Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Fort Canby State Park) is a 1,882-acre camping park on the Long Beach Peninsula, fronted by the Pacific Ocean. The park offers two miles of ocean beach, two lighthouses, an interpretive center and hiking trails. Visitors enjoy beachcombing and exploring the area's rich natural and cultural history. The nearby coastal towns of Ilwaco and Long Beach feature special events and festivals spring through fall.

Marine Park: No

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: 6:30 a.m. to dusk

The park is open year round for camping and day use.

Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

In 1788, while in search of the Columbia River, English Captain John Meares missed the passage over the river bar and named the nearby headland Cape Disappointment for his failure in finding the river. In 1792, American Captain Robert Gray successfully crossed the river bar and named the river "Columbia" after his ship, the Columbia Rediviva. Only a few years later, in 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived at Cape Disappointment.

The Cape Disappointment Lighthouse was constructed in 1856 to warn seamen of the treacherous river bar known by then as "the graveyard of the Pacific." This is the oldest functioning lighthouse on the West Coast.

In 1862, Cape Disappointment was armed with smoothbore cannons to protect the mouth of the Columbia River from enemies. The installation was expanded to become Fort Canby in 1875. The fort was named after General Edward Canby, who was killed in the Modoc Indian War. The fort continued to be improved until the end of World War II. Gun batteries still sit uptop the park.

Bluffs, beaches, dunes, lakes, rivers, estuaries, wetlands, cliffs and caves.

Cape Disappointment offers a variety of unique facilities for rent. Historic heritage places are available for weddings, special events or overnight vacationing. Cabins and yurts are available for convenience camping.

Overnight heritage places:

-Three North Head Lightkeepers' residences.
Each house has three bedrooms, one bath, a full kitchen and living and dining rooms. Microwave oven, dishwasher, TV, VCR and linens are provided. Prices vary with the season. To make a reservation up to a year in advance, call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

Day-use heritage places:

-North Head Lighthouse.
The lighthouse provides a romantic setting for intimate ceremonies. To reserve, call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

-Colbert House Porch and Grounds.
This house provides a lovely Victorian backdrop for weddings and special events. Capacity is 100 people. Interior of house is not rentable, but guided tours are available. The grounds are covered with lawn and gardens. Prices vary with size of the group. To reserve, call (360) 642-3078.

Convenience camping structures:

-Fourteen yurts and three cabins are reservable year round.
Yurts measure 16 feet in diameter by 10 feet high and have hardwood or wood laminate floors, electricity, screen windows and a skylight, all enclosed in canvas and a locking door.
Cabins measure 12 x 12 feet and are 10 feet high at the peak. Each has hardwood floors, electricity, screen windows and a locking door.
Each yurt and cabin sleep six and is equipped with heat and light, bunk-beds (single on top full on bottom), a futon bed (full), an end table and a covered porch. A fire pit with a grate is located at the site. For reservations call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688 or visit the reservations page online.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center (LCIC), perched on a 200-foot-high cliff, tells the story of Lewis and Clark and their journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean.
LCIC hours: Open year-round from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
LCIC admission: $5 per adult, $2.50 children ages 7 to 17, free ages 6 and younger.

North Head Lighthouse is also open to visitors (tours cost $2.50 per adult, free ages 7 to 17). No children under the age of seven. Appropriate footwear is required; no flip flops or shoes without heel straps. We do not accept any Federal or State passes. Call the center at (360) 642-3029 for hours and tour information.

Other interpretive opportunities, such as the Fort Columbia Interpretive Center and the Fort Columbia Commanding Officer's House Museum, also are in the vicinity.

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