Fort Canby State Park is located in Pacific County 2.5 miles southwest of Ilwaco off Highway 101.

Acreage

Fort Canby totals 1,881.93 acres with 42,600 feet of saltwater shorelines (includes 40 acre Lake O'Neil with approximately 7,000 feet of freshwater shoreline acreage).

Acquired

Fort Canby State Park was acquired primarily from the Federal Government in 13 parcels; the first in 1938 and the last in 1983.

Historical Background

Construction of Fort Canby began in July 1863. Initial gun emplacements do not remain. Batteries presently in the park were constructed in the late 1890s and again during the early years of World War II. The mouth of the Columbia River is known as the "Graveyard of the Pacific". Pillow lava headlands of North Head and Cape Disappointment are excellent examples of natural lava formation. Continual accretion of the sand dunes provide living examples of coastal shoreline dynamics. A visitor center at Fort Canby commemorates Lewis and Clark reaching their principle objective, the Pacific Ocean. In response to legislative direction, the Commission, in cooperation with the Department of Highways, has established highway markers, at approximately ten mile intervals, to indicate the Lewis and Clark Expedition route from its entrance into the state at the Snake River to its western end at Fort Canby. The U.S. Army named the fort in honor of General Canby, who, while negotiating a peace agreement with the Modoc in northern California and southern Oregon, was ambushed. The Cape Disappointment area has been declared a National Historic District.

Facilities

Fort Canby: 190 standard campsites, 60 utility sites, 4 primitive sites, 8 comfort stations, 3 vault toilets, 2 boat launch ramps, 50 picnic sites, Interpretive Center, and 4 miles of hiking trail. The Commission has a concession agreement with Fred and Marilyn Petersen for the sale of groceries and fishing gear. This agreement expires December 31, 1997.

Activities

Camping, picnicking, beachcombing, surf, jetty and lake fishing, heritage site visitation, hiking, clamming and boating.

Courtesy of Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission