Cape Disappointment Storms

About this spectacle

Cape Disappointment sits at the volatile mouth of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean, one of the most hazardous river bars in the world. During storm season, visitors witness towering waves crashing against the rocky headland, sea spray erupting high into the air, and dark rolling clouds pressing in from the west. The twin lighthouses stand sentinel against howling winds while the churning brown-green river water collides spectacularly with grey ocean swells. The roar of the surf is near-constant, and the wind can make standing upright a challenge. Storm-watchers gather on the bluffs and at the interpretive center to watch the raw fury of Pacific weather systems make landfall. The landscape is dramatically moody — fog banks, sudden rain squalls, and breaks of pale winter light all within the same afternoon. It is elemental, windswept, and unforgettable.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Nov — Feb

Getting there

Nearest airport: PDX. Nearest city: Astoria.

Booking options

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