PORT ANGELES – Every April, thousands of volunteers descend upon over 300-miles of shoreline in Washington State to participate in the annual Washington Coastal Cleanup (WCC) and remove tons of trash. Olympic National Park is getting the word out now in preparation for the annual event with several beaches in the park selected for clean-up on Saturday, April 20.
Some of these coastal areas are part of the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness and all park beaches will present some challenges for participants in terms of access. All litter or debris must be removed on foot.
Camping in the coastal campgrounds of Olympic National Park at Kalaloch, Mora, and Ozette will be free for pre-registered volunteers. Volunteers can choose one night of free camping, either April 19th or 20th.
The deadline to pre-register is April 12 at 10PM. Use the links below.
Mora Beaches- volunteer.gov/mora
Kalaloch Beaches- volunteer.gov/kalaloch
Ozette Beaches- volunteer.gov/ozette
Walkup registration is possible, but not guaranteed.
Registration tables will be open at the Three Rivers Volunteer Fire Department, Kalaloch Campground, and at the Ozette trailhead.
Keep in mind, it can be tough work at times. At some locations, such as Cape Alava and Sand Point, dedicated volunteers have to hike several miles just to reach the beach, then gather trash and haul it back to the trailhead at Lake Ozette. Besides using garbage bags to clear debris, some volunteers tie stray buoys or floats to their framed backpacks, while others may roll out automobile tires one by one.
But these incredible efforts by volunteers and staff help keep the beaches of Olympic National Park looking cared for.