Westport Light State Park

The bar where Grays Harbor meets the Pacific was one of the more dangerous stretches of the Washington coast, and by the late 1800s the growing timber ports inside the harbor demanded a proper light. Construction began in 1897, and the Grays Harbor Lighthouse, often called the Westport Lighthouse, was first lit on the last day of June in 1898.

It was designed by Carl Leick, the prolific architect behind many of the region's lighthouses, who worked by a simple creed: build them stout and make them last. He did. The tower rests on a foundation of sandstone twelve feet thick, and its brick walls are four feet thick at the base, sheathed in cement against the sea air. More than a century of Pacific weather has not moved it.

For most of its life the land around the light belonged to the federal government, first the Lighthouse Service and later the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1973 a large parcel of the old Coast Guard reservation, some 232 acres of dune and shore, was transferred to the state, and Westport Light State Park was formally established in the mid 1970s.

The lighthouse itself came into local hands as well, and today it is cared for by the Westport South Beach Historical Society, which opens the tower for climbs to the lantern room. The park and the light together tell the story of a coast built on fishing, timber, and the constant work of keeping ships off the bar.

The paved Dune Trail is the heart of a visit, an easy path that runs along the top of the dunes with the ocean on one side and the marshy backdune on the other. It connects to a wider trail system and to the beach, where the sand runs flat and far and the wind is almost always blowing.

Westport is one of the better spots on the Washington coast to watch for gray whales. The great animals pass offshore twice a year on their long migration between the lagoons of Baja and the Arctic, southbound in winter and northbound in spring, and on a calm day you can pick out their spouts from the beach or the nearby observation tower.

Summer brings the calmest weather and the charter boats crowding out of the marina for salmon, tuna, and bottom fish, but many locals love the coast best in the off season. When the Pacific storms roll in through fall and winter, Westport becomes a storm-watching town, the surf heaving and the wind driving rain sideways past the old light.

Come prepared for that reality. The Long Beach and Grays Harbor coast is foggy, breezy, and wet through much of the year, and the beach, for all its beauty, fronts a cold and powerful ocean. Watch the surf, keep back from sneaker waves, and let the weather be part of the draw rather than a surprise.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Westport Light State Park, in Westport on the southwestern Washington coast, is a scenic day-use park named for the nearby Grays Harbor Lighthouse, which is the tallest lighthouse in the state. The park offers access to a beautiful sandy Pacific beach, along with a paved interpretive trail that runs along the dunes connecting the park toward the Westhaven area and offering lovely views. Popular for beach walking, beachcombing, kite flying, and enjoying the coastal scenery near the historic lighthouse, Westport Light State Park is a pleasant and accessible coastal destination. With its beach, dune trail, and proximity to the Grays Harbor Lighthouse, Westport Light State Park offers a scenic outing on the southwestern Washington coast.

You can walk the wide sandy beach, stroll or bike the paved Dune Trail that winds through the dunes with lovely ocean and coastal views connecting toward the Westhaven area, beachcomb, fly kites in the ocean breezes, watch for wildlife and beautiful sunsets, and visit the nearby Grays Harbor Lighthouse, the tallest in the state. The accessible paved trail is a highlight for easy walking and biking. With its beach, scenic dune trail, and proximity to the historic lighthouse, Westport Light State Park offers a pleasant and accessible coastal experience in Westport on the southwestern Washington coast.

The Pacific coast here has powerful surf, cold water, and dangerous sneaker waves and rip currents, so swimming is risky, and you should never turn your back on the ocean, keep well back from the water, and watch children closely. Be mindful of the tides on the wide beach. The paved Dune Trail is easy, but stay aware of your surroundings. Being mindful of the dangerous surf, sneaker waves, cold water, and tides ensures a safe visit to Westport Light State Park on the southwestern Washington coast.

Summer offers the mildest, driest weather and the most comfortable conditions for the beach and the dune trail, making it the most popular time, while spring and fall bring beautiful, quieter scenery, and winter offers dramatic storm watching along the coast. Clear days are lovely for the beach, the trail, and sunsets, and for viewing the nearby lighthouse. For the best weather and enjoyment of the beach and trail, aim for summer, while the shoulder seasons offer lovely, less crowded visits to Westport Light State Park in Westport, Washington.

Westport Light State Park is in Westport on the southwestern Washington coast, right near the Grays Harbor Lighthouse, the Westhaven State Park surfing beach, the Westport marina and Maritime Museum, Twin Harbors State Park, and within reach of Ocean Shores across Grays Harbor and the Long Beach Peninsula to the south. That makes Westport Light State Park a scenic coastal stop to combine with the Grays Harbor Lighthouse, Westhaven State Park, Westport's marina, and the other attractions of the southwestern Washington coast on a visit to the state.