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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.
ONP Jigsaw Puzzles
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Are you unable to visit our park or anxious to visit? These puzzles display some of the precious resources at Olympic National Park. Take a virtual tour of our park by completing as many puzzles as you can! We hope you can visit us in person someday soon. To work on the jigsaw puzzles, click on any of the following images. The link will take you to an external website. The number in the lower right-hand corner of the image displays the number of puzzle pieces in the puzzle. This will help you determine how difficult the puzzle will be for your child. Enjoy! ![]() The ponds, lakes, streams and forests of Olympic National Park provide the ideal habitat for 13 species of frogs, toads, and salamanders. ![]() Cold, nutrient-rich waters upwelling from the Pacific Ocean floor feed a food chain extending from tiny invertebrates to many-ton whales. ![]() Old-growth forest, subalpine lakes, and snowy peaks populate the Sol Duc landscape, while the Sol Duc River serves as a key highway for coho salmon, running through the valley and ascending to the lakes and headwaters in the surrounding mountains. ![]() These members of the weasel family are related to minks, weasels, badgers, and otters. A thick, glossy coat of dark brown fur allows fishers to survive harsh winters. Their long, thin body, and short legs, like that of the weasel, makes them agile hunters, climbing trees and scurrying into burrows in pursuit of prey. ![]() Nestled in the northern foothills of the Olympic Mountains, Lake Crescent lies about 18 miles west of Port Angeles. The pristine waters of this deep, glacially carved lake make it an ideal destination for those in search of natural beauty. ![]() For those looking to spend anywhere from a few hours to an entire day in the Sol Duc, the walk through old-growth forest to the Sol Duc Falls overlook is just a mile from the parking lot. ![]() Species such as the threatened marbled murrelet and bald eagle depend on forest habitat and feed on salmon. ![]() Ever wonder where a humingbird takes a break? Complete this puzzle to capture a glimpse! ![]() The trees in the Hoh Rain Forest create a canopy that covers the majority of the forest. Mosses and ferns that blanket the surfaces add another dimension to the enchantment of the rainforest. ![]() Fog often rolls in after sunset and lingers until late morning. Heavy fog can add over 30 inches of moisture to the forest yearly, nearly as much as Seattle receives in a year of rain. ![]() Elk are relatively versatile, and often occupy a range of habitats, from montane meadows and forests down to the lowland rain forests, where there is ample food. An excellent place to see elk is the Hoh Rain Forest. ![]() Nuzzling, playing, chirping, feeding together; the Olympic marmot is quite possibly one of the most social and gregarious mammals on the peninsula. They are endemic to the Olympic Peninsula, meaning they are found no where else in the world. ![]() Fallen trees, known as "nurse logs", provide extra room and the emergence of sunlight for seedlings to grow in the understory of the temperate rain forest. ![]() Over 300 species of birds live in the area at least part of the year, from tiny penguin-like rhinoceros auklets offshore to bald eagles soaring over the peaks. ![]() Blacktail deer may be the park's most graceful mammal. They may be seen just about anywhere within Olympic National Park, from subalpine forests and meadowlands down to river valleys. ![]() The black bear is a common inhabitant of Olympic National Park, and North America, in general. They are smaller and darker than the grizzly bear and the brown bear. ![]() Often known as the 'masked bandit,' raccoons have gray fur, with what looks like a black mask around their eyes. Their bushy tails are ringed with black and white stripes. Raccoons are expert climbers and are able to open doors and raid garbage cans if given the opportunity. ![]() Cougars are one of the most reclusive, elusive, and stealthily creatures of the forests. They are rarely seen by people. They are the fourth largest cat of the feline family, behind lions, tigers, and jaguars. Remember, if you see a cougar, do NOT approach it and call the ranger station to report it. ![]() During the winter months, snow enthusiasts enjoy the winter scenery, along with snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding. Ranger-guided snowshoe walks are offered on the weekends and are a popular way to explore and learn about the Ridge's winter environment. ![]() Salmon are anadromous fish, they migrate from freshwater rivers to the ocean and back to spawn in their natal streams. Bears, otters, eagles, and many others feast on salmon carcasses. Their life cylce facilitates the transportation of key nutrients to lakes, rivers and streams. ![]() From massive conifers over 20 stories tall, to minute clumps of pink Douglasia prying a life out of rocky peaks, the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park boast an amazing diversity of plant life. ![]() Spiny purple and red sea urchins share a tide pool with the frilly orange feeding tentacles of a sea cucumber. Peer into a tidepool and your view may take in hundreds of animals crowded into an area the size of a dinner plate. ![]() Olympic National Park's 73-mile long wilderness coast is a rare treasure in a country where much of the coastline is prime real estate. The rocky headlands, beaches, tidepools nurturing a living rainbow of colors and textures, off shore sea stacks topped by nesting seabirds and wind-sheared trees-all are a remnant of a wilder America. ![]() Rough-skinned newts use their bright orange underbellies as well as a poison secreted from their skin to protect themselves. They breed in ponds but usually live in the lowland forest. The ponds, lakes, streams and forests of Olympic National Park provide the ideal habitat for 13 species of frogs, toads, and salamanders ![]() If you stand on the rugged coast of Olympic National Park and scan the Pacific Ocean, you might spot seals, sea lions, a spouting whale, or sea otters frolicking amid the kelp. These waters are part of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, an area about twice the size of the park. ![]() Gray whales often navigate the coastal waters of the Olympic Peninsula. Some even enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca and stay to feed for days or weeks. They can be seen feeding off the coast in late spring and summer, or feeding on bottom sediments at the mouths of the Hoh and Quillayute rivers in the summer. ![]() Here you will find Pacific Ocean beaches, rain forest valleys, glacier-capped peaks and a stunning variety of plants and animals. Roads provide access to the outer edges of the park, but the heart of Olympic is wilderness; a primeval sanctuary for humans and wild creatures alike. ![]() Sea otters were hunted to extinction off the Washington coast by the early 1900s, but a reintroduction in 1969 and 1970 began a recovery that continues today. Over 800 otters are now at home again in the kelp forests and waters off the park. ![]() Epiphytes are plants that grow on plants, use tree limbs as props. In doing so, they do not harm the trees. More than 130 species of mosses, lichens, liverworts and ferns costume the trees, adding to the forest's character. |
Did You Know?
Does this flower look familiar? The bunchberry, a common groundcover of Olympic's lowland forest, is closely related to the dogwood trees found throughout North America.
