West Virginia’s ACE Adventure Resort is a mountain resort with over 35 miles of bike and hiking trails. Maintaining that much trail can be difficult, so the resort is offering to let people stay in their cabins for free for two days in exchange for help cleaning them up.
The exchange will take place from April 21 to 23, and volunteers will put in one eight-hour and one five-hour day. And if that seems like a lot of work, just remember that a large part of cleaning up hiking trails is…hiking on trails.
In exchange for their work, volunteers get to stay for free in ACE’s mountain cabins, which are equipped with satellite TVs, kitchenettes, and, oh yeah, private hot tubs. A lunch is provided on the longer working day, though volunteers are otherwise expected to provide their own food. Guests will also receive a free bike rental to explore the park.
ACE’s grounds include ponds, woods, and even a ghost town from the mining era. The resort’s other big draw is the New River Gorge, which is known for its whitewater rafting.
If you’re interested in trading some labour for sweet cabin time, call the resort at 1-800-787-3982 to reserve your spot. But note: you’ll have to pay for the reservation up-front and be refunded after your work—which may be the park’s way of saying “no free rides.”
If you want in, just make sure you’re prepared to sweat a little for your shelter.
