After spending a few days in Aberdeen, Washington, it is time
to head south, towards Astoria Oregon. Following U.S.-101 I take a drive down
the coast past some beautiful sights. But before I see the Pacific, I stop in
the town of Raymond, Washington, to take a trip back in time.
Willapa Bay |
Raymond was originally a lumber mill town. It was built along
the banks of the Willapa River. Today, its growth industry seems to be
marijuana farming to supply the newly legal sales in the state. What brings me
to Raymond is the Northwest Carriage Museum. Opened in 2002, this museum is home
to over four dozen horse-drawn vehicles. Its collection includes work wagons,
every-day buggies and high-end carriages. The carriages have been restored to
mint condition and are displayed in a building that was built to house them, so
they are shown to full advantage.
Dress Landau |
Walking through the museum the first piece that really
catches my eye is the C-spring Dress Landau. This was considered the Cadillac
of its time. This beautiful vehicle required a driver and was pulled by a team
of two horses. Nearby is a Studebaker Stanhope. This was a buggy for an average
family. There are many other lovely pieces to look at, including several that
were used in movies before their retirement.
From the movie Stagecoach |
Studebaker |
They even have a surry with a fringe on the top |
Leaving Raymond, I continue south on U.S.-101. The road
passes through several inlets and nature reserves along the eastern coast of
Willapa Bay. At the southern end of the bay, the road turns to the west, and
enters the town of Long Beach. This is a resort community, occupying the
southern end of the Long Beach Peninsula, between the Willapa Bay and the
Pacific Ocean. I stop here for lunch, at the 42nd
Street Café and Bistro. They serve an excellent burger and salad.
Heading south I arrive at my main target of the day – Cape Disappointment State Park. Cape Disappointment is the
southwest corner of the state of Washington. It was named by British fur trader
John Meares. He was sailing south from Nootka Island, near what is today called
Vancouver Island, in 1788. His ship ran into a storm, and he turned around just
north of the cape, missing the mouth of the Columbia River. Four years later
George Vancouver sailed into the Columbia, the first European to do so.
Cape Disappointment State Park sits atop the hills and cliffs
that make up the southern end of the Long Beach Peninsula. Its almost 1900
acres provide hiking trails, camp-sites, yurts and even some special vacation
homes that are truly unique. I drive into the park and make my first stop at
Beard’s Hollow View Point. This overlook has great views of the pacific coast
along with interpretive maps pointing out key sights and even the locations of
off-shore shipwrecks.
The view from Beard's Hollow |
Light Keepers House |
Deadman's Cove |
My final stop is the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. Built in
1856, this light sits on a promontory that overlooks the mouth of the Columbia
River. Getting to this light is more difficult that to the North Head light. The
hike is about a 1.1-mile round trip, and involves a descent of almost 200 feet
along a winding trail to Deadman’s Cove, followed by a 230 ft rise up to the
lighthouse.
Since they happen within a half-a-mile the climbs are steep both
going and coming. The light itself has
had problems over the years. As noted earlier, it is not visible to ships
approaching from the north. Also, its foghorn was not audible to ships at sea,
so its use was discontinued.
The beauty of the southwest corner of Washington State is
well known to locals, but not well explored by those from other places. It is
beautiful, and should be on the bucket list for anyone who loves nature, the
ocean and hiking.
Getting There:
The Northwest Carriage Museum – From U.S. 101 in Raymond,
turn west onto Heath St. Heath becomes Alder St. The museum will be on the
left.
Cape Disappointment State Park – From U.S.-101 in the town of
Ilwaco WA, head west on North Head Road to enter the park.
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