Out & About
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Lyons Ferry...
Like You've Never Seen It Before
It's always been a great area for fishing, camping, picnicking or just floating in your boat or kayak. But if you haven't been to the Lyons Ferry Marina and Park recently, prepare to be pleasantly surprised.
The green metal building housing the restaurant and store at the marina doesn't look much different from the outside, but inside, a great transformation has occurred. The Snake River Grill and KOA Kampstore are open for business.
New marina and park managers Jim and Angela MacArthur took over in January and have created a brand new facility, with a bright, open restaurant and a store stocked for the season with fishing licenses, bait and tackle, ice, propane, gas, snacks, groceries, and an espresso bar.
The restaurant and store opened in mid-April. "We had a soft opening," says Jim. "We tried to get as many bugs out as possible before the big Memorial Day weekend." The MacArthurs are still developing the menu for their restaurant, but Jim assured us that a wide variety of menu choices will be available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
When we visited a few days before Memorial Day Weekend, Jim was preparing to receive the first large food order for the restaurant. "We just finished installing a new walk-in freezer and cooler," he said. "The previous operators here used regular household refrigerators and freezers. That really limits the amount and variety of food you can serve." When the large delivery truck arrived, the interview wrapped up and Jim got to work.
The store and restaurant, along with RV and tent camping sites, boat launch and moorage, are now part of the Kampgounds of America (KOA) system. Also part of the KOA facility – and also managed by the MacArthurs – is the Lyons Ferry Park, located across the Snake River from the marina.
Lyons Ferry Park offers camping, picnicking, boat launch with day moorage, and the best swimming beach in the area. Prior to opening May 1st, an all-out effort was made to prune trees, clear brush and bring the park back to its glory days.
The MacArthurs sub-lease the marina and park facilities from the Port of Columbia. The Port, in turn, holds a lease for those properties with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to Port of Columbia Manager Jennie Dickinson, the Port is responsible for repair and maintenance of the facilities at the marina, and it owns most of the improvements there.
The MacArthurs, along with Phyllis Rothauge, also own and operate the Last Resort RV Park on the upper Tucannon River.
"We expect to employ as many as 15 people nearly full time during the summer months," says Jim of the combined facilities.
So if you're thinking of driving for hours to take a lake or river vacation this summer, you might think again. Lyons Ferry Marina and Park is one the best water-based recreation areas in the inland northwest. And if you live in Southeast Washington, you're probably less than an hour away.
Lyons Ferry Marina
Snake River Grill & KOA Kampstore
Highway 261 at south end
of Snake River Bridge
Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sun. - Thurs.
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fri. - Sat.
18 Full Service RV Sites & 40 Dry Tent Sites
Reservations Required
Lyons Ferry Park
Highway 261 at north end
of Snake River Bridge
51 Dry Tent/RV Sites | First Come First Served
Camping Fees:
Tent: $15.00 / day , $95.00 / wk
Dry RV: $15.75 / day, $100 / wk
Full Hookup RV: $23.25 / day, $143.50 / wk,
$395.00 / mo
RV Dump: $5.00
Day Use Fee:
Marina: no charge for day use area
Park: $4.00 per car per day
Boat Moorage & Launch at Lyons Ferry Marina:
Boat Launch Fee: $4.00 (marina or park)
Season Launch Pass also available
Moorage:
60 covered moorages & 11 semi-covered slips
Transient moorage is available
for approximately 35 boats on open docks
Gas and Propane are available on the dock
Lyons Ferry Marina and Park
Jim & Angela MacArthur, Managers
For Information or Reservations:
(509) 399-8020
www.lyonsferrymarina.com