Hurricane Ridge Area Brochure

Life on the Edge

Life at Hurricane Ridge is shaped by wind and snow. Winds gusting over 75 miles an hour buffet the ridge, lending the name "Hurricane." The 30-35 feet of snow that falls annually lingers into summer, shaping life year-round. Its weight challenges trees; its persistence maintains open meadows. As you explore, look for evidence that snow truly sculpts this landscape.

 

Area Information

Facilities: Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center has exhibits, orientation movie and restrooms. It is open with a staffed information desk daily in summer and weekends late December to late March. A foyer restroom and warming area are always open. Ranger programs are offered late June to September with snowshoe walks in winter. A gift shop with snack bar is open mid May to early fall and weekends mid December to late March. In winter, the gift shop has snowshoe and ski rentals. The Hurricane Ridge Road is open 24 hours a day from mid May into October. The rest of the year it opens (weather permitting) primarily on weekends. Call 360-565-3131 for a 24- hour road and weather recording.

Picnic Areas: Picnic Areas A and B (summer only), one mile beyond the visitor center, have restrooms, water and paved trails to tables. In winter, visitors may picnic upstairs in the visitor center.

Camping: The closest vehicle campground is at Heart O' the Hills, 12 miles downhill. Get wilderness camping permits at the Wilderness Information Center, 360-565-3100, in Port Angeles.

Regulations: Please stay on designated trails and do not feed wildlife. Pets and bicycles are not permitted on paved or dirt trails.

 

Hurricane Ridge Area Map

 

Trails at Hurricane Ridge

Trail	Description	Miles	Elevation Change
Cirque Rim	Easy paved trail with views of Port Angeles and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Wheelchair accessible with assistance.	0.5 one way	Under 50 ft.
Big Meadow	Easy paved trail crosses open meadows with views of the Olympics. Wheelchair accessible with assistance.	0.25 one way	Under 50 ft.
High Ridge	Partially paved loop climbs to 360° views and a 0.1 mile dead end spur trail to Sunrise Point.	0.5 mile loop	+220 ft.
Klahhane Ridge	The first 2.8 miles of this trail is on a ridge to a junction with the Klahhane Switchback trail. An additional mile on the Switchback Trail climbs 800 ft. to Klahhane Ridge.	3.8 one way	+250 ft. first 2.8 miles
Hurricane Hill	Paved trail climbs to a panoramic view of mountains and saltwater. Closed August 15-26 for mountain goat management project.	1.6 one way	+700 ft.
Wolf Creek	Dirt trail descends 8 miles to Whiskey Bend in the Elwha Valley.	8.0 one way	-3,772 ft.
Little River	Dirt trail descends 8 miles to the Little River Road. Not accessible from Hurricane Hill Trail from August 15-26. See map below.	8.0 one way	-4,073 ft.
Hurricane Hill/Elwha	Dirt trails descends from Hurricane Hill through meadows and steep forested switchbacks to the start of the Whiskey Bend Road. Not accessible from Hurricane Hill Trail from August 15-26. See map below.	6.0 one way	-5,250 ft.

 

A map of the Hurricane Hill trail titled August 2022 Termporary Road and Trail Closures for Mountain Goat Management. Labels and arrows indicate that the Hurricane Hill Trail is fully closed, and that connecting Little River Trail and Elwha to Hurricane Hill Trail are both closed above 4500 feet. The road and trails to Hurricane Hill are closed beyond Picnic Area B, as is the Hurricane Hill Trailhead Parking area. All of these closures are from August 15-26.

Roger Hoffman/NPS

 

Be Safe and Preserve the Park

Protect yourself, your pet and wildlife by not feeding wild animals, keeping a safe distance and not taking pets on any trails.

Footprints can leave lasting scars. Help preserve the meadows by staying on snow or designated trails.