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Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Ft. Canby) Review

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Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Ft. Canby)

Address: Robert Gray Dr., 2½ mi southwest of Ilwaco off U.S. 101, Ilwaco, WA
Phone: 360/642-3029; 360/642-3078
www.parks.wa.gov

Category: Parks
Location: Ilwaco

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Fodor's Review:

The 1,700-acre Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Ft. Canby) was an active military installation until 1957. Emplacements for the guns that once guarded the Columbia's mouth remain, some of them hidden by dense vegetation. Trails lead to stunning beaches. Be on the lookout for deer eagles on the cliffs. All of the park's 240 campsites have stoves and tables; some have water, sewer, and electric hookups. The park also has three lightkeepers' residences (houses) available for rent, as well as 14 yurts and three cabins.

Exhibits at the park's Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center tell the tale of the duo's 8,000-mi round-trip expedition. Displays include artwork, journal entries, and other items that elaborate on the Corps of Discovery, which left Wood River, Illinois, in 1803; arrived at Cape Disappointment in 1805; and got back to Illinois in 1807.

Cost: Interpretive center $5, park admission free, campsites $19-$31
Open: Park: daily dawn-dusk. Interpretive center: daily 10-5

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