Plan Like a Ranger! Winter 2021-2022 at Hurricane Ridge

Winter at Hurricane Ridge is upon us and it is more important than ever to plan ahead. The Hurricane Ridge Road is scheduled to be open, weather permitting,
Friday through Sunday, beginning November 26 through March 27 and some holidays.

Hurricane Ridge Road typically opens at 9:00 am, though times can vary. Depending on weather and road conditions, the road may open as early as 8:00 am, as late as noon, or not open at all. The road closes to uphill traffic at 4:00 pm and all vehicles must exit the Heart O’ the Hills entrance station by 5:00 pm. All vehicles are required to carry tire chains.

Here is what our Rangers do to prepare for a trip to Hurricane Ridge.

 

Before 8 AM:

1) Check the Hurricane Webcams: go.nps.gov/HRwebcams

a. How is the parking lot looking? New snow? Plows operating? Low visibility?

2) Check the Avalanche Forecast: nwac.us/

a. Due to potential avalanches on the road, it could remain closed if avalanche danger is Extreme or High.

3) Check the Hurricane Ridge weather station: HR Weather Station

a. Are there very high winds? Heavy snowfall? Either could keep the road closed.

 

After 8 AM:

1) Check the @HRWinterAccess twitter feed (no account necessary): twitter.com/HRWinterAccess

a. Rangers use this Twitter feed to provide updates on road status as well as parking lot status.

2) Call the Road and Weather hotline at 360-565-3131

a. Not updated as frequently as the twitter feed but can be a good alternative.

 

After 9 AM:

1) Road typically opens at 9 AM and on busy weekends, a line will form before the gate is swung open. The parking lot can fill within 15 minutes of opening after the first 150 vehicles are sent through the entrance gate.

a. The twitter feed will then provide updates on wait times and delays.

b. After the parking lot fills, the entrance staff will go to 1:1, which means as one car comes down, one car can go up.

c. The entrance staff may be able to do “bumps”: Rangers at the Ridge will provide a parking lot update and they may allow for more vehicles to bump up at once.

 

If you plan like a Ranger, then your visit to Olympic National Park and Hurricane Ridge could be more enjoyable! We look forward to your visit.

More resources to Plan Like a Park Ranger:

• Hurricane Ridge in Winter webpage
• Winter edition of the park newspaper, the Bugler
• Winter 2021-2022 Trip Planning news release