Earth Day is only a few weeks off, and if you're still wondering how to celebrate it, consider lending a hand to clean up Olympic National Park.
Throughout "Earth Week,' guests to Lake Quinault Lodge and Kalaloch Lodge on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula will be encouraged to help preserve a bit of history and clear up public beaches through the lodges’ third annual Earth Day “Volunteer Vacation.”
On Saturday, April 17, volunteers will work with the Washington CoastSavers, a program of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, to pick up waste and tidy up the beaches at Kalaloch. After the cleanup, the CoastSavers will thank volunteers by treating them to a barbeque, with hamburgers, hot dogs and beverages, at the Kalaloch campground. On the following Saturday, April 24, volunteers can roll up their sleeves, grab their gloves and assist the National Park Service in restoring the Kestner Homestead property from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Why the Kestner Homestead? More than a century ago, Anton Kestner ventured through the Quinault Rainforest looking for the perfect place to claim land under the Homestead Act of 1862. He and his family built a cabin on the North Shore and lived on the homestead for nearly 40 years before passing it to the Olympic National Park. Since then the Park Service has developed a trail into the Homstead, which is in the first phase of restoration.
In conjunction with the volunteer events, Lake Quinault Lodge and Kalaloch Lodge are offering the “Earth Day Volunteer Vacation” deals* for guests, available only online. From April 15-18, the volun-tourists can stay in a Seacrest room at Kalaloch Lodge for $99, or a log cabin starting at $109. For participants of the clean-up, the rates include a one-night stay and entry to the barbeque hosted by the CoastSavers on April 17. On April 23, guests can receive a one-night stay in a Lakeside or Main Lodge room at Lake Quinault Lodge and enjoy boxed lunches for two starting at just $109. Additional nights can be added at just $89 a night.
As an added bonus, both lodges, as well as sister property Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, will give guests an additional $15 gift certificate if they arrive in style — seated in or on a green vehicle — as part of the “Every Day is Earth Day” promotion. A token of appreciation for travelers’ efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, the gift certificate can be used in the lodges’ gift shop, store or restaurant.
To book a volunteer vacation at Lake Quinault Lodge or Kalaloch Lodge, check out www.VisitLakeQuinault.com or www.VisitKalaloch.com.
Fine print: *Lake Quinault Lodge Disclaimer: Web only special. Rate based on double occupancy. Extra person and pet fees apply. Each additional box lunch is $10.00.
*Kalaloch Lodge Disclaimer: Based on promotional availability. Rates are based on double occupancy and do not include tax. Additional adult and pet fees apply. Special valid for Seacrest rooms and studio log cabins.
Comments
Visitors not staying at the above lodges can still participate in this annual effort to help clean up the entire
Washington coast. I believe a few spots are still available for the Olympic wilderness beaches further north:
http://www.coastsavers.org/