History of Kalama Horse Camp
Kalama Horse Camp is the result of thousands of volunteer hours provided by members of the Washington Trail Riders Association, the Mt. St. Helens Trac-Riders and the Mount St. Helens Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington, with support of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and grant dollars received for the project.
How it all got started...
The Blue Horse Trail was scouted by Lori Bisconner and Judy Smith in 1989 and the route was approved by the Forest Service in 1990. Volunteer work by the Washington Trail Riders Association on the Blue Horse Trail began in June 1991 and was completed in July 1992.
The camp loop road was completed by contract prior to the ground breaking on the Kalama Horse Camp sites and corrals by the Washington Trail Riders Association began in April 1992. The 10 campsites and the mounting assist platform for the disabled were completed in June 1992.
A camp dedication took place on June 5, 1993.
A grant proposal was submitted and approved to build the shelter, again with volunteer labor from the Washington Trail Riders Association, the Mt. St. Helens Trac-Riders and the Mount St. Helens Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington. The shelter was completed with help from Forest Service volunteers in May 1999.
A grant proposal was also submitted and approved in 1998 to begin the Kalama Horse Camp expansion and to build the 8 miles of the Fossil Creek Trail. Volunteers broke ground on the new expansion in May 1999.
The work never stops...
The Mount St. Helens Chapter continues to dedicate many volunteer hours, with the help of the USFS, every spring/summer to keep Kalama Horse Camp and surrounding trails open. As time allows, we also work at other horse camps and trails in the area, such as Rock Creek Horse Camp, Beacon Rock and Lewis River Horse Camp, often alongside other user groups. We're fortunate to have formed good relationships with other user groups and public lands officials which gives us a "bigger voice" regarding our right to recreate on public lands.
