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 beach-combing, ship watching and exploring the area's rich natural and cultural history. The park is one of several state parks and sites in Washington and Oregon that make up the Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks. The nearby coastal towns of Ilwaco and Long Beach feature special events and festivals spring through fall.
This state park offers breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River, North Head Lighthouse and Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. The park has old-growth forest, lakes, freshwater and saltwater marshes, as well as streams and tidelands along the ocean. Wildlife is abundant, and includes deer, bear, ducks, eagles, coyote, and owls, to name a few. The ocean helps support coastal sea life like clams, crabs, seals, sea birds and shrimp. Gray whale watching is a popular winter activity from the bluffs in the park. The gray whale starts its migration from the Bering Sea in October, arriving in warmer southern waters in late December/early January.
Cape Disappointment is no slouch in the history department. 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 smooth-bore 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. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is a great place to enhance your understanding of a pivital event in the history of Washington State.
This cache is located on McKenzie Head, near where Captain Clark and eleven men camped on November 18, 1805. Park at the given coords and walk a quarter mile to the top on a nice trail. The views along the way and at the top are wonderful, and the remains of various military structures can easily be found. You're looking for a plus-sized small "Dry Box" (We'll see how that works!) type container, dark green and black in color. (Remember, a well-equipped cacher always carries a writing instrument!)
Park hours:
The park is open year-round for camping, and day use 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
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- This geocache has an approved Permit to be placed at this location on property managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Visitors are responsible for acquainting themselves with policies and rules pertaining to State Parks areas.
- The following items may not be placed in the geocache: food, illegal substances, medications, personal hygiene products, pornographic materials, hazardous materials, or weapons of any type.
- By searching for the cache, visitors agree that they are responsible for their own actions, and acknowledge that neither the State of Washington nor the cache owner is responsible for any loss or injury that may occur in relation to such search.
- Report any incident, problem, or violation to State Parks staff.
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