ABOUT CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT STATE PARK: This was our first time camping at Cape Disappointment. The Park was located at the southwestern end of the Long Beach peninsula where the Columbia River met the Pacific Ocean in the most dangerous river-bar crossing in the world. Over the centuries many ships have sunk here, partly from the turbulent meeting of two large waterways and partly because inside the mouth of the Columbia is a large sand bar where many ships have run aground.
This 1,882-acre State Park was one of the better Parks that we’ve been to. Very scenic, it consists of rocky hills and cliffs, lots of old trees, and large ocean waves crash ashore. In addition, there were many well-maintained hiking and biking trails, and the Park was kept clean and was well-cared for.
There were two sections for camping. One, with sites 181-231, was located on O’Neill Lake. There were 3 cabins and the rest of these campsites were close together and small, perfect for small truck campers, vans, and tent camping. There were no hook-ups; there was a dump station for this section, and restrooms with showers. The other section of the campground was newer with three loops containing sites 1-180. These campsites were spaced nicely apart from neighboring sites and the length & width of the sites varied to fit everything from a grouping of several tents to large RVs and vehicles. Loop A (sites 1-60) offered full hook-ups. This was the most crowded section of the campground. Loop B (sites 61-91) offered electric & water hook-ups but no sewer hook-ups and 13 of these sites were Yurts intermingled with the regular campsites. Loop B (sites 92-120) offered no hook-ups. Loop B was fairly crowded. Loop C (sites 121-180) was the most quiet area. It was all no hook-ups. It had the most trees and the least traffic. It also had several campsites near the Ocean with great views and beach access. There were restrooms with showers in each loop and this section had a dump station, also. Water was available at the dump stations and at spigots throughout the park. The Park also offered trash including recycling, firewood, campground hosts and park rangers, parking, an amphitheater, an office and camp store, 2 lighthouses, a boat launch, a lagoon and two lakes, an historical fort, and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center.
We stayed for four nights in site #167 in Loop C. It was a large site with room for the screened tent and we had an Ocean view through the trees. Close to the beach, we could hear the crashing waves. It was very nice, and one entire side of the campsite was heavily tree’d and there were lots of bushes. Better Ocean views and access were from sites #174 and 175 – they are probably the best sites in the campground. Other views can be had at sites 104, 106, 107, 9, 10, and 23. If all these campsites were already reserved, the best site without a view was #163; it was private. The campsites cost between $25 & $50 per night depending on whether it was on or off-season and depending on whether they had any hoop-ups. We paid $30 per night for an excellent campsite. Check-in time was 2:30 p.m. Check-out time was 1 p.m. We could’ve easily stayed much longer, and we’d love to come back again.
Cape Disappointment State Park: 244 Robert Gray Drive, Ilwaco, WA 98624; campground phone (360) 642-3078; website www.parks.WA.gov; reservations phone (888) 226-7688 and online www.parks.state.wa.us or www.washington.goingtocamp.com.
- 2022 – 05/01-05/05