Not all winter activities at our national parks have to deal with snow.
Visitors to the Hoh Rain Forest at Olympic National Park this time of year can see migrating salmon returning to spring-fed Taft Creek as its braids around the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center.
Road construction once affected the journey of the returning salmon, but a more fish-friendly culvert installed in the early 1990s helped salmon returning to Taft Creek. In some years, more than 2,000 coho complete their life cycle in this small creek.
While tracking salmon returns in 2010, Hoh tribal fisheries biologist Mario Reyes said, “There are so many fish, at this point I can’t keep count anymore, and I think that’s good news for everybody.”
If you visit the area now and into January, take a moment to quietly peer into Taft Creek. You might see red-flanked coho jostling in the stream or river otters struggling to snag large salmon.
SNOWSHOE WALK
Ranger-led snowshoe walks are now being offered at Hurricane Ridge at Olympic National Park.
The easy to moderate walk is offered at 2 p.m. Fridays-Sundays and Monday holidays (Jan. 2 and 16, and Feb. 20) now through April 1. The walk lasts 11/2 hours and covers less than a mile. Group size is limited to 30 people. Sign up starts at the Hurricane Ridge information desk 30 minutes before the walk.
The National Park Service provides snowshoes and instructions on this ranger-led program. A $5 donation per participant helps the park provide these snowshoe walks and funds snowshoe repair and replacement.
Participants should be prepared for winter weather including cold, snow, wind or even rain. Dress in layers, wear warm, waterproof boots and bring hats, mittens, sunscreen and sunglasses. If Hurricane Ridge Road is closed, walks are canceled.
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