• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    Olympic

    National Park Washington

There are park alerts in effect.
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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 to 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.

Raccoon

A raccoon in a tree

Raccoons are excellent climbers.

Ken and Mary Campbell

Raccoon - Procyon lotor

Identification:
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.

Habitat:
Raccoons have a diverse habitat. They can be quite common in and around human communities including cities, towns and campgrounds. In the wilderness, raccoons are often found around lakes, rivers, and streams.

Diet:
Raccoons are omnivores and feed on a diverse diet of berries, acorns, small mammals, bugs, frogs, and fish in the wild. If given the chance, raccoons will eat human food and trash if it is not correctly stored.

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Did You Know?

dam with water flowing

Removal of two dams on the Elwha River is the second largest ecosystem restoration project in the National Park System.