Fishing, hiking, and beach access draw campers to Cape Disappointment State Park Campground year-round, with two lighthouses, a WWII bunker, and an interpretive center all within the park boundaries. The campground sits near the southwestern tip of Washington on the Long Beach Peninsula, close enough to the water that the sound of the ocean carries into camp even from the sections farthest from the shore.
The layout divides into sections A, B, C, and D, each organized into circular loops of roughly 10 sites. Section D sits near the entrance alongside a lake, while sections A, B, and C are farther down a long drive toward the beach. Section A includes full hookups. Sites in the wooded loops are spacious and mostly level, shaded by mature trees draped in moss, though privacy between neighboring sites is limited across all sections. Christina F. notes that "section D is near the entrance along a lake," while beach-side sites like 105 sit close to dune berms with foot traffic from the beach trail passing nearby.
Cell coverage is consistently poor throughout the campground. Verizon and T-Mobile users report zero bars at most sites, and even Starlink reception can be spotty depending on tree canopy. Campers with signal boosters report better results. Wind is a constant factor on the ocean-side sites, strong enough to muffle camp noise but also enough to make tent camping louder and sandier than expected. Bugs pick up when the wind drops, so repellent is worth packing.
Hookup sites accommodate RVs up to 35 feet with electric, water, and sewer connections, and a free dump station and water fill station are available in the park. Showers are free and hot, though cleanliness in the bathhouses varies by loop. Reservations are available through Washington State Parks and are worth booking ahead, as the campground fills during holiday weekends, including Thanksgiving. The park is pet-friendly on trails and the beach.
Astoria and Warrenton, Oregon are roughly a 30-minute drive for resupply, and Long Beach is closer for quick stops. Anglers stage trips out of Ilwaco for albacore tuna, rockfish, and crabbing from the North Jetty. For a broader look at what's nearby, campgrounds near Cape Disappointment State Park include options across the peninsula worth comparing before booking.
Description
Cape Disappointment is a 2,023-acre camping park on the Long Beach Peninsula, fronted by the Pacific Ocean and looking into the mouth of the Columbia River. The park offers yurts, cabins and unique historic vacation homes to meet travelers' diverse lodging needs. Cape Disappointment has 137 standard campsites, 50 full-hookup sites, 18 partial-hookup sites with water and electricity, five primitive hiker/biker campsites first come first served, 14 yurts, three cabins, one dump station, eight restrooms (two ADA) and 14 showers (four ADA). Maximum site length is 45 feet (limited availability). Camping is available year-round. Check-in time is 2:30 p.m. Check-out time is 1 p.m.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsCape Disappointment State Park Campground is located in Washington near Ilwaco
Directions
244 Robert Gray Drive, Ilwaco, WA 98624
Address
244 Robert Gray Dr
Ilwaco, WA 98624
Coordinates
46.29841 N
124.0632 W
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 7 usersLast on 7/3/26
- VerizonLTEGood CoverageVerified by 38 usersLast on 7/3/26
- AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 8 usersLast on 7/3/26
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 7 usersLast on 7/3/26
- VerizonLTEGood CoverageVerified by 38 usersLast on 7/3/26
- AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 8 usersLast on 7/3/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Cabins
- Tent Cabin
- Yurts
Features
For Campers
- Market
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Reservable
- Showers
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- Water Hookups
- 30 Amp Hookups
- 50 Amp Hookups
- Big Rig Friendly
Contact
General Info
Reservations
Drive Time
- 1 hr 20 min from Longview, WA
- 1 hr 58 min from Olympia, WA
- 1 hr 58 min from Portland, OR
- 2 hrs 37 min from Salem, OR































































