North Head Lighthouse

The North Head lighthouse provides a beacon for the northern approaches to the Columbia River Bar. Although the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is very close, mariners coming from the north complained they couldn't see the light until they were too close. So in 1898, this second lighthouse was completed. Access is just a short 1/4 mile trail from the parking lot to the lighthouse. There is also a 1.8 mile trail route that meanders through a Sitka spruce forest and headland meadows with vistas of the Pacific Ocean and Benson Beach. This hike gains 200 feet in elevation to the North Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse is open to visitors from May to September for a small fee.

Washington State Parks