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San Juan Islands National Monument, WA – Volunteer Vacations 2023

June 11, 2023 @ 5:00 pm - June 17, 2023 @ 10:00 am

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Join one of the most popular Volunteer Vacations to help this friendly island community maintain local trails! In your free time, enjoy stunning ocean vistas, where you might have a chance to see a pod of orca whales, humpbacks, or a plethora of other marine life and sea birds.

Also, check out our second Volunteer Vacation at San Juan Islands National Monument with an all-women’s crew here.

Situated in the northern reaches of Washington State’s Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands are a uniquely beautiful archipelago of over 450 islands, rocks, and pinnacles. The new San Juan Islands National Monument encompasses approximately 1,000 acres of land spread across many of these rocks and islands and managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management. Drawing visitors from around the world, this is a landscape of unmatched contrasts, where forests seem to spring from gray rock and distant, snow-capped peaks provide the backdrop for sandy beaches. The San Juan Islands National Monument is a trove of scientific and historic treasures, a refuge for an array of wildlife, and a classroom for generations of Americans.

On this trip, American Hiking Society volunteers will perform trail maintenance, noxious weeds eradication and recreation site maintenance. The crew will be transported to and from base camp to the work areas via carpools and or boat with minimal hiking involved. Dependent on the weather, projects may be performed on outer islands. Volunteers will be engaged with a handful of other agency representatives in the SJI and also working outside of BLM lands. It takes an island and we all share when we can!

There is no experience needed to join a Volunteer Vacation! Your expert hosts will provide detailed instruction, tool demonstrations, and project oversight throughout the week. All you need is a willing attitude and to be in good physical condition to participate in moderate physical activity for approximately 6-8 hours a day with plenty of breaks, at your own pace. Find out more about what it’s like to join a Volunteer Vacation and other frequently asked questions here.

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the Semiahmoo, S’Klallam, Á,LEṈENEȻ ȽTE (W̱SÁNEĆ), Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, Lhaq’temish (Lummi). Samish and Tulalip peoples past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded this land for generations, their deep and sacred connection to these lands, and those who continue to steward these lands today. We offer this land acknowledgement as the first of many steps to stand as an ally and amplify Indigenous voices. We invite the American Hiking Society community to join us through continued efforts to support Indigenous communities and learn more about the history of the lands on which we live, work and recreate.

Host

Bureau of Land Management

Accommodations

Car Camping Tent Sites

Hiking/Access

Day hiking up to 3 miles each work day.

Project Rating

Moderate

Minimum Volunteer Age

16

Maximum Group Size

15

Area and Attractions

Nestled in the heart of the Salish Sea, the San Juan Islands are very old mountain tops shaped by glacial activity about 12,000 years ago, and are often considered the gem of Washington State. The San Juan Islands National Monument encompasses approximately 1000 acres across the Salish Sea and includes over 75 sites of headlands, rocks, and islands. The Pacific Ocean's maritime air moderates the climate year-round and the islands support one of the most varied wildlife populations and variety of habitats in the Northwest. Lopez Island is the most rural of the three major islands, covering 29.5 square miles. The landscape blends woods with rolling farmlands and open spaces with shimmering vistas. Numerous hiking trails are nearby with public access to beaches. Lopez Island is a desired destination for road biking for families mostly because it is the most flat island of the 4 ferry served islands. Lopez Island has some of the best sea kayaking and paddle boarding in all of the San Juan Islands.

Accommodations Description

Volunteers will be staying at Odlin Park Group Campsite on the north end of Lopez Island. A large open air shelter will be available for cooking, but does not have electricity. Vault toilets and fresh water are available on-site. Showers are available about 4 miles away in Lopez Village. Volunteers should bring their own tent and personal camping gear, sheets / bedding or sleeping bag, towels, personal cup / bowl / mug / eating utensils. Contact volunteer@americanhiking.org for assistance with gear needs.

Travel

Bellingham International airport in Bellingham, WA is the closest major airport. Travel to Lopez Island requires taking a ferry from the Anacortes Ferry Terminal in Anacortes, WA. Volunteers will need to arrange for their own transportation to and from Lopez Island, including ferry reservations. Airport pick up and drop off is not available. Carpooling may be arranged upon confirmation of the trip.

Location

San Juan Islands National Monument
650 Mullis St, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 United States + Google Map
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