Top of a lighthouse seen behind a mossy ridgeline

Cape Disappointment Temporary Camping Closure

Project summary

Cape Disappointment camping — including loops A, B, C and D, Waikiki Beach and the North Jetty are scheduled to close mid-September 2025 through spring 2026 while we complete renovations and repairs to improve the park. The boat launch will also experience intermittent closures. Cape Disappointment is one of the most visited state parks in Washington. This project focuses on improving the park’s infrastructure through renovations to its entrance, roads and trails.

Improvements include:

  • A culvert replacement on campground access road
  • Work on the park's entrance road that will improve traffic flow at the park entrance
  • A new Welcome Center
  • Increased hiking opportunities with new trail in the Three Waters Trail system
  • Restored wetland and habitat protection for wildlife

Closure areas 

  • The entire campground is closed.
  • Waikiki Beach and the North Jetty will close later this month.
  • The boat launch will close intermittently throughout construction.  

This is a large project with work occurring in several areas of the park. Visitors are advised to call the park office at (360) 642-3078 and check park alerts frequently for the latest updates and information. 

State Parks anticipates the closure will extend into late spring/early summer. The closure timeline will depend on how the work progresses over winter and into the spring. 

For your safety and for the safety of our staff and contractors, please avoid closed areas and construction zones.  

Areas still open for day use

Parts of the park will remain open for day use, including:

  • The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center
  • North Head Lighthouse
  • Beard’s Hollow

The lightkeepers’ residences at Cape Disappointment and vacation homes at neighboring Fort Columbia will remain open for overnight stays.

Long-term benefits of this work:

  • New park entrance will improve flow of traffic
  • Campground road will be safer, especially for RVs and camp trailers
  • New trail will provide more hiking opportunities
  • Restored wetland improves park aesthetics and protects habitat for birds and animals that live there – meaning more birding and wildlife viewing for visitors

While State Parks is tasked with the maintenance and upkeep of the lands entrusted to us, including conservation of natural resources and recreation access, we recognize these closures impact the local communities our parks are a part of. As the project progresses, we will look for opportunities to increase access to the park when and where we can.