• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    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 between Upper Lake Mills Trail and Altair Campground.

  • 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.

Elwha Restoration Plans

Park employee with buckets of silt collected behind the dams

Overview:
The upcoming removal of two dams on the Elwha River is just one of the many steps towards eventual ecosystem restoration. Elwha River Restoration encompasses a number of important projects in a range of disciplines. Flood protection, sensitive species management, sediment management, restoration of anadromous fish stocks, and revegetation are all important aspects of the complete restoration of the Elwha River and ecosystem surrounding dam removal.

The construction of two water treatment facilities, completed in 2010, were two of the largest mitigation projects and ensure that water for human needs is protected during and after dam removal.

 
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This webpage was made possible in part by a grant from Washington’s National Park Fund.
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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...