Coastal Washington

Cape Disappointment State Park - Washington


Our allotted time in Oregon came to a close and we headed out once again. Leaving Fort Stevens State Park behind, we briefly headed East to Astoria and then crossed the Columbia River via the Astoria-Megler Bridge spanning the 4 miles. The Astoria side is very high off the water to allow the Ocean going freighters to pass beneath it, whle the Northern half is just off the water surface!

it is quite the climb to get on the bridge on the Astoria side!

On the other side and 30 minutes West stood our next destination the harbor town of Ilwaco and  - Cape Disappointment State Park. This location is directly across the Columbia River from our previous site - Fort Stevens State Park, is home to not only a great beach, nice camp sites, a Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and ....two lighthouses! This is a very, very rugged coast, and in fact, the ship bringing the materials to build the first lighthouse sank in rough surf within view of the lighthouse site back in the 1850's. The US Coast Guard maintains a rescue station there with personnel in an observation bunker just in front of the lighthouse. We checked in, drove to our site and setup. Just 100 yds away is the beach and we headed over there to check things out. For views, you have the surf, the large pieces of driftwood and to the North - North Head Light House - the 2nd light placed in the immediate area (ships coming from the North couldn't see the Cape Disappointment light due to the bluffs) This lighthouse was just recently restored and is now open to visitors. We would visit there later on, but for now, while the weather was holding, we decided to drive over to the interpretive center and lighthouse there. The center costs $5 and offers a walk through timeline of Lewis and Clark's journey which brought them to the Pacific Ocean where this park now is located! (they then voted to move South to where they built Fort Clatsop as mentioned in the previous post. That vote included a women Sacagawea and a slave - York)

Our site at CDSP - some have a limited Ocean view!

located within Cape Disappointment SP - very nice

models of the different watercraft Lewis and Clark used

dugout canoes like  Lewis and Clark made, other items they used as well

After checking out the interpretive center, we hiked on to the tip of Cape Disappointment, past the  Coast Guard Rescue station and up to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and Coast Guard Observation station. On the way you pass through the forest and beside a neat cove. The  high cliffs providing a dramatic view of the Pacific and Columbia River Bar.

cove on way to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

forests abound with large fir trees

storm battered 1856 Cape Disappointment Lighthouse - Coast Guard site to right

Each day we walked over to and then along the beach. The size of the driftwood is amazing! Off to the North, ahe North Head Lighthouse is visible and we could see fishing boats and the occasional ocean going freighters coming out of the Columbia River. Several times there were people panning for gold with a battery powered pump washing the sand away. The one prospector told me that this beach is one of the best on the coast for finding gold. A 40 hour week might net you (might being the operative word) an ounce of gold flour/dust!That certainly pays for your campsite.

watching gold prospecting - one way to pass the time

1898 North Head Lighthouse - just restored and open to visit

one of several enjoyable sunsets while at Cape Disappointment SP

On our second day there , we drove to the North end of the peninsula, past several small towns. Interesting to see how much open land there is between towns, houses etc compared to much of the East Coast. On the way back, we stopped at a roadside stand for a sandwich and a latte. Both were pretty good, in fact, we drove back the next day and Cindy got a Mango Smoothee and I got a Fluffy Bunny Latte!!

straight black coffee?? - NO! a Fluffy Bunny!

To get the Oregon portion of the BLOG published, we needed a more robust internet connection. The small towns near the State Park did not offer that so we made a short drive back over to Astoria and to the Public Library there. By the time we were done, it was lunchtime. Cindy searched the net for good seafood in the area and found a local Fish and Chips stand, Bowpickers. We drove over there and it was fabulous!! ( I don't eat fish very often) They use locally caught Albacoe Tuna and cook each order as it is received. Very, very good stuff. ( if you would ask me my worst meal as a child I would respond - Tuna ala King) but this tuna was great!

Bowpicker's Fish and Chips Astoria - stop there if you can!

While in the area, we kept passing firewood for sale, you often see the small bundles sitting by the roadside near State Parks. A nights worth for $5-10. This was different in the display method. See below. Firewood Kabob?

only place I have seen wood stacked like this

Cape Disappointment is well worth visiting for the  beauty and the Lewis and Clark connection. I would think 3 days would do it justice. The Coast line and Lighthouses are beautiful.

Next we drove just two hours up the coast for a brief stay at Grayland Beach State Park. No real reason other than it is on the Ocean and was getting us towards our next destination. The drive was uneventful, We stopped for gas and groceries before going in to the park. The park is very nice. Great sites that are well maintained. The beach is a bit of a walk even though the dunes are right next to the campsites.

Grayland beach - very broad and flat

some things need no further explanation

Sand Dollars - there were lots of them

We setup camp , checked out the beach and later on drove up to check out the next town, Westport. While there, we stopped for dinner at Blackbeard's Brewing Co. Very nice , pizza and salads but good and a good amber beer!

nice place for a bite and a beer - Blackbeards Brewing

As stated above, Grayland was a stop over on the road to elsewhere, but a very nice State Park. 2 days in the area would suffice if there are other things you wish to see. I did take the time to get an oil change in the Jeep and pick up dog food at Tractor Supply in nearby Aberdeen.

Grayland Site 88, nice and secluded

one of many murals in Aberdeen WA

We had one more coastal location planned courtesy of a volunteer at a Oregon lighthouse that Cindy spoke with - on the Quileute Reservation at La Push - Quileute Oceanside Resort. The area is extremely pristine offers some RV sites right on the ocean with fabulous views. The small town of La Push is featured in the Twilight TV series. There is a marina, a nice restaurant  - the Rivers Edge, a general store and a full service campsites. This is a very small tribe that has inhabited the area for thousands of years. They do a great job!! Our first night there, we were invited to the local school to watch a traditional drum and dance performance. Outstanding!! the mood created by all ages was captivating. Their voices and dedication to preserving traditions was most memorable.

Oceanfront sites at Quileute Oceanside Resort

beach directly in front of our RV!

James Island at La Push - Pacific Ocean here!

We had 5 days to explore the area and so we headed out to see what we could. This is Olympic National Park area and our one neighbor in the campground said to be sure we went to Cape Flattery. The trip was less than 2 hours and took us through lush green mountains and along the coast of the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The Cape is on Makah Tribe land, and they have created a cool, dare I say whimsical, trail to reach the Northwest tip of the continental US.

drive to Cape Flattery - Strait of Juan de Fuca and Canada to the right

boardwalk trail out to the point! Whimsical

25 yds from the tip of the continental US - Cape Flattery

the very tip of the US - Cape Flattery

The next day we continued our sightseeing with a drive to Sol Duc Hot Springs and then on to Hurricane Ridge both in Olympic National Park but very different as seen below. We took the plunge at the hot springs, grabbed a bite to eat at the café (elk burger was delicious) and drove along beautiful Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent - blue and beautiful

to Hurricane ridge and 8 ft of snow!

Olympic Mountains from Hurricane Ridge

Ferry to Vancouver BC

NO trip to the Olympic Peninsula is complete without visiting the Hoh Rainforest. We had been there back in 2000, but a return visit was only 45 minutes from our campsite. Several easy hiking trails are available, with modest elevation changes that take you through a forest that receives 12 FT (that's feet) of rain annually!! The Hoh River alongside the trails and the drive into the Visitor's Center reminds one of the rivers in Alaska from the trees to the milky water coming from glacier melt and containing "Rock Flour".

Cindy on trail at Hoh Rainforest

12 ft of rain keeps things lush

trees can become encased in moss

my rain gauge at home is somewhat smaller

Hoh river reminded us of Alaska

Cindy on Rialto Beach - note driftwood log size!!

Good Night La Push!

This was an unplanned destination, although we were planning on staying in the  general area. With the beach views and access to so many sights in the Olympic Park, we would return for another 4-5 day stay.

We're heading out again soon and will be off grid for a period. The next posting will be in a few weeks.

til then - take care!

Cooper and CJ

Fort Stevens - Oregon

Fort Stevens State Park - Oregon

One of the many tools we have utilized in planning and then replanning this journey has been the National Geographic Guide to State Parks of the United States. Cindy’s sister Colleen had loaned us her copy and we quickly realized we should have a copy for ourselves. This book calls out the top three or four State Parks in each of the 50 states (in their opinion). We will have visited 16 by the end of this trip. Currently we are enjoying our third recommended park in Oregon - Fort Stevens State Park.   Located on the tip of the state, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, FSSP was a US Army Coastal Artillery site from the Civil War until the end of WWII. It is most famous as having been shelled by a Japanese Submarine in mid 1942!!,

However, before getting to Fort Stevens, using one of the other planning tools Cindy monitors, one of the full time RV bloggers - LoveYour RV, reported that just last week they had stopped outside of Portland at Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville. For you aviation buffs, this is an excellent state of the art Air Museum on par with the one in Tucson or even the Smithsonian, if on a smaller scale. There are Military and Civilian Aircraft from the beginning , WWI, WWII Korean War and Viet Nam and.... it has The Spruce Goose!!

the one and only - Spruce Goose!!

interior of Spruce Goose - built to haul 750 troops!!

We continued on towards the tip of Oregon and a few hours later we arrived at Fort Stevens State Park. Immediately upon checking in, I spotted a newsletter about the local Crab and Wine Festival happening that weekend!! I love Crab! They even run a shuttle from the State Park over to the festival and back for $3 each. With that info, our Saturday morning was booked! However, there was more to see and do in the interim. We set up our site (the only one available when I had booked while at Silver Falls) grabbed Cooper and CJ and headed off to see the Park while it wasn't raining (the next few days were forecasted to be rainy).

Campground was booked full!! we were lucky to get in on Crab Feast Weekend!!

We went to the tip of the Park, where the  Columbia River meets the  Pacific Ocean. Here we climbed the wooden observation tower, checked out the jetty (built over 100 years ago by the Army Corps of Engineers to protect the mouth of the river) and looked at the most dangerous river entrance on the planet! Over 2000 ships of all sizes have been lost trying to navigate the mouth of the Columbia. Today, a commercial ship must wait for a certified Pilot to get them across the bar!! The US Coast Guard is there to assist at all times. Across the Columbia, we can easily see the Southern most tip of Washington - Cape Disappointment and its' lighthouse.

jetty reaches out for over 1/2 mile

!

Washington State in the background - mouth of the Columbia River

After this quick drive around FSSP, we returned to our RV and the now very full campground. Crab Fest was going into full swing and people were out socializing with their fellow campers. Apparently you must have to book this park 9 months or so in advance to get in on Crab Fest weekend! Cooper and CJ had lots of dogs to meet and greet.

large Owl in center of photo - kept flying down trail ahead of us -Great Horned??

Friday morning, no rain but overcast, we headed out. First we drove over near the tip and took Cooper and CJ on a hike through the woods. A large owl kept flying ahead of us for several minutes. Cindy was able to approach close enough ot get a decent picture or it before it flew into the woods and out of sight. Eventually the mosquitoes won and we retreated to the Jeep. (time to again carry the OFF)

Then we continued on to the actual Fort Stevens. Built during the Civil War and occupied until the end of WWII. many foundations and gun emplacements remain. There is also a small museum and tours are available.

concrete gun emplacements of "disappearing guns

Disappearing Gun replica- locally made!!

Battery 245  - US Navy type guns

After visiting the museum, we continued on to Astoria, about 10 miles away and checked out the town. Built on the hill overlooking the Columbia River, it is known for its fisheries. We had lunch on the docks and then spent a few hours touring the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Most Excellent!!

Astoria - built on the hill above the Columbia River

USCG Cutter, ships at anchor in background

USCG Rescue boat- designed to right itself!

Lightship Columbia - used to be stationed off mouth of the Columbia River

River Pilot Cindy

This concluded our day in Astoria and half an hour later we were all back at FSSP. Again, there were numerous gatherings and several campers returning from Crab Fest. Our turn was coming the following morning. The first shuttle was scheduled for 9:30, leaving from a station just 150 yds from our campsite. We got there by 9:15 and a dozen people were already there ahead of us! By the time the bus arrived, there were enough going (this being the 1st trip of many throughout the day) that is was standing room only. Since the bus was full, we passed by all the other stops and got to the  Fairgrounds in about 15 minutes. Previous years attendees wore crab hats and wine glass holder lanyards!

not an actual crab

half crab dinner from Astoria Rotary Club

wooden mallet and board provided to access dinner!

After paying our admission fee of $15 ea, we were in the exhibit halls and checking out the various vendors.  We made our first purchase, an appropriate choice, of Bloody Marys from a local distiller. Most tasty and quite spicy. We decided a 2nd would go nicely when we got to our Crab platter lunch. Cindy purchased a few small items, including a new wallet made from an old post card. We bought a small bag of dark chocolate toffee and headed to the bus stop to return to camp.

Cooper and CJ were glad to see us as usual, and after a walk, we were all loaded in the Jeep to go visit Fort Clatsop at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park located about 5 miles away.  This is the site where they spent the Winter of 1805 - 1806 in the small log fort they built and named Fort Clatsop. Again a very nice visitor center, small museum and a reconstruction of the fort from William Clark's drawing and description in his journal. Great to be at these locations with so much history!

Finally at the Pacific, Lewis and Clark spent the Winter here

Fort Clatsop replica  - built to William Clark's description

Trying to take in everything in the area, we wrapped up the day by going over to the beach and viewing the remains of the shipwrecked Peter Iredale. Enough left to be interesting  and amazing to see how the steel frame rusted away.

Peter Iredale wrecked in 1906

Cindy's friend Sandy was staying at nearby Manzanita and she came up for the afternoon on Sunday. We chatted a while, then drove around the Park, taking in the major sites, including a small herd of Elk,  before returning for some wine, cheese and crackers. The campground had really emptied out and we were down to about 25% of the sites occupied by this time. A quiet evening was on tap.

Roosevelt Elk near beach in FSSP

Our last full day in the area found us driving South along the coast on US101. First stop was at a café suggested by Sandy - Lazy Susan's , for breakfast in Cannon Beach. Breakfast was great and we highly advise a stop there if you are visiting the area. Cannon Beach is a well known tourist town, famous for the large rocks protruding from the  beach and the quaint shops.

Gingerbread Waffle at Lazy Susan's - yummy!

After breakfast, we parked across the street to grab some fast WiFi outside the town Library, then on down the coast a few more miles to Manzanita. Sandy had taken a room for a few days right on the beach and we met her and went on the beach with Cooper and CJ. Both dogs started out off leash, but CJ got over zealous and after a bit of a trial getting him to return, he was back on leash to avoid following his nose out of sight again! We grabbed a bite to eat at the Pub up the street and then said our goodbyes. 

beautiful coast at Manzanita

This area is worth visiting. You may want to consider one of the Oregon State Parks a bit South of Ft Stevens  or say at Fort Stevens SP. All in all, 4 nights in the area would probably be sufficient.

that wraps things up for now. We'll be in touch in a few days.

until then  take care!

Cooper and CJ