Olympic National Park gets ready to receive visitors

The News Tribune
Last updated: March 27th, 2008 01:26 AM (PDT)

“This was our second tough winter in a row, but I’m proud to say that our crews have done a fantastic job in getting Olympic ready for the visitor season,” said acting park superintendent Sue McGill. Here is a look at various area of the park:

QUINAULT RAIN FOREST

The Quinault Loop Road will reopen Tuesday. Portions of the Quinault North Shore and South Shore Roads have been closed since the Dec. 3 storm. Emergency repairs to a 750-foot-long washout are nearly complete, and debris is being cleared from another 150-foot long section of road.

The North Fork Road remains closed to all public entry but is scheduled to reopen April 25. The North Fork Campground will open May 16.

The Graves Creek Road will open to foot, stock and bicycle use only on April 25. The Graves Creek campground will also open April 25, but no potable water will be available. The road will remain closed to vehicle use throughout the 2008 season.

The park is developing an environmental assessment that will examine alternatives to permanently repair Graves Creek Road in order to provide more sustainable access.

QUEETS VALLEY

The Lower Queets Road is open 7 miles to Matheny Creek, but has been closed beyond that point since 2005 due to a landslide. An alternative access route into the Upper Queets Valley will open April 18. Snow and extremely wet conditions have hampered road work and delayed this spring’s opening of the upper Queets area.

The campground is scheduled to open May 16.

HOH RAIN FOREST

The Hoh Road and campground are open. The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is open on winter schedule of 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

FORKS INFORMATION CENTER

The Park and Forest Information Center in Forks is also open Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

COASTAL DESTINATIONS

Olympic’s road-accessible coastal destinations (Kalaloch, Mora, Ozette) are open, including all roads, campgrounds and trailheads. Coastal trails and wilderness travel routes have not been fully assessed, so hikers should use caution and be prepared for washouts.

SOL DUC VALLEY

The Sol Duc Road will open as far as the Eagle Ranger Station on Friday. More than 2 feet of snow are still on the ground at the campground and trailhead. The campground will open April 11.

LAKE CRESCENT

All roads in the Lake Crescent area are open, as is the LaPoel Picnic Area. The Fairholme Campground will open for the season April 4.

ELWHA VALLEY

All roads in the Elwha Valley are open. The Elwha Campground is open; the Altair Campground will open as scheduled May 23.

HURRICANE RIDGE ROAD

Weather and road conditions permitting, the Hurricane Ridge Road is scheduled to be open Fridays through Sundays through May 4. Weather permitting, the road will open daily May 9.

Major reconstruction will begin this spring on the Hurricane Ridge Road. The road will remain open throughout the two-year project, but visitors should expect delays of up to 20 minutes. Once construction begins, bicycles will be prohibited from using the road.

The Heart O’the Hills campground will reopen Friday.

The Olympic National Park Visitor Center is open Thursdays through Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the visitor center will be open daily for the summer season beginning May 1.

DEER PARK ROAD

The Deer Park Road is scheduled to open for the summer June 13. However, this year’s snow pack at Deer Park is 166 percent of average, so a late spring melt may lead to a delayed opening.

DOSEWALLIPS ROAD

The Dosewallips Road remains closed because of a washout outside the park boundary.

STAIRCASE

The Staircase Road is closed for the season. It sustained major damage during the December storm, both within and outside of the park boundary.

Five riverside sites in the Staircase Campground were lost to floodwaters along the North Fork Skokomish River, but the campground is expected to open for the summer season.

TRAILS

With more than 10 feet of snow at the park’s higher elevations, little is known about many of the park’s trail conditions. More information will be available once the snow begins to melt. Many low elevation trails are open.

WILDERNESS INFORMATION CENTER

The Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Saturday. Visitors are urged to stop by or call the WIC at 360-565-3100 for current trail reports, spring hiking safety tips and trip planning suggestions.

Originally published: March 27th, 2008 01:26 AM (PDT)