Camp Kilworth heads toward August reopening

The Camp Kilworth restoration progress points toward August for its first reopening.

The YMCA is making steady progress toward opening the 30-acre space near Dash Point State Park after a long and eventful road to saving it.

Restoration and full operation are planned in two phases, said Josh Sutton, facilities executive for YMCA of Greater Seattle, which has a long-term lease on the property. The first goal is to get the former Boy Scouts of America camp functional for youth to begin enjoying it again. The next phase will focus on the restoration of the two historic properties.

The Timberwolf will be what Sutton referred to as a “three season lodge.” This means that “it won’t be heated. It’ll have electricity, but no plumbing.” The building will be a “classroom space for outdoor school activities, different programs,” Sutton explained, using craft activities and meeting space as examples.

The Rotary Lodge will include a kitchen and restrooms and has plenty of space for large gatherings. The types of events will depend on the community’s needs, but Sutton said, “when Rotary Lodge is done, this is a great opportunity for community events.”

A huge step forward on restoration efforts happened in September 2023, when 250 volunteers spent a long day at Camp Kilworth completing nine different projects including clearing trails, building bridges and stairs. Sutton said their total work on that one day was worth about $200,000.

One of the most striking accomplishments is the amphitheater. The gathering space was overgrown with trees up to 6 feet tall between the benches and was barely recognizable after almost 10 years without maintenance. Today, the amphitheater is clear and ready for guests with a beautiful view of the mountains.

The YMCA team that is working on Camp Kilworth is made up of five people. They are currently looking for community groups in Federal Way to partner with, and have had meetings with Federal Way Public Schools and Communities in Schools so far, to name a few.

Reflecting on the progress on Camp Kilworth, longtime advocate Mary Ehlis shared some advice to anyone working on similar community advocacy work.

“Persistence is important,” she said. “Don’t count on things happening fast.”

She has been involved in the fight to save Camp Kilworth for about the past two decades and said she is grateful to know that it will continue to “be there to serve others,” and said that she thinks “about the kids of the future.”

Volunteers continue to add to Camp Kilworth’s already storied history. One recent addition came last fall, but can only now be seen because it is their season to bloom: 40 clusters of trillium plants were donated by local Dianne Bell, who needed a home for the plants after she closed her plant nursery business last year. They now dot a path dubbed the “trillium trail” at Camp Kilworth.

Other stories have been rediscovered during restoration, like a concrete pirate ship that was unearthed from some overgrowth during this past year, as Sutton shared. Progress is also being made on completing plumbing, sewage, electricity and infrastructure work.

Today the amphitheater is clear and ready for a new generation of campers and community members to enjoy. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

This photograph of the amphitheater in 2022 highlights can barely be recognized. Alder trees and other overgrowth covered the space. Mirror file photo

This site will be the home of an archery range once construction is completed. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

Inside the Rotary Lodge, one initial step of renovation has been clearing out insulation to expose the strong bones of the historic building. This will be completed in Phase II of the Camp Kilworth transformation into a functioning camp run by YMCA. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

This cluster of trillium plants is just one of 40 donated by local Dianne Bell, who needed a home for the plants after she closed her plant nursery business last year. They now dot a path dubbed the “trillium trail” at Camp Kilworth. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror