Fort Columbia State Park near Raymond WA

A source-linked guide to Fort Columbia State Park — historic coastal-defense batteries, interpretive walks, forest trails, Columbia River shoreline, and vacation houses — with Hill Top Hideaway in Raymond as a quiet inland base.

Fort Columbia State Park is a Washington State Parks historical park on Chinook Point near Chinook, WA. State Parks calls it one of the most intact historic coastal defense sites in the U.S. Guests at Hill Top Hideaway in Raymond often pair it with a peninsula day that also includes Cape Disappointment State Park or Ilwaco. This page sticks to State Parks and NPS facts. Hours, fees, and seasonal building openings change — re-check the linked park pages before you go.

What the fort is known for

State Parks highlights gun batteries open for exploration, interpretive panels with historic photos and blueprints, bird watching, forested hiking trails, and secluded beaches along the Columbia River. The park brochure describes original U.S. Army Coastal Artillery fort buildings and batteries active from 1896 to 1947, built as harbor defenses of the Columbia River on the Chinook Point promontory; the fort transferred to Washington State custody in 1950 and became a state park. Twelve historic wood-frame buildings and four coastal defense batteries still stand. Sources: WA State Parks — Fort Columbia · park brochure PDF linked from that page · NPS — Fort Columbia Historical State Park.

Interpretive walk, center, and Commanding Officer’s House

The park offers a self-guided interpretive historic walk covering fort features and site history. The Interpretive Center focuses on Fort Columbia’s history, including early exploration, fur trade, and westward settlement. The Commanding Officer’s Historic House is furnished to the era and interprets the history of former house occupants. State Parks publishes seasonal open hours for both buildings on the park page (recently listed as Thursday–Sunday, June 1–August 31) — confirm the day you go. Fires are not permitted at any time; wildlife, plants, and park structures are protected.

Trails, shoreline, and day use

The State Parks brochure describes about 2.2 miles of hiking trails on a wooded hillside with Columbia River estuary views, plus about 6,400 feet of Columbia River shoreline with sheltered coves for beach exploration. Named trail segments on the brochure map include Scarborough Trail, Canyon Creek Trail, and Military Road Trail — download the current brochure and maps from the park page before you go. Unsheltered picnic tables are first-come, first-served. Published day-use hours appear on the park page (summer and winter schedules differ) — confirm before you arrive. A Discover Pass is required for parking in state park lots. Dogs are allowed on leash; horses are not allowed.

Vacation houses

Fort Columbia features two historic vacation houses for overnight stays. State Parks’ vacation-houses page describes Steward’s House (up to four guests) and Scarborough House (up to twelve guests), with kitchens, linens, and Wi‑Fi; pets are not allowed in the vacation houses, and smoking is not allowed inside. Reserve through State Parks’ reservation system and read current check-in rules and fees on the official pages rather than relying on a blog summary. Source: Fort Columbia Vacation Houses.

Practical visit tips

• Pair with Cape Disappointment: State Parks lists Cape Disappointment as a nearby park; use our deeper Cape Disappointment guide for the Interpretive Center and North Head Lighthouse rather than repeating those details here.
• Burn rules: The park page posts current burn status (fires not permitted at Fort Columbia when checked) — verify alerts before you go.
• Park camera: State Parks offers a live park camera view of the Columbia River from the fort page.
• Chinook Point context: NPS notes Chinook Point’s longer Indigenous and expedition history alongside the early-20th-century fort story — read the NPS place page for that framing.

Stay in Raymond, day-trip the fort

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 and day-trip to Fort Columbia with stops in Ilwaco or along the Discovery Trail.

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