Kiwanis Camp Wa-Ri-Ki

Kiwanis Camp Wa-Ri-Ki, located in Washougal, Skamania County, Washington is 18+ acres of beautiful land in the heart of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The Kiwanis organization has been stewards of Camp Wa-Ri-Ki since 1976. Our Camp has been in continual use since its inception in the 1950s as the Larch Mountain Honor Camp for Inmates. Infrastructure needs are many as we work to protect the environment and grow programs based on learning to respect environmental elements represented at camp; including personal growth opportunities.

We offer programs in four core areas: Nature-based Learning; Leadership and Personal Development; Fun, Exploration and Adventure and Outdoor Skills. Many camp activities integrate with local and national school STEM and STEAM curriculum standards set by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) using activities provided through our partnership with the NASA GLOBE Goes to Camp program. (GLOBE: Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) Annually, we offer several day camps and overnight sessions which is designed for a spectrum of ages and family-based activities. Having fun while learning is a top priority!

Campers come from all walks of life from Vancouver to Yakima, from White Salmon to Camas and communities in between. Our Earth and Sky Nature School focuses on 5th and 6th graders through day camps and overnight experiences. We partner with other nonprofit organizations to provide programs and activities and make camp facilities available for others to offer programs to their specific constituents. Partners include, but are not limited to Lifeline Connections, Skamania County, Washington school districts, Kiwanis Clubs, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and Dept. of Natural Resources. Our programs and environmental experiences emphasize good stewardship through programs like Leave No Trace and Lower Columbia Nature Network.

Our Mission, This Place

It is our mission to provide an outdoor experience that offers optimal development of at-risk youth and our communities through recreational, educational and leadership opportunities.

The Southwest Region of Washington State reflects the ancestral and modern homes of First Peoples including the Cowlitz, Yakima and Klickitat tribes. The First Peoples of Skamania County called themselves, Chilluckittequw. We acknowledge that we are on the ancestral, modern lands and traditional territories of the Chilluckittequw People. 

Kiwanis International and Camp Wa-Ri-Ki have adopted a resolution that encourages leaders and members to build a culture and maintain environments that develop and nurture mutual respect for all celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion in our programs and operations.