Darcie Mezek doesn’t mind a few more regulations as long as she’s able to enjoy her time at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.
“It’s worth it for the rest and relaxation you get,” Mezek said on Saturday, the first day the resort was open after closing early last fall because of bacteria concerns.
Mezek, an Orting resident, and her group of children and friends were among the hot spring users glad for a weekend soak.
Resort Accommodations Manager Andy Bales said he considered the number of visitors good for the first day.
About half of the resort’s 32 cabins were booked for Saturday night, and reservation calls continue to flow in for the rest of the season, Bales said.
“It’s nice to see people up here,” he said. “People are pleased to see us reopened.”
The popular destination off U.S. Highway 101 near Lake Crescent closed last September — two months early — when the park imposed emergency operating rules for safety reasons.
The hot pools, which are fed by natural mineral springs and can’t be chlorinated, were shut down Aug. 25 after tests showed unacceptably high levels of fecal coliform.
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