Cape Disappointment - Bell's View
- hopalonghiker
- Oct 6, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 19, 2019
Accessible Trail: Yes (paved asphalt)
Mileage: 0.25 miles one-way (0.5 miles round trip)
Bell's View in Cape Disappointment was the first piece of land purchased by the State of Washington for what would eventually become Cape Disappointment State Park. As you walk along the paved pathway through the tall trees and along the ocean, you can immediately see why the area was acquired and designated as public land by the state: it's stunning beauty is unparalleled.
Before its acquisition by the State of Washington, the area was home to many different government agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers and the Civilian Conservation Corps. Evidence of the area's past lives can be seen along the pathway; ruins of former gun turrets and weather stations still stand.
The trail begins at the end of North Head Road, with an interpretive sign marking the trailhead at the North end of the parking lot. Follow the paved pathway into the lush green forest. Ferns flank the pathway, so much so that they even grow in the branches of the trees. A water tower will soon appear on your right, followed quickly by concrete ruins reminding you that this area was once home to active servicemen. The views out from these ruins are great, but the best is yet to come.
The paved pathway continues through the forest and you'll quickly come to a boardwalk footbridge with a wooden guardrail. Continue over the bridge, on to the boardwalk, out to the platform and ending at the namesake of the trail: Bell's View. Bell's View looks North to Long Beach, where you can see the powerful waves of the Pacific roll on to the sandy beach. It's easy to see why Thomas H. Bell, for whom the overlook is named, fought so hard to provide public access to this scenic location. After you're finished admiring this beautiful view, head back from the platform on to the paved pathway through the forest.
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