Cape Disappointment State Park Campground

We had an awesome 2 night stay in site 103B. This site fit our needs well and was about 50 steps from Benson Beach. About 2.5 miles long and a jetty at the end. Light house , lots of trails! Just beautiful. We did not have WiFi or Verizon cell at this site.( not a problem)!

This is one of our favorite campsites to visit year-round. If you can get a spot during the warmer summer months, yay! If not, we've still enjoyed it during the more "off-season", both February and October :).

All their spots are great, it just depends on what you're looking for. They have full hookups, partial hookups, and dry spots - FYI the dry spots are the ones with closest access to the beach.

Amenities:

• Nice bathrooms w/ showers
• Free shower facilities
• Beach access
• Fishing (if you want to take a drive down to the jetty)
• Full Hookups
• Partial Hookups
• Local store (status of whether it's open or not is unsure)
• Two lighthouses & multiple hiking trails
• Within driving distance of Longbeach if you're up for some tourist activities!

Love this campground. It’s a hidden gem. I wish we would have taken photos, but trust me. It’s gorgeous

Once we got near Ilwaco, we followed the state park signs to the campground(CG). Check-in was quick, but the camp host checking us in noted we were an hour early, so our campsite may not be cleaned and someone could be in the site. When we got to back-in site A57 with FHUs, there was no one there, and the campsite had been cleaned. As the loops at this state park are in a circle, the sites are easy to line up for a straight back in. Our asphalt site was level with the water and electric in the middle of the pad and the sewer at the back. We needed about 20 feet of sewer hose. The sites are decently spaced and for the most part, shaded by mature trees. We were able to get a usable Starlink north shot out of the back of the site. Satellite could be iffy depending on the site. Sites towards the front of the loop probably have the best chance for satellite as they are near the road. Water pressure was good at about 55 psi. We sometimes got 1 bar on Verizon, but to make a phone call, we had to drive to Ilwaco. We noticed that camping at the beach for Thanksgiving is a“thing” in this area, as the CG was full. There were deer milling around the CG and they did not seem concerned that we were there. We enjoyed walking our pups on the dog-friendly beach. The lighthouses were enjoyable as well, especially the views. A few amenities are nearby in Long Beach, but for the most part, you’ll need to drive about 30 minutes into Astoria/Warrenton, OR. A walk along Long Beach’s boardwalk was worthwhile, especially the whale display with an actual whale skeleton.

Pros: clean, well-maintained sites. Visible park rangers who were friendly and helpful. Close to the beach. Lots of amenities and trails.

Cons: (1) the electricity is not consistent and it is weak. Like you can’t run your microwave and your electric water heater at the same time weak. Make sure you have a surge protector/line conditioner on your electrical hookup because you could seriously damage your rig plugging into this park’s electrical. (2) no cell service. Not a single bar of Verizon LTE anywhere in this campground. This wouldn’t be a big deal if we were expecting that kind of experience but, to the contrary, the Dyrt’s listing for this campground says Verizon service is good. It is not only not good, it is nonexistent. (3) once you enter the park, there are no signs directing you to the campground. The address in the confirmation email sent after we reserved our spot was not anywhere near correct. Luckily there were 2 park rangers there when we pulled in who helped us get un-lost. This is a huge state park so it is unacceptable not to have any signs that even say “campground” with an arrow. There are signs for everything else, just not the campground.

This is a tough review to write. Honestly, the location and campground are wonderful. It was the lack of signage and a miserable staff that made my stay there challenging. It was Halloween and the campground was empty. I have a serious health issue that makes moving a bit rough. Twice when we were parked briefly to unload heavy groceries and then to take a quick phone call (wifi spotty), the militarized rangers came screeching up threatening to ticket us. I almost missed the incredible interpretive center due to lack of signage, it wasn’t obvious on their map and no one mentioned it when we checked in. But don’t let this review stop you. It’s still a great park.

The campground was nice and well maintained. Having the beach close by made for amazing white noise when your going to sleep. We had a great time relaxing and exploring.

Spent a night here in C loop. Beautiful park with great history.

We do enjoyed having such easy access to such a nice beach. We even were able to watch sunset over the water (through some trees) from our camper.

Really nice campground and beautiful area on the coast. The area is pretty windy most of the day, although I slept in my car, so it wasn’t a big deal. But I could see where sleeping in a tent might get loud. Pretty buggy when there was no wind, so bring repellent. Stayed in site 105 which was really different from the pictures. No foliage to block the wind, instead a built up berm of sand and driftwood. Zero privacy as the trail to the beach is right next to the site. Sitting in the back of my Subaru watching the sunset meant a steady stream of people about 3 ft away heading to the beach. Also the site is really small. No real great tent areas. Bathroom was okay but I don’t think there was soap the entire weekend I was there. Free shower though! Good location close to Astoria and Cannon Beach. Would stay here again but choose site 104 or 106 as they were larger and more private. Zero cell service at campsite (T-mobile).

We’ve stayed at Cape Disappointment twice now. Both times were in November. The campsites are spacious. You stay under the canopies of mossy trees and the beach is a short walk away. The sites are positioned along one way roadway loops. Each loop has a water source. The site we stayed at did not have power/outlets. The bathrooms are a short walk and have showers with hot water. We haven’t been on any of the nearby hiking trials, but that’s on the list, as we certainly will be back!

Great campsite, the D area has no water or electricity, restrooms and shower available. 20 min from North Head Trail.

We stayed at Disappointment for almost a week. It is a great place to relax and unplug from life. In the main campground loops, There is no WiFi available, No TV signals of any kind, and absolutely no cell service from any Cell service provider. We use all 3 main carriers, AT&T, Verizon, and T Mobile for service and work. The is no cell service, not even with a Cell Booster.

Overall, it is a nice park campground. There's lots of trees. It's easy for us to get in and out. Nice hiking trails. A secluded beach that rarely sees people outside of Summer.

The only downside we had was the increased amount of pollution washing up on the shoreline. It was pretty bad.

In the end, it was a really great place to unplug from the world, relax, and enjoy nature.

One of my favorite campgrounds. You ever think, “This is where I’d want to be if the world ever ends”? It crossed my mind here. It is so beautiful and peaceful.

It’s big, but loops are small and well spaced and you don’t feel like you’re packed into a space with too many people. Bathrooms are clean. Showers are blissfully hot.

The cape has several scenic lighthouses and beaches that are dog friendly and good for sand dollar hunting. We went out first thing in the morning when it was foggy and freezing, but tide was low and we had the whole beach to ourselves. Loved that it was a quick and easy walk from our site.

There is a store just outside the main gate with Cape Disappointment apparel, but we didn’t make it during business hours.

It’s a beautiful park. They have a raccoon problem so watch out for those things. Stole my marshmallows.

The lots are small and very close to each other. I had trees to the back and right of my lot which was nice but otherwise completely open. Also one of the mens toilet seats were broken and taped together near my lot. Otherwise quick check in if you reserved online prior to arriving.

We had such a great time camping at Cape Disappointment State Park. Campground offers several private sites next to the ocean. Hot showers. Close proximity to various hiking trails. Very peaceful stay.

There is something for every type of camper at Cape Disappointment. Wonderful hiking, beautiful beaches, two lighthouses, fishing, proximity to Long Beach, WA and Astoria, OR for even more exploration, plenty of room to ride bikes, breathtaking views, and sites for tents, small RVs and campers, large RVs. You are at the location the mighty Columbia River roars into the mighty Pacific Ocean, creating treacherous conditions for ships. Savor the wildness!

We spent 2 nights here in spot 95. The park was nearly fully booked and there were a ton of cars parked at the main lots, but the park still felt empty. The sites are nice but not super private, but the location is simply gorgeous. Wood was $8.50 a (small) bundle. Rangers were coming by fairly regularly to check on the sites. The loop's water spigot was off, but it looked like the yurt on our loop had its water turned on. 

We've already been twice this year and will definitely make this a regular spot to visit!

We reserved our space online with the Washington State Parks website. Very easy to use and complete our reservation. https://washington.goingtocamp.com/ 

We have camped at some nice spots on the Coast of Washington but Cape Disappointment was a real treat! The campsites are spacious and clean, our Camp Host Lynn was really sweet, such a lovely lady and fun to talk with. Rebecca at the gate was very pleasant as well, helpful and even gave us pointers on which area would be best for us.

The local towns were full of things to go and see, lots of activities for young folks as well as us not so young folks too. Be sure to visit the Lewis and Clark lookout and interpretive center, tons of information. Cost is $5 per person, but worth it.

Visit the North Light House as well, this is an easy walk-in sight and it has outstanding views. Sunsets were simply amazing. Just beautiful. I didn't get a chance to photo from up there but will next time we go.

Word of warning, ZERO cell service at the camp sights, don't count on it for streaming or hotspot for work. I was able to make calls from at the entrance and boat ramp.

 Fishing out of Ilwaco is a fantastic way to stock your freezer, I have caught over a 100 Albacore tuna, countless rock fish, and a couple ling cod. If you enjoy crab, you can try your luck at the North Jetty.

All in all, this is a very beautiful park, we will be back at least another 4-5 times this year. (maybe more)

I enjoyed being here. I didn't stay for long to enjoy the park, which seems beautiful.

The check in process was annoying. If you don't have a reservation, you have to drive 10 minutes into camp to find your spot, then drive back to the entrance both to pick up a yellow phone which connects you with the reservation line. I asked them if there was just a phone number I could call and they said no. The phone had really had reception and kept cutting out, even though it appeared to be a hard line connection.

The showers were super warm.

Two bars of Verizon LTE at the entrance. Zero bars at the c loop site.

We camped here for two nights - one with no hookups and one night with electric and water. Both sites were nice - easy to get into. The park was very busy which surprised us as we expected it to be off-season but part of the park was closed off due to erosion issues. We had neighbors on both sides but they were quiet.

Lots of places to walk/hike or stroll on the beach. The signage for the hiking trail up to the Lewis & Clark Center was lacking but we found our way. There is no parking for RVs at the Center, even Class B.

Nice and clean flat tent sites with grass. Lots of wildlife had a visit from a family of raccoons and deer. Lovely views of the ocean.

Stayed here one night in September. No privacy between sites, but very clean and excellent bathhouse, at least near section A.

We fell asleep to the sounds of the ocean, then woke at sunrise to walk a hundred feet to the beach.

Would definitely come back.

We do an extended family camp every year at Cape Disappointment. We have some family that stays in a yurt and we typically get a site or two next to the yurt for our family and any extended family that join. The beach is easy to access, the campground is very bike friendly for little kids (both on the cul-du-sac like loop sand also within the woody areas behind many of the campsites. We've stayed in several different sites over the years and some are better than others but overall they are all above average.

This place is awesome. Our site in loop A was right by the beach. We could hear the waves from our site which was awesome. We had 2 tents on our site but it is made for a camper/trailer. Had electric and water. The bathrooms were amazing, all single rooms so you have so much privacy for bathroom/showers. Beaches were great, so many hiking and biking trails, lighthouses. Wish we would have had more time to explore. Will definitely be back!

Our site was not private and was small basically in a cul de sac. Some sites are in a more private and treed area and back up directly to the ocean - next time we will try to get one of those!

The campground is large and there is a lot of northwest beach scenery to check out if you want to bike around or take a short little drive within the campground. Bathrooms are nice, there’s a little store that has quite a bit of necessities/food/souvenirs.

But that’s also the downside - there are somewhere near 200 sites and they were all booked. It was FULL. No cell reception but water and power at the yurts and even heaters inside. We pulled a teardrop and camped it on the pad in front of the yurt.

Bring rain gear even when it’s not in the forecast and watch out for sand fleas - my legs are destroyed.

We love camping at Cape Disappointment! There are plenty of hiking trails and easy access to the beach. The campground is also close to Long Beach. Some sites are more private than others. We stayed in the C Loop. One side of the site was pretty private the other open. We camped with others so it was nice to be close to each other but in the trees. The group sites are in a field with limited shade.

Cape disappointment is beautiful and we'll maintained the rangers are helpful and curious I love this place and all of it's beauty

I was able to walk up and get a spot in mid-March. There are two areas- one by the lake, which has good enough cell service and is for tents, and another by the beach which has no cell service at all but full hookups. I stayed in the lake area and was the only person there that night.

The bathrooms in the lake area are okay- flush toilets and a free hot a shower. The shower is a push button though, which I found annoying since that made the temperature fluctuate a lot. By the beach area the bathrooms seemed much nicer.

The sites are beautiful and grassy, right on the lake. Basically no privacy between sites though. There are tons of great hikes in the area and the beaches are gorgeous and huge. I loved my stay here and would gladly come back.