fort columbia state park

Our family looks forward to every visit to Fort Columbia, and get there 3-4 times a year. We enjoy strolling around the coastal artillery and batteries, and the kids especially get a kick out of the old stockade (no trip is complete without a picture "behind bars.") The Fort also has a wonderful museum, manned by engaging and entertaining volunteer docents. Two fantastic houses (The Stewards House and Scarborough House) are available for rentals -- we have a family reunion in the works there in the not too distant future.

We took a trip as a company and stayed at the Scarborough House and it was an awesome, historical, peaceful weekend getaway! So much to see and do in the area; Hiking, site-seeing at the fort with much historia to get lost in, Columbia River views and short drives to beaches and fun towns to visit! I recommend for over night stays and day visits.

We took a drive through the park and viewed the restored barracks. They have done a marvelous job. There is a short loop road if you just want to get a quick look.

I did not know what to expect at this State park (yes I used my State Park pass) but it was stunning. From the historic barracks, to the old battery, I tried to imagine what it was like during times of war where our soldiers protected our Pacific Northwest territory. I also imagined the native people salmon fishing while they canoed around this massive river mouth to the Pacific Ocean. I think it would be fun to stay at the barracks sometime, as they rent these properties out on-line on the state park website. The prices for these rentals seemed reasonable. There were many hilly hiking trails that could be accessed from the main barracks area that made for a good workout. The views of the banks of the Columbia River out towards the ocean, from this vantage point, were excellent,.

We stopped to explore the old batteries..loved the feeling of this place .So much history and lots of rooms to explore..old and rusty ..I like that kind of thing..great photo ops too !

Our family has stayed at the Scarborough House at Fort Columbia for three summers. This 4-bedroom rental property is very affordable option for family reunions. The kids love exploring the historic house and playing in the wide open park grounds. The adults love the peaceful setting and the comfortable living space. Everything is provided -- sheets, blankets, towels, and kitchenware. We have fun "ghost-hunting" in the barracks and watching the sunset on the small beach. It is a short drive to Ilwaco, Long Beach, and Astoria. The Scarborough House can now be reserved on-line through the Washington State Park website as part of the Cape Disappointment vacation rentals. If you stay at the house, Discovery Passes are provided for parking.

If you're into WW2 history this is a good stop for you. It's set up well and gives you a good perspective on what it was like to serve in the area during World War two. It's pretty hilly, so be prepared for a bit of hiking. You can see the whole thing in 30-45 minutes and is right on the main road in/out of the penninsula so it's worth checking out if you have the time. If you miss it, don't sweat it, though.

Nice park. Take the time to explore it and learn about its history. It's in an incredible setting. Worth the time.

I read about the vacation homes at the park and thought they might be nice, and made a reservation for the Steward House. However, as I read more about the park, I saw it said that the visitor center and another visitor building were "closed indefinitely" or something to that effect. I was really dismayed as I didn't want to bring my out of state visitors to a place that was deserted and closed down. I called back within a couple hours to say I wanted to cancel, but they were resolute, and said it was too late. Too late? Hardly a few hours had elapsed! Were they put out in any way? Had they had to expend any energy? If they would have charged me a cancellation fee, I would not have minded. But they said once they took the reservation, it was a done deal. I thought that was harsh, especially since they had no services to show for the money I had to spend. So I had to go anyway, because otherwise I would have been out the night's lodging. As soon as I opened the door, my sister said "It smells like a museum!" And worse, there was no shower! The mirror in the bathroom was the size of a 4 by 6 card. The visitor reviews in the book in the house complained of ladybug infestations and ghosts so my sister had nightmares that night. Plus we were awakened by the clock radio blaring at 5 a.m. to a country music station. We also saw the ladybugs. Suffice it to say, we didn't like it. I can't see why anyone would go here. I sure wish I had never seen the listing. I think the worst, though, was the staff who took the reservation and took my calls to cancel.They were not helpful, not nice. What a waste of money to the state system they are.