season is that we had the entire place to ourselves!! read more

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We had a great time here at this park. It was a lot about the actual camp spot though. We were in a sweet little spot away from the people and RVs. There was an aggressive raccoon, so please don't feel the animals!!! They get this way because people feed them!!! The campsite we had had a nice big fire pit and lawn for the tent. There are hiking trails nearby and beautiful beaches. We most enjoyed the sunsets at Benson Beach. The restrooms were clean and the rangers very nice. We had a fabulous weekend here and would definitely go back. The light houses were an added bonus. read more

Incredible hikes, incredible views. Was pretty muddy, but its been raining. Bring boots. Was fun the the dog. We were able to hike to 2 lighthouses, and countless forts and old military bunkers. Never have been able to stumble across such a cool series of sights, and historic places in such a fun easy hikable area. Also stopped in at the campground, and was very impressed. Great beach front sights, with hookups. They even had yurts and cabins. Want to go back tbis summer. read more

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Awesome hike up to the lighthouse! So much to see and explore. Don't be fooled though, much of it is uphill and by the time we got there I had stripped off all my layers - it gets HOT hiking up in the sun! The views from the lighthouse are amazing from all angles. We then hiked back down and over to the Visitor's Center. We decided it wasn't worth the admission to walk around the small museum - it was like $5 or something, kind of steep for just one room of stuff, oh well. The views from the Visitor's Center were incredible too. Absolute must do! Plus, if you're coming from Astoria you can cross the awesome Astoria-Megler bridge! read more

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You won't be...Disappointed if you camp here! Dad joke! We took the family here from Thur-Sun for our annual camp trip and it was awesome. We have been here before, but stayed in a diff loop, but enjoyed it just as much. They have made some changes since I last came, and a storm caused some serious damage to one of the camp areas, but it doesn't affect anything that much. The showers are free now, and our site was clean and the camp volunteers kept the whole area well groomed and were always friendly in answering questions and giving directions, selling wood, etc. we stayed in C-170 loop, closet to the beach. I like the weather a bit cooler and it was that. Plenty of RV space, Yurt rentals, and riverside sites as well. Really interesting thing was a dead whale had washed up so of course the kids..and I wanted to see it. Whew!! Smelly. I love the beach surrounding this camp area, I love the coast in general. It wasn't too windy when we stayed. We visited both lighthouses and Benson beach. You get to park without a pass in all if you are camping. They are doing a jetty improvement and lighthouse improvement project, so plan for that if it involves your plans. We will be coming back. You should go if you haven't. Bring some friends and your bikes and you packs and enjoy everything the PNW and Wash. Parks have to offer. read more

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Beautiful views! Nice short hikes, but just enough to get your blood flowing. The lighthouse was closed for renovations (Spring 2019), but it was still worth visiting the other areas. read more

Stopped in at Cape Disappointment and Beard's Hollow one evening in friggin' December - in the Northwest - and it was clear skies and balmy weather.... I was visiting from North Carolina and couldn't believe my luck. One of the greatest ocean views I've ever seen, up on the bluff by the lighthouse. Saw maybe two other people out there. Perfect. The drive up from Astoria along the Columbia River estuary was incredible. Reminded me of some rural coastal areas back East, just without the miles and miles of encroaching condos. read more

Cape Disappointment State Park - Beard's Hollow - Parks Near Me - Ilwaco, Washington

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Love it here. Come back every couple years. Lots to explore. Great place to camp, too read more

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This review is specific to the North Head Lighthouse at Cape Disappointment State Park. We visited this lighthouse while on the way to our Inn for a weekend getaway. In order to be able to visit the lighthouse, we first had to purchase a Discovery pass. This I bought at a kiosk in the parking lot by the restrooms the exact same way that you would pay for parking in downtown Seattle except that a 1 day pass cost me $10.00!!! I mean, whoa! We purchased a 24 hour transit pass in Chicago for $5.00 and that let us ride any form of public transportation as far as we wanted. Anyway, back to the review. The lighthouse is a short quarter mile hike from the parking lot and along the way, you see the old lighthouse keeper's residence buildings. They are really cool and there are 3 separate dwellings in two building's I think it's because there probably had to be three keepers so that there was always someone on duty. Ever since the lighthouse went automated however, you can rent the keeper's residence out as a vacation rental. Super cool! We walked down the path through the trees until we came out to a clearing where we could see the Pacific ocean for days and as we rounded the corner, the lighthouse came into view. Not the ideal time for our visit as the structure was contained in a scaffold and was being restored at the time but still a cool thing to see and experience anyways. We stayed and took in the scenery for a bit and then made our way back to the car. I'd say, if you are in the area, definitely go and see it. You might never see it again and just a few more miles up the road is the Cape Disappointment lighthouse so if you purchase your Discovery pass, you might as well get the most of it and see both. Have a fun and thanks for reading. read more

If you're a hiker this is definitely the place to go broski. There's so many beautiful views and places to find. Not to mention it very well kept. If you're in town this is definitely a stop worth making and even worth going out of your way for. read more

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Nice vantage point and while the sign says difficult I would go with more moderate of a hike. I would have liked to learn more about the Coast Guard role... Tip: no trash cans in parking lot... read more

Cape Disappointment State Park - Parks Near Me - Ilwaco, Washington

Fantastic trails, great photo ops and a great family spot. Of course you'll have to have the Discovery pass so come prepared. Parking at the entrance of the trails is limited, but there's more below the trail head. Keep your eyes out on the way thru. read more

Cape Disappointment State Park - Beach - Parks Near Me - Ilwaco, Washington

Growing up in Washington state I had never heard of or visited Cape Disappointment. I've been to nearby Astoria and surrounding areas. Since I'm back in Seattle for a new job, I was looking up some weekend road trip destinations. Looking it up on Google images this locale looked very cool. I took a chance and drove out there on a rainy Sunday morning. Luckily it had cleared up a bit and stopped raining along the coast. There's a $10 discovery (park fee) but not too bad. The lighthouse itself is very scenic and the coastline is breathtaking. Maybe it was due to the inclement weather but it wasn't that crowded which is a big plus. I think I'll make another trip out there in spring/summer when it's warmer. I'll definitely make a return trip before moving away from Seattle next year. Highly recommended. read more

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Came here in December with my boyfriend driving up and down the pacific coastal highway over Christmas break. Cape Disappointment did not disappoint, what a gorgeous park, I wish we had had time to hike some. But the lighthouse is amazing to view, and the beach too. The only reason I can't give it a 5 star rating is that you have to pay almost $100 to use the state park, I get an entrance fee maybe, but it just seems a bit steep. My boyfriend was even afraid to stop to take pictures because a ranger may ticket us a $99 ticket.... I love my public lands. read more

There are so many things to do at Cape Disappointment! This park has a ton of history. Lewis and Clark ended the westward part of their journey here. Fort Canby was located here and played an important role in coastal defense during both World Wars. Lighthouses continue to play an important role in guiding ships in the graveyard of the Pacific. This park has a wide variety of camping options. You can reserve campsites up to 9 months in advance through the state parks website (and it fills up all summer). There are also first come first served campsites by a lake, but they get snapped up pretty quickly on summer weekends. The campsites all have pretty poor privacy, it's not the experience you'll get if you hike through the woods and find someplace remote, but they are easily accessible and convenient. Lots of RV hookups sites too. There are also yurts and cabins you can rent. These are great in the off-season, when it's a little too wet/windy/stormy for all but the most hardcore campers. I haven't been in a cabin, but my husband and I stayed in a yurt a few winters ago. It was but better than tent camping, but the heaters don't get hot enough to make the yurt toasty warm, so make sure to bring warm sleeping bags in the winter. There are also houses you can rent up by the North Head Lighthouse. I haven't been in them, but the pictures look gorgeous. When you are at the park, there are a wide variety of things to do. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is very interesting. It is $5 per adult, less for kids, to get in, and most people could spend several hours in there. There are lots of neat interpretive stuff on Lewis & Clark, and a video too. Upstairs there is a small exhibit about Coast Guard Rescue and the lighthouses, but if you're in to that stuff, you should really go to the Maritime Museum in Astoria, they have much more extensive displays. There are two lighthouses at the park, and both are quite picturesque. There are volunteers that give tours of the North Head Lighthouse, even in the winter. I think it's a few dollars as well, but worth it for the great views and interesting history. There are a number of well-maintained trails throughout the park that take you through the park. A short trail leads uphill to Mckenzie Head which is pretty neat. Probably the safest place in the park to be if a tsunami hits! There are several beaches at the park. I like Waikiki Beach the best for eating lunch or hanging out. There are remains of Fort Canby scattered throughout the park, it's pretty neat to explore some of them, though they are not well preserved (for a better preserved fort, head down the road to Fort Columbia). In the summer there are tons of events going on. The staff give interpretive talks several times a day, and sometimes there are concerts or other events. Overall, I would say this is an excellent park with a wide variety of interesting activities. read more

Beautiful, but some quirks that aren't acceptable. There is no way to preregister if coming in late. Their little call in system is totally defunct with not even a dial tone. Then even if you wake up to a park ranger and ask them to take a credit card they refuse and instead write you a ticket. Must be a quite a racket they make. Park Ranger Sleaze lives up to his name. read more

The first time I went camping at this park was in may of 2011. I was a little off about the name "cape disappointment", but let me tell you, there is NOTHING disappointing about this place! It was me & my boyfriends first year anniversary & we wanted to do something special. Luckily he's like me & would rather rough it out camping rather than staying at a hotel. He's been here many times as a kid with his family so he decided that we should go here for our anniversary trip. I fell in love. The campgrounds itself, the sites, hiking trails, lighthouses, the beach, THE SCENERY. You'd be crazy to not love every bit of this place. Since our first year together till now, we've been coming here to camp every year for our anniversary. Could it be May 2014 already??? Trust me when I say you won't regret your stay here! read more

Flip flops are a disappointment at Cape Disappointment. The views are beautiful and the historical background regarding shipwrecks are very interesting. The North Head Lighthouse is very cool; however, very disappointed that you can't climb to the top with flip flops or open backed shoes. I did not know this until I reached the quarter-mile hike with the family. None of us could climb to the top. Booooo! read more

Love their camp sites! Great walks on the beach and plenty places to explore. The sites are large and some offer a great deal of privacy. The beach has loads of driftwood and ppl made huts from it. I could have camped here for a week. Showers are decent and water on each cul de sac. read more

If you are lucky to get here on a clear day - the place will not disappoint. The park has a few short hikes to the lighthouses. The hikes offer stunning views of the coast. It is considered the most dangerous entry point to the US - so the waves can be strong, which makes for a stunning coastline. There are restrooms located close to the park ranger station. Highly recommended. read more

Cape Disappointment State Park - Parks Near Me - Ilwaco, Washington

Great place to visit; beautiful views! However, lighthouse is currently closed. Would have been nice to know before purchasing Discovery Pass. I realize it can be used other places but they really shouldn't require the purchase when the area is basically closed off... read more

It started as just a quick trip across that huge Astoria bridge. That's pretty much all I wanted or needed. But then we started seeing signs. Literally. They read, CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT. With a name like that, who could shake the curiosity? We followed the signs, and as we approached, we prepared ourselves for the very worst...for utter misery and a horrible view. Well, we were disappointed, because Cape Disappointment was actually pretty damn awesome. There was a great view, a nice little--STEEP--trail (that my jeans and flip-flopped clad self had not prepared for), and an overall lovely little side trip. I should warn you, though, if you plan to bring grandma here, make sure she's a fiery one--I felt rather sorry for all the over-70s attempting to hike up and down the trail to the lighthouse. It's not really wheelchair accessible, and pretty steep! read more

Beautiful park, affordable cabins, tons of trails, and super close to great restaurants in Ilwaco (Salt Pub) and Long Beach. Don't miss it.

Disappointment says it all... It has a lighthouse that is run down and you can't get to the top. This place does have million dollar views of the ocean and cliffs, but why must we pay $10/car to park? read more

Just gorgeous. Drive from one parking area to another and you will continuously get a different experience. Or hike the trails which are pretty easy and enchanting. It may have been a disappointment for the ship captain looking for the Northwest Passage, but it won't be for you. The lighthouse in the park is worth a visit if you don't mind the 1.2 mile roundtrip hike, steep in many places. The trail itself is probably worth the effort if it is not a hot day, and the view at the end is special. read more

Cape Disappointment state park is one of my favorite spots to camp. Rv site are large, paved, and for the most part private. It is very beautiful and peaceful. I go 3 to 4 times a year. Unfortunately, on my last trip, my brand new mountain bike and my brother-in-law's bike got stolen from out spot. It was part my fault for nor locking it but we never had anything like this happen at this park. I will probably think twice about going there again. In the winter/spring months, ranger patrol is either very seldom or none at all. Make sure you lock up all your belongings and get get all your food out of the way before you go to bed including soda cans. Those raccoons will get into everything! read more

Not sure what the disappointment is all about! 2 lighthouses pretty close together! Breathtaking beach views! The hike is moderate in difficulty. Lots of shaded parts to provide relief from the sun. We came across slugs and garden snakes. Kinda felt like a rainforest/tropical environment in some parts. We even came across and old fort you can walk through. Felt kinda like an old jail or prison. I recommend a stop here for a nice hike and picnic! read more

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Watch out for the raccoons. Beginning at dusk these guys show up and pilfer through any belongings not in your tent or in locked in your luggage. read more

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I was here a few years ago and thought it was fantastic. Granted, I did not stay here but just stumbled across it on a sort of overcast day. The walk up to the lighthouse was surreal as it was dripping condensation from the fog and the waves were crashing up on the sides of the cape. I felt like I was in an old movie. I loved it there and really hope to go back one day. read more