Benson Beach

The most southern and best beach of the entire Long Beach Peninsula, mainly because this is a motor-free beach, two mile long Benson Beach is a beauty. At the north end is the North Head Lighthouse, making for one perfect bookend. The other direction is bookmarked by the North Jetty, sticking far out into the Pacific. Just inland is the Cape Disappointment campground so you can easily stroll out of camp to the beach and back.
There are several parking lots in the campground where non-campers can access the beach. A great place to explore is at the north end where the North Head cliffs hit the beach. Find trails that work into the old sea-stacks where you will find interesting rock formations and even caves. Before the jetty was built causing the sands to form new land, the beach was much further back. It's kind of strange walking through small trees where the ocean was crashing there just over 100 years before. At the other end, walk the jetty as far as you dare, the further you get out, the more dangerous it becomes. The North Jetty Road will get you right to the beach section with the Jetty.

Home

On February 20, 1920, the American steamer the Admiral Benson grounded on Peacock Spit in the fog and broke up after several days of wind. The wreck today still snags fishing lines off the coast of today's Benson Beach.

History

Cape Disappointment

Long Beach

North Head Lighouse

Benson Beach Campground Access Points from here to the end

North end point for Benson Beach

Cove at the north end of Benson Beach

Old sea cliffs of Benson Beach

Caves of Benson Beach

Evidence of high tide at one point

Looking south at Benson Beach from a sea stack

Interesting Rock

Benson Beach from the North Jetty (southern part of beach)

Looking at Cape Disappointment from the North Jetty

Campground

Playing on the sandy side of the North Jetty

Walking the North Jetty