Cape Disappointment lighthouses in spring: when North Head opens

When North Head Lighthouse opens for visitors at Cape Disappointment State Park, what it costs to climb, and how to plan a spring lighthouse day from Raymond WA, from official State Parks pages.

This page covers one thing: lighthouse season at Cape Disappointment. For the full park (trails, beaches, camping, and the North Jetty closure), see our Cape Disappointment State Park guide.

North Head Lighthouse: open May 1 to September 30

Washington State Parks lists North Head Lighthouse hours as daily, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 1 through September 30. It is closed October 1 through April 30. That makes early May the start of the season, not March or April. Source: WA State Parks — North Head Lighthouse.

• Climb fee: free for ages 7 to 17, $3 for ages 18 and older. Children under 7 may not climb.
• Footwear: appropriate shoes are required. No flip-flops or shoes without heel straps.
• Call ahead: State Parks says tours are run by volunteers and asks visitors to confirm hours before going. Contact details are on the official page.
• Parking: the North Head lot does not take RVs. A Discover Pass is required to park in the park.

The lighthouse is still an active aid to navigation. From the top, State Parks describes views of the Pacific, the Long Beach Peninsula, the Columbia River Bar, and the northern Oregon Coast.

Visiting before May?

You can still walk the grounds and take in the views in early spring. Cape Disappointment State Park is open 6:30 a.m. to dusk year-round. The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center sits on a 200-foot cliff inside the park, and State Parks runs a live camera at North Head Lighthouse you can check before driving down (WA State Parks — Cape Disappointment).

Plan the day from Raymond

Leave the morning open for the drive down the peninsula, aim to arrive in the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. window, and pair the visit with Fort Columbia or Ilwaco. Coastal parks have real surf hazards. State Parks advises against swimming in the ocean on the Long Beach Peninsula.

Why stay inland in Raymond

Hill Top Hideaway is an updated 3-bedroom vacation rental in Raymond, WA, operated by Hope and Grace LLC. It sleeps 6, has a full kitchen, a washer and dryer for wet gear, and plenty of room to park. After a long day on the bay or the beach, you come back to a whole house instead of a single room.

Sources

• https://discoverpass.wa.gov/
• https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/cape-disappointment-state-park
• https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/cape-disappointment-state-park/north-head-lighthouse-cape-disappointment

Last checked against official public sources on November 4, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles). Details change — always re-check the linked pages before you go.