For the first time in more than a year, vehicles were allowed to drive into the Elwha Valley of Olympic National Park on Thursday when Olympic Hot Springs Road reopened.
The road has been closed since November 2015, when a series of severe storms brought heavy rain and flooding to the Elwha River. Approximately 90 feet of roadway was washed out, and additional sections were eroded and damaged by flood waters.
Visitors can drive as far as Glines Canyon Dam, where access ends due to snow and ice. The Whiskey Bend Road also remains closed due to these conditions.
“We are very pleased to welcome visitors back to the Elwha Valley,” Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum said in a release. “Restoring vehicle access has been a long and arduous process for our staff, and I am proud of the work they have accomplished.”
The news isn’t as good for campgrounds along the route. The Elwha Campground is closed indefinitely due to severe flood damage, and the Altair Campground was destroyed by flooding and will be reopened as a day-use area.
Park crews installed a temporary bridge along Olympic Hot Springs Road last summer, in hopes of reopening access in the fall. However, an October storm led to increased activity in a side channel of the Elwha and intermittent minor flooding of the road just upstream of the new bridge. The road remained closed to allow park staff to monitor and more fully evaluate the frequency and severity of any flood events.
“We urge all park visitors to be informed and prepared before entering the more remote areas of Olympic National Park,” Creachbaum said. “Especially during the winter months, people should check the current weather forecast before heading into the park.”
The road and side channels will continue to be monitored. In the event of heavy rains or high river flows, water may flow over the road. During last week’s storm series, water flowing over the road surface reached 2-3 inches in depth.
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Comments
I really, really, really hope they will be able to soon re-open the Elwha Campground. That place was a little gem.