Olympic National

Park sources

Road repairs to the Fisherman’s Corner section of Olympic Hot Springs Road within Olympic National Park will begin on Tuesday, May 31.

Contractors will begin preparatory work early next week and the road will remain open through the Memorial Day weekend.

Beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 30, the Olympic Hot Springs Road will close to all public entry, including pedestrian and bicycle access, for up to five weeks. The Elwha and Altair campgrounds and all area trail heads will close during this time.

Work at Fisherman’s Corner, located approximately one mile south of the park boundary, is expected to last up to five weeks and will include placement of bank protection as well as replacement of failed road base material and asphalt.

Olympic Hot Springs Road provides the only vehicular access to the Elwha Valley of Olympic National Park and will be a primary access road for contractors during the removal of Glines Canyon Dam, scheduled to begin in September as a part of the Elwha River restoration.

Final designs for repairs to the Whiskey Bend Road are still under way. Work will begin as soon as possible after repairs are completed to the Olympic Hot Springs Road. The 4.5-mile road has been closed to vehicles since December 2010, when the road sustained extensive slide damage caused by heavy rains. In addition to the slide, an assessment by road engineers revealed large voids under the road, seriously compromising road safety and stability.

Whiskey Bend Road remains open at this time to pedestrians, bicyclists and stock users, who should use extra caution when crossing the damaged areas.

For more information about enjoying Olympic National Park during the spring and early summer, visit www.nps.gov/olym.