Olympic

National Park Washington

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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.

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.

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.

Blacktail Deer

A blacktail deer and her twin fawns in a meadow near Hurricane Ridge

Ken and Mary Campbell

Blacktail Deer – Odocoileus hemionus columbianus

Identification:
Blacktail deer may be the park's most graceful mammal. They are much smaller than Roosevelt elk, and may be seen just about anywhere within Olympic National Park, from subalpine forests and meadowlands down to river valleys. Blacktail deer are considered a subspecies of mule deer, which are common throughout much of the West. They are also closely related to the white-tailed deer, well-known throughout the eastern and Midwestern U.S.

Habitat:
Blacktail deer are particularly common on the edges of forests where there is adequate shelter and ample meadowland. They are often spotted grazing in mountain meadows at dawn and dusk. These graceful creatures are prominent members of the wildlife community.

Diet:
Blacktail deer feed on different types of grasses, lichens, plants, and sometimes berries.

Conservation Status:
Not threatened

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