One of the reasons I love living in Washington State is the wide range of weekend getaways that you can find all over the state for whatever mood you might be in. This was one we did when my husband injured his meniscus during a search and rescue training exercise.
His hobbled pace lowered our expectations from a long time planned snow camping overnight to a humble road trip. Easy strolling on the beach of this historical region of the Washington Coast was going to have to be our escape away from the kids.
Camping At Cape Disappointment
Staying in a state park yurt during the winter is actually pretty cozy! Most offer a set of bunk beds, full size futon and a table with heat and electricity. Camping is open year round and there is a small park store with basic needs and groceries. You just need to bring your own bedding and any food you might want to have at camp.
After settling in for the weekend, we spent the next two days exploring the shorter trails and shoreline within the 1,882 acres of this state park. It is located on the most southwestern tip of the state along the Pacific Ocean and mouth of the Columbia River. We had so much fun taking pictures of all the moss-covered history and fascinating beach artifacts.
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. He may have been disappointed but I have yet to be in the times I have visited the state park.
There are seashore alcoves and rugged bluffs to explore on the beach towards the North Head Lighthouse. Taking care to not step on barnacles and mollusks, I found myself yet again engaged in examining tide pools and the terrain of the area. There is captivating to observe how plant and animal life survive in such constantly changing conditions.
Confluence Project Boardwalk
We braved the elements to walk the Confluence Project Boardwalk designed by Maya Lin that transcribes each entry from Lewis and Clark’s expedition as they approached the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
The planks move chronologically forward in time as they near the beach signifying the explorers’ journey as it ended at the sea.
It is one of several art projects that hope to reflect the history of this area. A cedar grove circle built from driftwood nearby surrounds a cedar trunk that predates Lewis and Clark’s arrival and a pathway lined with oyster shells shares the text of a Chinook song of praise.
Fort Canby
There is an archived military installation, Fort Canby, where one can stroll through and imagine soldiers’ activity during war-time. It was established in 1863 during the Civil War and was in use through WWII. The state park used to be called Fort Canby State Park but was later changed to reflect the cape instead. An interpretive center is adjacent to the fort structures and offers a military history lesson of the area for a small fee.
I don’t know what it is about watching time take its effect on man-made structures like military forts, but I find it enthralling. Whether is it growing up exploring places like Fort Casey as a child or watching movies like Planet of The Apes with its futuristic view of the world where nature has reclaimed the globe, it never gets old. Plus, there are so many intriguing details to photograph!
North Head Lighthouse
This is a 1.2 mile trail to get to the lighthouse from near the campground but with my husband’s injury, we took the paved path from the parking lot off North Head Road for a 10 minute walk.
Kiosks share about how the shore and surrounding cliffs have changed over time as the weather and waves have taken their toll. We looked for the features we had noticed earlier in the day on our beach walk near Elephant Rocks (my picture above on the rocks).
I have visited this lighthouse several times and the construction fencing has always been there, I imagine taking care of history is a constant battle when exposed to incessant ocean elements. I have read that the construction should be finished in June of 2019, however.
The view from next to the lighthouse makes way into an alcove below. After enjoying the sound of the waves crashing into the rocks for awhile, we returned to our car and made our way the short distance into town for dinner (a future post). Later, we spent the night in our yurt playing card games and enjoying a quiet evening sans kids. There was not complaint that darkness comes early during the winter season.
McKenzie Head Trail
In the morning, after we packed our things reluctantly into the car, we ventured out for another short hike in the park my husband thought he could do. The McKenzie Trail is just .25 miles and follows a decommissioned road up a 200 foot high knob.
This trail chronicles the journey of Lewis and Clark as they made their way up to McKenzie Head through lush coastal forest to eventually overlook the ocean they had traveled so far to see.
I grew up learning about the history of Lewis and Clark’s trek across the United States and how it moved settlers west. Who didn’t imagine the amount of bravery that must have taken? Of course, there were already people living here in what is now Washington State and the arrival of the white men was devastating. Chinook tribes lost 90 percent of their members due to conflict or disease. We never learned about that part in our history books.
It is with ambiguity that I enjoy historical sites like this one, wishing for a more balanced representation. The Confluence Project is just one way they are working to do this but it would be nice to see things side by side.
The trail had two parts, one that swung around the head part way to a marshy lagoon next to the beach, a birders paradise.
And another took us up to the crest of the headland where remnants of the battery guns serve as sanctuaries for frogs and waterholes for local birds.
The story of the explorers plays out and quotes the famous men’s observations of the surrounding landscape. There were, also, more fort underground storage rooms to explore…
…and a summit of the forested knob to bag. Kinda.
We could see out to the Benson Beach and the North Jetty we would find ourselves strolling in a few hours.
On the way down the trail, we noticed an abandoned building among the ferns that kept us intrigued for some time.
Benson Beach
Next, we drove over to Benson Beach and took one last stroll out onto the sandy shore. This beach is a popular clamming destination and I hope to time a return when it is clamming season.
It is possible to walk the jetty for a short distance but its uneven ground kept us on the beach this time.
A few hours later after walking the 1.5 mile long beach, we were back in the car and heading up the peninsula towards Iwalco and Aberdeen. If you have time, make sure and stop by the Hobo Junction and check out their “antiques”. At least that is what my goofy hubby suggests…
So, if you are looking for a bit of winter glamping, sandy beach walks, lighthouses atop cliffs with crashing waves, short mossy trails through spruce forests and American Military history touching on Native American culture, Cape Disappointment is worth a visit.
And if you are driving out towards Olympia on your way home, be sure and stop at Lake Sylvia State Park, too. It isn’t very often you get to see a covered bridge on a hike!
The park is located at 244 Robert Gray Drive, Ilwaco, WA and open year round for camping and day use. If you want to learn more about the park and yurt reservations, you can visit Washington State Parks website for the latest and this map shows details about the trails available in the park.
Cape Disappointment has 152 standard campsites, 83 utility sites, five primitive campsites, one dump station, eight restrooms (two ADA) and 14 showers (four ADA). Maximum site length is 45 feet (may have limited availability). If you are staying in the park, your reservation allows for parking but if you are going for a day visit, a Discover Pass is needed.
You can also learn more about the complicated history of this area here. There is more information about the Confluence Project here.
Check out my post on Serious Pizza for details on the delicious dinner out we enjoyed in town!
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