News Release

Safety Prioritized in Winter Campground Closures

Date: October 18, 2023
Contact: Public Affairs Office, 360-565-3005

To protect visitors from risks posed by hazard trees, Olympic National Park is modifying the seasonal closures in some campgrounds. From November 1 through March 31, the following areas will be closed: Staircase Campground, all sections; Mora Campground, Loops A, B, C, and E; and Kalaloch Campground, South Loop.  

Compromised tree health and stability in these areas has increased the risk of tree falls in winter conditions.  

In the forest surrounding Staircase Campground, Armillaria root rot has weakened the stability of some conifer and broadleaf trees. Armillaria kills the tree by cutting off nutrient flow to the upper parts of the tree. Compromised roots can cause the tree to fall during winter conditions when soils are wet, winds are strong, and the canopies are carrying heavy snow. Hazard trees will continue to be monitored and removed after review by park staff and partnering scientists. 

Dwarf mistletoe has infected the stems of some hemlock trees at Mora Campground. While these stem infections don't kill the tree, they do allow fungi to invade the tree and cause rot. Infected trees are unlikely to fail under normal conditions. Strong winter winds could cause infected trees to break at the infection site. Loop D will be open to visitors after park hazard tree inspectors identify and remove the infected hemlocks. 

The forest history at Kalaloch Campground left the area with many trees standing on stilted roots. Under normal conditions, these trees can be stable. When subjected to strong winds and wet soils, common winter weather conditions on the coast, these trees can fail. Annosus root disease was also detected as this campground. 

Olympic National Park is working to ensure threats posed by these hazard trees are mitigated. Throughout the winter, visitors are encouraged to visit other park campgrounds. For the latest information, check: Campground Status - Olympic National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)