Ecola State Park

Ecola State Park
Jan 3

We headed here for a photo-op around 2pm on a Sunday. There were about 2 dozen others park-goers, mostly families and other photographers. You get a gorgeous vista of the north side of Haystack Rock from the day use area of Ecola State Park and at $3 for day use, it is well within the Cheap Campers budget. This photo is from the Indian Beach trail. The trail head is located just off the grassy picnic area.

After the sun set at Ecola State Park (which closes at dusk) we drove further up Hwy 101 to Washington, in search of cheap camping. The weather was dry but foggy on the Washington State side. We eventually rolled into Cape Disappointment State Park around 7pm where we saw vacant campsites. We snagged a spot right next to the Benson Beach access, and we were treated to the sound of crashing waves for our duration. Luckily Phil and I are experts at setting up tents and starting campfires in the dark. We got settled in, fed the dogs and ate our dinner of leftover macaroni and cheese and PBJs before retiring to tent. Just in time as at about midnight the rain started and didn't let up all night. We got up at 6am and scooted outta the park before the rangers do their morning rounds, avoiding the $21 camping fee thusly. Hey, we said we were Cheap Campers, didn't we?

After a morning mocha for each of us we meandered further up the Washington coast. Our Garmin led us to the tip of the peninsula on which a wildlife refuge exists, in what we discovered is Leadbetter State Park. Signs leds us to a vista point of the ocean in the refuge, however, the Oysterville beach access a little further south on the mini-peninsula offered a more open view of the beach.

After a wonderful, 2 day, cheap camping trip we headed home.