Discovery Trail Long Beach Peninsula near Raymond WA

A source-linked guide to the Discovery Trail — an about 8.5-mile hiking and biking route from the Port of Ilwaco toward Long Beach, with art, interpretive panels, and Cape Disappointment connections — with Hill Top Hideaway in Raymond as a quiet inland base.

Pacific County tourism’s Evergreen Coast site describes the Discovery Trail as an about 8.5-mile hiking and biking trail named for the Corps of Discovery. Most of the trail is paved, with multiple access points. Guests at Hill Top Hideaway in Raymond often ride or walk a segment as part of an Ilwaco or Long Beach day. This page goes deeper on trail route and art landmarks; park rules inside Cape Disappointment belong on our Cape Disappointment guide.

Route overview

Evergreen Coast says the trail begins at the Port of Ilwaco, where a brass sculpture of a California Condor commemorates a William Clark journal note about a “buzzard of a large kind.” The path continues along the port waterfront (fishing boats in Baker Bay), climbs toward Cape Disappointment State Park with detours toward North Head Lighthouse and Beard’s Hollow, then continues through Sitka spruce, coastal forest, transitional wetlands, and dunes. Gray whale carvings are noted near the Sid Snyder Beach Approach; the Long Beach Boardwalk offers a dune-top side step; a basalt monolith and statue of Clark with a sturgeon are described near the Bolstad Beach Approach. The trail is described as ending behind the Breakers in Long Beach with a bronze replica of the tree Clark carved initials into. Source: Evergreen Coast — Discovery Trail.

Access, maps, and who it suits

Multiple access points make out-and-back segments practical if you are not riding the full 8.5 miles. Evergreen Coast notes you can download a map or pick one up at the Visitors Bureau in Seaview. The Port of Ilwaco About page also notes that the Lewis and Clark Discovery Trail is part of the waterfront walkway. City of Long Beach materials and our Long Beach guide cover boardwalk context where the trail meets town. Use a current map app for turn-by-turn planning — we do not invent segment mileages beyond the tourism bureau’s full-route figure.

Cape Disappointment connection

When the trail enters Cape Disappointment State Park, Discover Pass rules, beach-hazard guidance, lighthouse climb seasons, and trail names inside the park are covered on the Cape Disappointment State Park page and on parks.wa.gov. Do not assume every roadside pullout is free parking inside the park boundary.

Practical visit tips

• Surface: Most of the trail is paved per Evergreen Coast; expect hills near the cape and exposure to wind on dune sections.
• Shared use: Hikers, runners, and cyclists share the corridor — yield courteously.
• Weather: Peninsula rain and wind are common; our rainy-day Raymond guide covers indoor backups if you scrub an exposed ride.
• Related pages: Ilwaco (port start) · Long Beach (boardwalk end) · Cape Disappointment.

Stay in Raymond, ride or walk a segment

Hill Top Hideaway is an updated vacation rental operated by Hope and Grace LLC in Raymond, WA: three bedrooms, sleeps six, about a five-minute walk to the Willapa Hills Trail. Many guests use Raymond as a quieter inland base, day-trip a Discovery Trail segment from Ilwaco or Long Beach, and return inland for the evening.

Last checked against official public sources on November 2, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles). Details change — always re-check the linked pages before you go.