O.A.R.S. California Road Trip Sweepstakes Celebrates 150th Anniversary of the Yosemite Grant

On June 30, 1864, Congress enacted the Yosemite Grant Act, establishing Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove as the first federally protected public park of its kind—set aside for the enjoyment of a nation.

In honor of Abraham Lincoln’s efforts 150 years ago (later assisted by Theodore Roosevelt at the behest of John Muir), O.A.R.S., the world leader in whitewater rafting and nature-based adventure travel, has partnered with Visit California to sponsor a Yosemite sweepstakes that should appeal to anyone longing for that classic California road trip.

From now through June 28^th, 2014, on the company’s Facebook page, legal residents of the U.S. and Canada may enter to win an all-expenses-paid road trip for two to Yosemite National Park and a two-day/one-night rafting adventure with O.A.R.S. on the renowned Tuolumne River just outside the park.

Entrants are asked to submit their name, zip code and email address and then share the link with friends and family through Facebook. The contest is open to those ages 21 and up.

To enter, visit: www.smarturl.it/WonderCalifornia

Watch the 50-second campaign video here: http://youtu.be/em2toXksuug.

The winner and a guest will also receive a complimentary one-year membership and rental car with gas from Zipcar, one night’s lodging in Yosemite, sunglasses from Native Eyewear, and some California wine from Twisted Oak Winery in the Sierra Foothills.

“TheTuolumneis a world-renowned Wild and Scenic river, but even many Californians aren’t familiar with the wonders of this one-of-a-kind stretch of Class IV whitewater,” said Steve Markle, O.A.R.S. spokesperson. “This is the best river trip in California and one of the top rafting experiences in the country, and it’s literally right at the gateway to one of our most popular national parks.”

The O.A.R.S. sweepstakes comes on the heels of the 2013 Rim Fire—the largest wildfire in the Sierra Nevada’s recorded history—which scorched 400 square miles, abruptly ended the 2013 rafting season on the Tuolumne and critically impacted access to Yosemite National Park. Last year, at the height of the summer travel season, tourism to the region all but ended, dealing a huge economic blow to Yosemite’s gateway communities and businesses. Now, the region looks to recover.