Why visit Kalama
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 9 parks and trails, 19 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; February lows average 35°F.
Weather in Kalama
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kalama
Kalama (kə-LAM-ə) is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,959 as of the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Kalama, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes19
Columbia Inn
Diner · American · 0.4 mi
698 Northeast Frontage Road, Kalama
Su-Th 06:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 06:00-23:00
Lucky Dragon
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.6 mi
274 Northeast Frontage Road
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
North County Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.4 mi
724 Northeast Frontage Road, Kalama
7 more on the map.
History
Kalama was first settled by Native Americans, particularly members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribes.
The first white settler recorded was in 1853. That first settler was Ezra Meeker and his family. Only one year later, Meeker moved to north Puyallup, Washington, but he sold his Donation Land Claim to a Mr. John Davenport, who, with a few others, permanently settled in the Kalama area. In early 1870, Northern Pacific Railway scouts came to Cowlitz County to find an ideal terminus along the Columbia River. After a failed negotiation for a Donation Land Claim in Martin's Bluff, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Kalama, Northern Pacific officials purchased 700 acres (280 ha) in Kalama for the terminus of the new railroad as well as a new headquarters. The population swelled with employees of the Northern Pacific Railway. The town also received many Hawaiians who worked under the service of the Hudson's Bay Company and also intermarried with local indigenous peoples like the Nisqually during this time; descendants of such unions still living on Nisqually Reservation to this day.
From the History section of Kalama, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Kalama
52 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 35°F | 6.5 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 35°F | 4.8 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 38°F | 4.9 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 4.1 in |
| May | 69°F | 45°F | 3.1 in |
| Jun | 73°F | 50°F | 2.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 53°F | 0.6 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 53°F | 1.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 50°F | 2.3 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 44°F | 4.4 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 39°F | 7.2 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 35°F | 7.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Longview Hcn (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cowlitz County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2024-04-28: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2022-03-29: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-04-08: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southwest Washington Regional Airport (KLS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Rainier 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Kelso 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Columbia City 9 mi south, about 14 min by car
- Longview 11 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- St. Helens 11 mi south, about 18 min by car
- Beacon Hill 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Warren 14 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Ridgefield 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Scappoose 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Castle Rock 18 mi north, about 29 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kalama, WA - N First St 02, Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- A bulk carrier anchored in the Columbia River, Bobjgalindo, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.