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Contact: Rainey McKenna, 360-565-2985 Contact: Barb Maynes, 360-565-3005
Beginning July 19, Obstruction Point Road will be open from Hurricane Ridge to Waterhole at Milepost 3.2. Road crews continue to clear debris and grade the road surface between Waterhole and the road's terminus at the Obstruction Point trailhead. Road material may be loose. Motorists are advised to use caution and drive slowly. Park officials anticipate opening the remaining section of Obstruction Point Road by early August, dependent on weather conditions and road safety. To provide continued access for park staff and heavy equipment, parking is restricted to roadside pull-outs. The timeline for opening the Obstruction Point Road this year has been dependent on natural snowmelt. The road has not been plowed due to reductions in supplies and materials funding, as well as reduced maintenance staffing as a result of the mandatory five percent budget sequester. In applying the five percent cut, park staff has given highest priority to protecting public, staff and partner safety.Park staff are also working hard to minimize impacts on park visitors and local communities.
Current road information is available by calling Olympic National Park's information line at 360-565-3131 or online at nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/current-road-conditions.htm. The Obstruction Point Road is Olympic National Park's highest elevation road, leading from Hurricane Ridge (5,242 feet above sea level) approximately eight miles east to Obstruction Point at 6,150 feet. It is typically open mid-July through mid-October, depending on snow and weather conditions. |
Last updated: February 28, 2015