Cape Disappointment State Park
Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Fort Canby State Park) is a public recreation area on Cape Disappointment, located southwest of Ilwaco, Washington, on the bottom end of Long Beach Peninsula, the northern headlands where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Look also at Fort Stevens, 8.1 mi away. Highs of 63–68°F make June to September the mildest time to go.
A state park, 2 mi southwest of Ilwaco
Ilwaco is the nearest base
Ilwaco is 2 miles northeast, with 19 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Portland
Portland is about 86 miles southeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 63–68°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Picking a season
Pick a month for Cape Disappointment from the weather below.
Cape Disappointment State Park
Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Fort Canby State Park) is a public recreation area on Cape Disappointment, located southwest of Ilwaco, Washington, on the bottom end of Long Beach Peninsula, the northern headlands where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. The state park's 2,023 acres (819 ha) encompass a diverse landscape of old-growth forest, freshwater lakes, freshwater and saltwater marshes, and oceanside tidelands. Park sites include Fort Canby, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, North Head Lighthouse, and Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. Cape Disappointment is one of several state parks and sites in Washington and Oregon that are included in Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.
- Type
- State park
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 9.9K a year
A base for Cape Disappointment State Park
To stay close, try Long Beach (33) and Ilwaco (19).
- 1Fort Stevens
- 2Fort Clatsop
- 3Tillamook Rock Light
- 4Astoria Column
- 5Ecola
- 6Lewis and Clark
- 7Columbia River Maritime Museum
Long Beach
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
1,769 people · 40% vacation homes
5 mi north of Cape Disappointment
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Cape Disappointment | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach 40% vacation homes | 5 mi north | 5 min | 33 11 hotels · 3 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 8 RV parks | 1,769 | $363K | B+ |
| Ilwaco | 2 mi northeast | 5 min | 19 3 hotels · 3 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 5 campgrounds · 6 RV parks | 1,112 | $370K | — |
| Astoria | 14 mi southeast | 20 min | 29 17 hotels · 4 motels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 9,838 | $445K | C− |
| Seaside 24% vacation homes | 22 mi south | 35 min | 52 31 hotels · 5 motels · 8 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 hostel · 4 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 7,092 | $460K | D |
| Warrenton | 11 mi southeast | 15 min | 11 1 hotel · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 5 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 6,312 | $416K | D |
| Ocean Park 35% vacation homes | 14 mi north | 20 min | 16 4 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 2,122 | $351K | — |
| Cannon Beach 60% vacation homes | 28 mi south | 45 min | 37 15 hotels · 2 motels · 11 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 1,512 | $823K | — |
| Chinook | 6 mi east | 10 min | 2 2 campgrounds | 541 | $352K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
While you are near Cape Disappointment
Places worth adding lie within 62 miles.
18 mi LandmarkFort Stevens
214 mi LandmarkFort Clatsop
325 mi LighthouseTillamook Rock Light
414 mi LandmarkAstoria Column
526 mi State parkEcola State Park
614 mi National Historical ParkLewis and Clark National Historical Park244K visitors a year
62 mi MuseumTillamook Air Museum
714 mi MuseumColumbia River Maritime Museum100K visitors a yearPhoto credits
Fort Stevens: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, Attribution · Fort Clatsop: Glenn Scofield Williams from USA, CC BY 2.0 · Tillamook Rock Light: Jwyoung, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Astoria Column: The original uploader was Decumanus at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ecola State Park: Brmuchim (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lewis and Clark National Historical Park: National Park Service Digital Image Archives, Public domain · Tillamook Air Museum: Semifamous at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Columbia River Maritime Museum: NSandel, CC BY-SA 3.0
_(clatDA0106a).jpg){kind=link}
Before visiting Cape Disappointment
What town is Cape Disappointment State Park near?
Ilwaco, WA, about 2 miles northeast.
When is the best time to visit Cape Disappointment State Park?
June, July, August and September, with highs of 63–68°.
How far is Cape Disappointment State Park from Portland?
About 86 miles southeast of Portland, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Cape Disappointment State Park?
Olympia Regional (OLM), about 73 miles away. The nearest big hub is Portland (PDX), about 86 miles.
Where should I stay near Cape Disappointment State Park?
Long Beach (5 mi, 33 places to stay), Ilwaco (2 mi, 19 places to stay) and Astoria (14 mi, 29 places to stay).
Word from Ilwaco
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Ilwaco’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.