The State Lands Development and Renovation program provides funding to two state agencies to repair, renovate, and develop outdoor recreation facilities on existing public lands. As outdoor recreation continues to grow in popularity across Washington, these grants help address overcrowding, improve safety, enhance the visitor experience, and ensure more people can enjoy the natural beauty of our state.
This month’s featured project is the Teanaway Campground Renovation, located on the ancestral lands of the Yakama, Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla people. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) used grant funding to complete renovations at Teanaway Campground within the Teanaway Community Forest in Kittitas County.
The project funded materials, permits, and reconstruction of the campground’s loop roads. It also supported the addition of new features, including furnishings for a disc golf course, expanded parking for day-use visitors and walk-in campsites, four new single CXT vault toilets, ADA-accessible paths to toilets, informational kiosks, and interpretive signage.
During the permitting and review process, the project scope was modified to address cultural resource concerns identified through archaeological surveys. Key changes included:
- Reducing the number of new campsites from 17 to 12.
- Not renovating the existing five group campsites.
- Eliminating 870 feet of planned road construction.
- Replacing a proposed volleyball court with a disc golf course to minimize ground disturbance.
Additionally, county zoning regulations required adjustments:
- 4,900 feet of planned campsite surfacing was eliminated, preventing the delineation of parking pads and living spaces. As a result, campsites now feature natural surfacing.
- Funds were redirected to improve walk-in campsite parking, enhance river access parking, and install four additional ADA-compliant single vault toilets (for a total of six).
The campground’s loop road was rerouted to a more sustainable location, then graded and graveled to improve circulation. To protect the sensitive riparian areas and floodplain, barrier rocks were installed along the river, guiding visitors toward designated amenities.
Other enhancements included:
- A new informational kiosk featuring regulatory signage and an ADA-accessible interpretive panel on the site’s history.
- Additional signage throughout the campground.
- New highlines and a mounting block were installed in the equestrian section with help from Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) volunteers.
- Preparation of 12 new campsites with installed fire rings and picnic tables.
- Relocation of several campsites closer to the loop road or walk-in parking areas for better long-term maintenance.
The disc golf course will be reinstalled each spring after the snow melts, with course layouts refreshed annually by local enthusiasts, provided no sensitive ground areas are disturbed.
Thanks to these improvements, Teanaway Campground is now better equipped to welcome visitors while preserving the area’s cultural and natural resources for generations to come.