.png)
CUSICK — Ruby Creek Resort, a locally owned waterfront near Cusick, has been named a national finalist for the 2026 Outdoor Hospitality Industry Awards of Excellence Innovator of the Year – Small Park Award.
The Port of Pend Oreille and Tri County Economic Development District are celebrating the recognition as an opportunity to highlight the creativity, collaboration and entrepreneurial spirit contributing to tourism throughout Pend Oreille County and northeast Washington, according to a TEDD news release.
The OHI Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding achievement in the outdoor hospitality industry, with the Innovator of the Year Award recognizing parks finding creative ways to improve guest experiences, strengthen operations and rethink what an RV park, campground or outdoor hospitality business can be.
“Our park may be small, but we have never believed the experience has to be,” Jake Abbott, Ruby Creek Resort owner, said in the news release. “We want people to fall in love not only with Ruby Creek Resort, but with the entire Pend Oreille River Valley.”
Abbott said in the news release that some of Ruby Creek Resort’s best creations came from listening to its guests, looking at what made the area special and finding ways to connect the two.
With seven RV sites and two bunkhouses along the Pend Oreille River, Ruby Creek Resort has built its guest experience around personalized hospitality and connections to the surrounding community. The resort’s Pend Oreille River Valley Passport encourages guests to explore local restaurants, attractions and businesses, while its Rhythm on the River concert series brings together visitors, residents and regional musicians.
Winners of the 2026 OHI Awards of Excellence will be announced in November during the Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ruby Creek Resort opened in 2023 and has received several regional and statewide honors, including the 2025 Outstanding Customer Service Award from State of Washington Tourism and Small Business of the Year from the Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce.
