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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 between Upper Lake Mills Trail to Altair Campground.
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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.
Visitors Cautioned to Keep at Least 100 Feet Away From Hoh Rain Forest Elk and Other Park Wildlife
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Contact: Barb Maynes, 360-565-3005 Contact: Dave Reynolds, 360-565-2985
Visitors to Olympic National Park's Hoh Rain Forest are warned to keep their distance from all park wildlife, including the area's wild and majestic Roosevelt elk. "The Roosevelt elk is one of Olympic's most beautiful and iconic animals," said Olympic National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin. "At the same time, elk pose a very real hazard to people who approach too closely – to avoid injury and to protect the animals, visitors should remain at least 100 feet from elk and other park wildlife." Several Roosevelt elk in the Hoh Rain Forest are showing signs of becoming "habituated," or abnormally comfortable with, the presence of humans. This creates a dangerous situation for both visitors and elk. People who approach elk place themselves at risk of harm, as elk can aggressively charge people and cause injury with hooves or antlers. In turn, the elks' safety is jeopardized, as biologists must consider serious action in the event of human injury. In addition to heightened warnings to Hoh area visitors, rangers will begin a concentrated program to discourage interactions between elk and humans. The Hoh Rain Forest nature trails may close temporarily when elk are using these areas. Rangers will employ a variety of techniques to drive elk from the heavily used visitor areas. Visitors should always maintain a safe distance when viewing park wildlife – a minimum of 100 feet is recommended. |
Did You Know?
That endemic Olympic snow moles are scurrying beneath this blanket of snow? Olympic National Park's Hurricane Ridge is blanketed with over ten feet of snow for most of the winter, providing water for summer and protection for snow moles in winter.