New Beards Hollow Ocean Overlook opens near Ilwaco

The new Beards Hollow Ocean Overlook on State Route 100 near Ilwaco and Cape Disappointment State Park, was officially dedicated May 26.

The event also will marked the official opening of the recently-paved Ilwaco section of the Discovery Trail and the construction of a multi-use trail from the Beards Hollow parking lot to North Head Road along SR 100 Loop.

North Head road leads to the North Head Lighthouse in Cape Disappointment State Park, and the overlook is north of Beards Hollow. The three features together create an accessible scenic corridor for the area.

The $2.3 million project was completed by the city of Ilwaco and Washington State Parks, using a combination of four federal grants, including money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Recreation and Conservation Office, funds from Pacific County, and in-kind private contributions.

The project had been in planning for several years, with construction beginning in fall of 2009.