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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.
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Elwha River Closures
Boating is prohibited on the Elwha River from Upper Lake Mills Trail downstream to the Highway 112 bridge, except for the stretch between Altair Campground and the Highway 101 bridge.
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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.
Plan A Park Field Trip
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Exploring Olympic National Park provides practical, first-hand experience that reinforces concepts introduced in the classroom. Education programs are available and based from the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles (see park map in left hand column). Education Rangers construct programs following the State of Washington Standards of Learning guidelines as well as best educational practices. Program Topics The diversity of Olympic National Park beckons. Programs topics include forest ecology, winter ecology/phenology, water quality, erosion and deposition, geology, fish ecology, habitat investigations, and much more. Program topics are flexible and rangers can accommodate diverse topics aligned with your current areas of study. Program formats include guided nature hikes, field-based scientific investigations, snowshoe walks (January through March), PowerPoint presentations, and park orientations. Program locations vary, but are limited to a one hour drive from the visitor center. Group size and program duration vary. If interested, please contact us at least a month in advance. 
Explore the majesty of Olympic with a ranger-guided field trip.
Elwha Watershed Exploration (Grades 5-8) This inquiry based exploration seeks to understand the current watershed health of the Elwha River as well as to gain a first-hand perspective of the current dam removal and restoration project. The first portion of the program meets the Education Ranger at the visitor center located in Port Angeles for the program overview and Lake Mills sediment model. Following the overview, the group will move to the Elwha River and collect data and other observations concerning the health of the ecosystem. The final phase, time dependent, will be a stop at the lower dam overlook. Program is four hours in duration and occurs at numerous different site locations, so a dedicated source of transportation is necessary. Program length and locations can be varied to accommodate individual class needs, but are subject to staffing requirements. 
Ranger Emma assists with testing the turbidity of Peabody Creek North Olympic Watershed (N.O.W.) Science Program (5th grade) Working with the Feiro Marine Life Center and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the N.O.W. Science program is an inquiry based exploration of the Peabody Creek watershed. Students begin their watershed investigation at the Olympic National Park visitor center in Port Angeles. While hiking the Peabody Creek trail and other sections along Peabody Creek,students collect three data sets concerning water quality and watershed health. Following their data collection, students work with park rangers and Feiro educators to form conclusions. 
Ranger Dean fields questions about the diversity of insects. Insects (Grade 1-2) The insect program compliments the Insects FOSS Science Kits. Consisting of a nature walk, microscope investigation time, and educational games, the insects program is a fun, interactive learning experience. Program is offered during the fall season and is 2 hours in duration. This hands-on program compliments the New Plants FOSS Science Kits. Program includes a ranger guided plant walk on the Living Forest Trail, a session with our dissecting microscope, and educational games and activities. Program occurs during the fall season and runs 2 hours in duration. For an indepth synopsis please view the program overview to see how the program is aligned with Washington State standards. Contact Olympic National Park or Entrance Fee Waiver Park entrance fees may be waived for school group visits when class curriculum relates to park resources. Fee waiver information. |
Did You Know?
Although related to other marmots and groundhogs of North America, the Olympic marmot is unique. An endemic species, it is found only in the Olympic Mountains. Visitors to the high country of Olympic National Park may be lucky enough to encounter a marmot sunning itself near its burrow.