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Travel Excursion in
Washington's ECO Park Resort
By Patrice Raplee
Before the devastation of the Mt. St. Helens volcano in '80, campers,
hikers and anglers reveled in the beautiful, pristine wilderness that
surrounded the mountain. Generations of Northwesterners remember the
crystal-clear water of Spirit Lake and vacationing with their families
in the nearby campgrounds. Many may remember Spirit Lake Lodge, a little
A-frame grocery store close to the campgrounds (not to be confused with
Harry Truman's place). Campers could purchase forgotten food items or
paper plates and children would plead with their parents for some change
to buy candy.
David and Miriam Smith purchased the lodge in the early '70s and continued
to run it with the help of their children. The Smith family loved the
mountain, serene forest and lodge. When St. Helens blew, their dream
and business was lost. They deeply mourned the loss of so much forest,
mountain, wildlife and property. However, the Smiths were made of sterner
stuff and they returned to the mountain 12 years later to begin again
with Mount St. Helens Tours Inc. The business provided tours into the
awesome blast zone.
Sadly, David Smith soon passed away from illness, but left the company
to his youngest son Mark. He and the family continued the tours and
a few years later, they teamed up with a business partner to create
ECO Park, located along the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway.
The 90-acre park features log cabins, yurts, wall tents and campsites
and offers the closest full-service accommodations to the Mount St.
Helens National Volcanic Monument. With the park's environmentally responsible
design and spacious allocation of land between tents or cabins, families
can once again experience real camping adventures. Herds of elk and
deer roam the wildflower-covered meadows and Canadian geese frequent
the pond behind the log cabins. Eco Park Resort is stunningly beautiful
and truly, a paradise found.
The park's log cabins are perfect for guests that desire a rustic camping
experience, but prefer not to sleep in a tent. Each cabin comes stocked
with bottled water, bio soap, bedding, towels, propane cook-top, lights,
heat and propane refrigerators in three of the units. The cabins are
warm and cozy and the back porch swing looks out over a wonderful view
of the pond; mercifully, there are no televisions, or phones. Do keep
in mind this is real camping and the bathroom facilities are separate,
but close to your cabin, or tent. The bathroom facilities are complete
and feature pedestal sinks, hot showers and lights.
For an extraordinary treat, the Get-Away cabin is a bit more
sumptuous in its décor and perfect for a romantic escape or special
occasion. Lace curtains, china, floral arrangements, candles and wine
glasses are among the amenities presented in the Get Away. If
you would like to orchestrate a special occasion, proposal, or wedding,
Dawn Smith can help you plan an elegant or simple event; make sure to
call her and allow enough time for your requests.
Try renting a yurt; they have a spacious and almost African safari-type
feel to them. This domed structure is heartier than a regular tent and
much larger. The yurt contains a wood stove, propane lights, cook top
and bottled water. If you are planning a family gathering or a school
group trip, there is a larger Dorma Yurt available. The Yurts are sturdy
and comfortable, but there is no bedding, so make sure to bring your
own sleeping bags and pillows.
For a traditional campout, the resort's canvas wall tents with bunks
and tables make camping fun for kids and reminiscent of camping in the
'50s. The resort also provides spacious tent sites for a decent price
and the sites, separated by natural barriers, are private and quiet.
RV sites offered have a maximum two-night stay; for more information
contact the resort.
ECO Park is horse-friendly with stalls, a corral and access to miles
of riding trails and logging roads. Reservations are suggested due to
limited space. Another equestrian addition to the resort's lineup this
year is Mt. St. Helens horse adventure. Take a relaxing ride and gaze
at vistas and scenery not accessible by foot.
ECO Park has a wide variety of special events, tours and activities,
from mountain biking, classes and music events, to the unique Tent
and Breakfast excursion. This exceptional tour takes guests by van
up to the 4200-foot level by the Hanaford Lake area. Three high lakes
are perfect for fly-fishing, trout fishing, boating, canoeing, paddleboating
and swimming. The tour also presents a twilight tour by van to watch
the sunset. The Smiths literally bring a tent city for the comfort of
their guests. The features on this special tour are numerable, so make
sure to get information on all the Tent and Breakfast tour has
to offer.
The Smiths also built a café that serves breakfast, lunch and
dinner. The meals are generous and the food is quite good, especially
the Logger Dinner. A homemade buffet-style dinner is preceded by several
live historical logging demonstrations, such as pole climbing, axe throwing,
log rolling and cross cut saw. While guests enjoy the wonderful barbeque
buffet, they can listen to live music and join in on sing-alongs.
ECO Park Resort is an uncommon treasure. Forests and campground sites
are rapidly disappearing and not many parks or state campgrounds provide
an unspoiled wilderness for families to experience. Remember those long
sunny summers that you spent camping with your parents? Bring your family
to this pristine wilderness and share with them memories that will last
a lifetime. For more information, call (360) 274-6542 or (360) 274-7007.
Website: ecoparkresort.com
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