After a Memorial Day weekend spent backpacking with sideways snow and partially frozen lakes in the Southern Cascades, warmer weather and sunshine were in order. So I took the lady and pup to Cape Disappointment State Park for the weekend. Don’t let Lewis and Clark’s name for this place fool you—it’s a lovely spot and one of the few places along the WA-state coastline where dogs are welcome. There are ample campsites, too; we made reservations online and our spot was waiting for us.

Left the city Friday after rush hour knowing we’d be setting up camp in the dark. Many others seemed to be on the same track. After our tent was pitched, we took a short stroll along the beach. The stars overhead and ever-vigilant lighthouse rays illuminated the shore.

The next day, a yummy Dutch oven breakfast provided fuel for an adventure-filled trek to the Cape Disappointment North Head Lighthouse. While you can drive to the lighthouse, our legs were aching for some hiking. We left our campsite and headed south via the state park roadway, caught up with the Discovery Trail and headed north. The warning signs are correct; this portion of the trail is indeed muddy. That said, we were in beach-bum attire and had no trouble squishing our way through the sodden trail in our Chaco sandals. These lush lowland marshes are dense with vegetation and the pungent aroma of seawater. Bugs were not too bad, although in a couple of spots it’s best to keep moving.

Beyond the sea-level estuaries, the trail quickly tacks up slope. Near the crest of the trail, there is an impressive wooden elevated trail and staircase system that protects a small confluence along the ridge tops. The water runs clear and ferns, protected from hikers’ tracks, are able to flourish. Kudos to the team that built this structure.

To my surprise, this short jaunt offered considerable solitude—along the trail itself, anyway. We only encountered one other hiking party (headed southbound from the lighthouse). After climbing a few hundred feet, soon we were atop the coastal bluffs. Venturing out of the tree line, our Seattle skin was soon sun-kissed.

The wind-battered bluff’s peekaboo views reveal a spectacular view of the coastline looking southward. As for the main attraction, there were plenty of folks who’d arrived at the lighthouse via their autos, but they didn’t detract from the beauty of the lighthouse itself or the panoramic views surrounding its perch.

Rather than retracing our steps through the muck of the lowland marshes, we headed back via a small way/game trail just south of the lighthouse that conveniently cuts back down to the campsites. The route is steep, but in good condition and with just a couple of blow-downs to hurdle.

Back at camp, we relaxed in our hammock and then played Frisbee on the beach with the pup. Later in the day, we went out to the dunes and gawked at the mouth of the mighty Columbia River. It was very, very windy and I’m quite certain I’ll be picking out sand from places I didn’t know I had for a while. All in all, it was an awesome weekend on the coast.