The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

STARBUCK, Wash.- Wally and Joanne Knouff are starting their first season as owners of the Starbuck/Lyons Ferry Marina KOA. The couple purchased the business in November after realizing they were here to stay.

"Our kids make fun of us because we sold our home in Wenatchee and downsized to an RV with plans to camp in the north in the summer and head south in the winter. This was our first stop and we never left. We fell in love with it and stayed," Joanne said.

The Knouffs came to Lyons Ferry four years ago as work campers for Jim and Angela McArthur. The Knouffs became assistant managers when the McCarthurs sold the business to Steve and Teri Klonz of Seven K's Enterprises in 2017.

The Knouff's warm and playful attitude is evident even on their name badges where their nicknames, Wingnut and Squirrel, are shown in parenthesis.

"My neighbor's niece in Wenatchee started calling me Uncle Wally Wingnut and it stuck," Wally said.

"And I have so many things going on in my head that I bounce from one subject to the next, so my kids jokingly say "squirrel!" as I change topics," Joanne said.

The Knouffs say the KOA is already fully staffed. The store, which offers fishing licenses, groceries, boating, camping and RV accessories, and clothes is open from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Mon. – Sat. and from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday.

"We have new shipments coming in and are expanding our toy section with kids toys, cards and camping games," Joanne said.

The Snake River Grill is currently open from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. but Joanne expects that they will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Joanne said that they are looking at the possibility of opening early in the morning once Columbia Pulp begins operations, if workers would stop in for coffee and donuts.

"I know the fishermen would like it, we just have to have enough business to make it work," she said.

The KOA currently offers three camping cabins – two studios and one deluxe one bedroom unit, a full laundromat, RV and tent camping spaces, a playground, and three boat docks, with 84 covered and uncovered boat slips.

The campground, marina and store are located at the historic Lyons Ferry crossing near the nearly three-quarter mile-long Joso Bridge. The spectacular 200-foot Palouse Falls waterfall is nearby and fishing is abundant.

Guided fishing trips are available with Hells Canyon Sport Fishing, Ache'n Arms Guide Service and Captain Z's Fishing Adventures all offering trips out of Lyons Ferry.

Upcoming events include a catfish derby that runs from Mother's Day to Father's Day, a Kid's Camp Fundraiser on May 10-11, Swim the Snake on the first weekend in August and KOA Value Card Member Appreciation Sept. 13-14.

During Care Camps weekend, campers can stay on Fri., May 10 as paying guests and camp for $20 on May 11. Funds raised from May 11 camping support KOA Care Camps which are medically supervised summer camps for kids with cancer.

The land the campground is situated on is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and leased by the Port of Columbia, while the Knouffs own the KOA business and inventory.

Dena Martin

A playground is located just above the campground.

Joanne said that the Port has plans for expanding the campground to include an area for pull-throughs and is looking at adding a second boat dock as well as another dock for bigger boats.

"They're also looking at adding more cabins. But those projects are a couple of years out," she said.

When asked what they like most about operating the KOA, the Knouffs agree it is the people.

"We love the area, the campground and the people. When we first came, we got to know a lot of the regulars and locals. We love the people and enjoy being here, and that's why we're staying" Joanne said.

Find out more at Starbuck/Lyons Ferry Marina on Facebook, by visiting the KOA website at Koa.com/campgrounds/starbuck or calling directly at (509) 399-8020.