Fort Canby at Cape Disappointment

Fort Canby is located within Cape Disappointment State Park, sitting at the mouth of the Columbia River. It is also part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.

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Three forts were built to defend the mouth of the Columbia River from enemy warships – Fort Canby and Fort Columbia in Washington, and Fort Stevens on the Oregon side of the river. The forts were manned from the mid-19th century until the end of WWII.

After being decommissioned, the forts were turned into State Parks.

Visiting the Fort

It is a short uphill hike to the fort. The old military buildings from WWII are still standing and are open to the public.

Fort Canby is located right where the Columbia River reaches the Pacific Ocean. There are a number of hikes with great views at Cape Disappointment.