A proposed private campground along the Kalama River (Washington) has cleared a key regulatory hurdle after a Cowlitz County hearings examiner granted preliminary land-use approval for the project, advancing plans by geocaching pioneer Jeremy Irish to develop a 37-site nature retreat despite public concern over safety and location.
According to an article published by The Columbian on January 12, Cowlitz County Hearings Examiner Mark C. Scheibmeir approved the proposal to convert a portion of rural riverfront property near Kalama into Wandering River Retreat, a private campground that would include cabins and spaces for recreational vehicles and tents.
The decision followed months of public scrutiny and formal hearings conducted Sept. 15 and Dec. 4.
The project is proposed for property at 4311 Kalama River Road and would utilize 12.76 acres of a roughly 25-acre riverfront.
Plans call for 37 camping sites on land zoned rural, according to application materials and property records from the Cowlitz County Assessor’s Office.
Irish is best known for co-founding Geocaching.com in the early 2000s, a website that helped popularize geocaching, an outdoor activity in which participants use coordinates and online clues to locate hidden containers.
Public input on the Wandering River Retreat proposal raised concerns about emergency access, evacuation planning and compatibility with surrounding land uses.
Written and spoken comments submitted between September and December cited the site’s remote setting, its proximity to active timberlands with log truck traffic, and its location downriver from the Kalama Falls Fish Hatchery.
During hearings, commenters described the area as approximately 10 minutes from reliable cell service and about 30 minutes from the nearest fire response, questioning whether the site could be safely evacuated during emergencies.
Concerns were also raised by fish biologists and Weyerhaeuser regarding the campground’s potential location.
Irish has described the project as both personal and long-term in nature.
“As the owner of Wandering River and a pioneer in outdoor recreation, Jeremy Irish remains dedicated to exploring, protecting and celebrating the landscapes that have shaped his life,” his website states. “His focus is on stewardship, community and creating a place where people can enjoy the outdoors responsibly and respectfully.”