Washington residents are invited to celebrate Earth Day weekend by helping protect Washington’s beaches and marine life by volunteering at a state park during the annual Washington Coast Cleanup.
As a member of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission co-hosts the opportunity to bring people together who love Washington’s coastlines and want to help protect and preserve it, a news release stated.
While cleanup events will take place at multiple sites along the Pacific Coast and Salish Sea, State Parks will host cleanups at 11 of its state parks, including Cape Disappointment, Fort Flagler, Fort Townsend, Fort Worden, Grayland Beach, Griffiths-Priday, Mystery Bay, Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Shine Tidelands and Twin Harbors.
State Parks collaborates with Washington CoastSavers to organize three beach cleanup events a year. The need for volunteers remains high, with a consistent year-over-year increase in debris removal.
From 2022 to 2025, there was a jump from 59,477 pounds to a staggering 163,443 pounds of garbage collected off beaches. Of that total, 584 volunteers collected 13,203 pounds of debris at last year’s Washington Coast Cleanup alone.
To bolster efforts, State Parks also works with Grassroots Garbage Gang, Port Townsend Marine Science Center and Surfrider Foundation to increase volunteer participation and impact.
Participants volunteering at a Washington state park should check in at one of these locations:
• Cape Disappointment check-in: Bolstad OBA, Bolstad W, Long Beach
• Fort Flagler/Mystery Bay check-in: Chimacum Corner Farmstand, 9122 Rhody Drive, Chimacum
• Fort Townsend/Fort Worden check-in: Port Townsend Marine Science Center, 502 Harbor Defense Way, Port Townsend
• Grayland Beach/Twin Harbors check-in: Bonge Ave OBA, West Bonge Avenue, Grayland
• Griffiths-Priday/Ocean City/Pacific Beach check-in: Chance a la Mer OBA, West Chance a la Mer Northwest, Ocean Shores
• Ocean City OBA, 37 Second Ave., Ocean City
• Shine Tidelands check-in: Shine Tidelands State Park Road, Port Ludlow
Volunteers should come prepared for variable weather conditions, wear sturdy footwear and bring a packed lunch with plenty of water. Upon check-in, participants will receive supplies for debris collection, though bringing reusable gloves is encouraged. Check-in stations will also serve as designated drop-off locations for collected marine debris.
To learn more about the Washington Coast Cleanup, view a list of all participating beaches and pre-register for the event, visit CoastSavers.org. A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to state-managed lands on April 25.
