An eagle glides low through old-growth forest, something ragged and bloody clutched in its talons. Two crows are in hot pursuit, screaming and dodging the trunks of ancient Douglas fir. It takes several minutes for the eagle to elude its pursuers. Then the big bird doubles back to land on a massive nest of sticks set at the top of a 100-foot tree. It’s a sight few modern humans will ever see. But at Camp Indianola, it’s just another moment in paradise.
For the past 50 years, neither storms nor oil spills nor an encroaching population has altered Camp Indianola’s mission: to provide a peaceful, spiritual retreat in a pristine Northwest setting. Located at the end of a winding dirt road two miles east of downtown Indianola, Camp Indianola is a United Methodist facility, operated by the church’s Pacific Northwest Conference. Although the camp hosts many Methodist events and retreats, as well as Camping Ministries Summer Camp, the site is also regularly leased to other faith-based and secular non-profit groups including Quakers, Zen Buddhists, ethnic groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, Americorps, marine environmental educators, 4-H, Scouts, youth soccer, U.S. Navy-affiliated groups and Washington State Ferries.
Lately, Camp Indianola has taken on another role as an education-based facility for private and public school groups. Nearly 1,000 elementary-aged school children stay at the camp during the school year. Many groups develop a curriculum around the site, taking advantage of the environmental setting and nearby educational opportunities.
“School groups use Camp Indianola as a base of operations,” said Pete Simpson, camp director. “We’re close to the Suquamish Museum and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. We have lots of environmental features on site: waterfront, wetlands, nature trails, old-growth trees. When the kids stay here in a place so rich in natural history, it gives the lessons a much bigger impact.”
The gentle curve of history
From the lodges and log cabins of Camp Indianola, it’s possible to look back in time to see Puget Sound as it appeared generations ago. The gently curving shoreline leads to a tidal salt marsh that supports 206 species of wildlife. The marsh is backed by greenbelt, making the only evidence of civilization boat traffic and the Seattle skyline.
In fact, this area has a history that dates back centuries to a time when the Suquamish called it Doe-kag-wats, meaning “place of deer.”
Then, as now, the estuary attracts deer which wander down to lick salt off the rocks. The beach was, and is, rich in shellfish that feed on the nutrients seeping from the wetlands. As a place where fresh and saltwater mix, the marsh was considered a place of healing by the tribes. According to Simpson, artifacts and evidence of old sweat lodges have been discovered at the camp. Chief Sealth himself walked here, on his way to Old Man House in Suquamish, along a trail that is still in use by guests of Camp Indianola. Yet another trail incorporates the remains of an old logging chute where logs were dragged to the beach for transport to the mill at Port Madison.
Now encompassing 75 acres, the camp got its start in 1957 when the Methodist Church purchased 10 waterfront acres. Several additional parcels were soon added, and by 1960 the camp had grown to 35 acres. In 1985, an additional 40 acres of forest were obtained, allowing a large nature preserve with trails, bridges, boardwalks, a spring-fed stream, and a rustic “outpost camp.” The waterfront and several of the camp buildings enjoy views of Seattle, Mt. Rainier and the Cascade Mountains.
In its early days, Camp Indianola was a primitive experience.
“It used to be an adventure just to get here,” said Simpson. “The ferries weren’t as connected as they are now, and the only communication with Seattle was by CB radio. The vision was to have a Christian summer program that brought city kids in contact with nature.”
Indianola’s largest employer
The facilities at Camp Indianola now include several cottages, a log cabin, and the Totem Lodge, which sleeps 42. The original camp building, the Totem Lodge features a totem pole carved in the 1950s by Douglas Carter, whose work can be seen up and down the West Coast in venues including Victoria’s Royal BC Museum. At the heart of the camp is the Potlatch building, a combination dining hall and gathering space.
Each summer, Camp Indianola is a destination for more than 600 campers and 100 volunteers. It hosts other groups year-round and every weekend. At peak season, it’s also Indianola’s largest employer. Its tax status allows rental to non-profit groups only, so it is not available for weddings, private parties or corporate retreats. As a private facility, it’s not open to picnickers or drop-in visitors.
In the last five years, Camp Indianola has experienced two near catastrophes: one natural, one manmade. On New Year’s Day, 2004, a 4,800-gallon oil spill in Edmonds that quickly drifted across the Sound and came ashore at the camp rendered the beach temporarily unusable and threatened the shellfish beds. A massive, 115-day cleanup of the mile-long beach returned the area to near pre-spill conditions.
Then, in February 2006, a combination of high tides and gale force winds dumped thousands of pounds of driftwood, beach sand and gravel on the low-bank beachfront. At the peak of the storm, seawater measured three feet deep on the playfield and basketball court. Volunteers later removed 175 bags and three dump truck loads of debris.
As for the future of the camp, the current goal is to upgrade and modernize the facilities, Simpson said. Fundraising may be in order, although Camp Indianola is fully self-supporting in its regular operation. But no matter how up-to-date the accommodations become, one thing won’t change: the camp will remain wild at heart.
“A facility like Camp Indianola provides a place for kids to explore nature in a natural setting,” said Simpson. “Kids are so wired in this society; they need a place to step out of that. They need to experience an environment like this sometime in their lifetime, a place where they can get in touch with nature.”
