OLYMPIA — Olympic National Park will reopen the Hurricane Ridge area next week, nearly two months after a fire destroyed a popular lodge there.
The historic Hurricane Ridge Lodge burned down on May 7, prompting officials to cut off access to the area. A fire investigation and cleanup efforts are ongoing and the area lacks shelter and other amenities it previously had.
Superintendent Sula Jacobs announced on Wednesday that the park will reopen the area on Tuesday, June 27, offering access from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. However, vehicle access will be limited to a maximum of 315 due to limited portable toilet capacity.
“We are excited to reopen this area to visitors and are committed to restoring permanent visitor services in the future,” Jacobs said. “We are also thankful for the public’s understanding. Our commitment is to the safety of our visitors.”
The parking area can only support 175 vehicles at a time, according to the park’s news release. Park staff will allow the first 175 vehicles to enter at Heart O’ the Hills Entrance Station on Hurricane Ridge Road, according to the park website. Once that number is reached, the next 140 vehicles will be metered at the entrance station.
Park staff will close the road when the daily limit of 315 is reached. However, the park cautions that staff may adjust the limit as they monitor conditions.
Avoid lines
Visitors can avoid long lines and parking limits by taking the Clallam Transit Hurricane Ridge Shuttle or a bicycle to the area. Cyclists can freely use Hurricane Ridge Road once it reopens.
Obstruction Point Road, a winding 8-mile gravel mountain road, will be open to vehicles as well. Wilderness Permit holders for the Obstruction Point area also may enter the Hurricane Ridge area regardless of the road closing to private vehicles.
The public can obtain Wilderness Permits for overnight camping from Obstruction Point via recreation.gov or in-person at the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles.
Portable toilets will be available at Picnic Areas A and B along Hurricane Hill Road, according to the release.
The day lodge has been fenced and closed to the public. The release says more road closures are likely to occur once the fire investigation is complete and the cleanup process begins.
The two-story, 12,201-square-foot lodge served as a visitor center with interpretive exhibits, a gift shop and a small café run by Aramark, a park concessionaire. More than 300,000 people visited the area in a typical year, according to the park.
Before the fire, the building had been undergoing renovations since March 27. That $11 million project was funded by the Great American Outdoors Act and scheduled to finish next year.
More information about Olympic National Park and the Hurricane Ridge area can be found on the park website.
