History of LMCH

In 1968, the Hideaway was a project of Dick Easter, a local resident. It became a member-owned camp ground in the mid 70’s and has developed considerably over the years.

The Hideaway consists of 1,500 campsites located on 588 acres. There are thirty five miles of roads in the Hideaway, nine miles of paved road and 26 miles of unpaved roads. There are 35 bathhouses for camper’s convenience, 52 boat slips that can be reserved on a daily basis for a small fee and 12 permanent employees to keep the whole place running. There are fifteen volunteer committees with hundreds of volunteers that also help the Hideaway run smoothly.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Merwin, the front gate stands at 1,400 feet above sea level while Lake Merwin is at 300 feet above sea level. Lake Merwin, the jewel of the Hideaway, spans about 12.5 miles with 32 miles of shoreline, encompasses 4000 acres, 2,400 acres in Clark County and 1,690 acres in Cowlitz County. The lake has a maximum depth of 190 feet with an average depth of 104 feet and is fed by not only the Lewis River but also Speelayai, Brooks, Rock, Canyon, Buncombe Hollow, Indian George, Jim, Cape Horn, and Marble Creeks. Lake Merwin is classified as an Oligotrophic Lake which means that the age of the lake is youthful and that the water in the lake has low accumulated nutrients and is high in dissolved oxygen. You can find kokanee, trout and squaw fish in the lake. Tiger muskee were planted in 1995 to help control the squaw fish population.

Most of all, Lake Merwin Camper’s Hideaway consists of friendly and dedicated members, all working for a relaxing and fun family experience.