New concrete boat ramp shown at very low water on August 25, 2022

Kingsley Recreation Day Use and Campground Areas Reopen

After nearly five years of closure, the long-awaited reopening of Kingsley Reservoir Day Use Area occurred in mid-August, and the Kingsley Campground reopening will follow later this month. Fire danger from 2017’s Eagle Creek Fire was the initial catalyst for the closure. Farmers Irrigation District’s planning began the prior year seeking to enlarge and raise the level of the reservoir 11 feet, leading to an extended closure.

Day use and camping activities have occurred at the site, located about 12 miles southwest of Hood River, for over 70 years. “In the past it was ‘the wild west’ at times because of its remote location in the heart of the County’s Tree Farm with little infrastructure or regular monitoring,” said County Forest Manager Doug Thiesies. Two different County departments have managed the park and campground since it was established, often with limited staff and resources. Over the years a web of logging roads, skid roads and forest trails spread out around the reservoir presenting access and opportunity for activities including hiking, biking, Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) use, fishing, swimming and camping.

In preparation for the Kingsley Reservoir expansion project, a regulatory and logistic journey began with a land exchange as the Farmers Irrigation District (FID) owned reservoir would further encroach on County-owned forestland and flood much of the current campground and existing access roads. Planning, design, negotiation and a public hearing were required to complete the exchange agreement for County land and resources. As part of the FID and County exchange agreement, FID was required to rebuild a portion of a newly designed campground and roads. In partnership, the County was able to provide the enormous amount of fill and rock nearby for the FID project and the new borrow site was shaped by FID for proper reclamation and future campsite development once new trees are established.

FID encountered regulatory hurdles with DEQ causing the project to miss build windows in 2018 and 2019. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, slowing work and supplies in 2020 and beyond. Work to enlarge the dam finally began in 2021 and was completed in August 2022.

FID and the Forestry Department were able to complete improvements to the staging and day use area earlier this summer, opening for public use on August 12th. During the project, FID contractor Crestline Construction worked concurrently on the dam, access roads, wetland, reservoir, day use and campground areas, most of which were completed in mid-August. In parallel, the County worked to complete the installation of new vault toilets and other day use and campsite amenities. Much of this work for phase one of the campground is expected to be completed in mid-September prior to opening.

Kingsley Staging, Day Use and Campground areas remain a gem for the County and usage is expected to grow considerably in the coming years. Forestry plans additional incremental updates, including an ADA lake loop trail, docks and additional campsites. Users should understand that the site is still relatively remote, and users are asked to pack out what they pack in. Parking for day users requires a County Forest Parking Permit.