• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    Olympic

    National Park Washington

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Changes to Visitor Services Due to Sequestration

    Due to mandatory, across the board budget cuts, some visitor services at Olympic National Park have changed. See the Plan Your Visit section for more information.

  • Hurricane Ridge Road Closure for guard-rail work

    Tueday, June 18 (6:00 AM - 11:00 AM)

  • Olympic Hot Springs Road Closed

    The Elwha Valley's Olympic Hot Springs Road is closed to public entry beyond the Altair Campground during removal of the Glines Canyon Dam. Olympic Hot Springs is not accessible from the Elwha.

  • Elwha River Closures

    Boating is prohibited on the Elwha River between Upper Lake Mills Trail and Altair Campground.

How Long Will Litter Last?

Decomposition is the word scientists use to describe how materials break down in nature. Can you determine how long it takes for these littered items to decompose?

Match the litter on the left with the time it can last in nature. Use the boxes on the left to write your choices. Then use the drop-down menu to check your answers.

 
Paper
Plastic-coated Paper
Plastic Bags
Plastic bottles
Plastic Six-pack Holder
Orange or Banana Peel
Aluminum Cans
Styrofoam
Tin Cans
Nylon Fabric
Cotton Shirt
Glass Bottles
Wool Socks
a. 2-4 weeks
b. 1-6 months
c. 2 years
d. 1-5 years
e. 5 years
f. 10-20 years
g. 30-40 years
h. 50 years
i. 80-100 years
j 100 years
k. 1,000,000 years
l. indefinitely
m. indefinitely

 

What can YOU do to help rangers keep Olympic National Park clean?

Did You Know?

View of the Elwha Valley

Did you know that in 1988, Congress designated 95% of Olympic National Park as Wilderness. The Olympic Wilderness is a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. More...