Heading to Olympic National Park’s Hurricane Ridge this summer? Be prepared for some traffic delays due to needed construction starting on April 9th, 2018. While the delays may be a bummer to your trip to the Shangri-La of the Olympic Peninsula, don’t let the traffic stop you from visiting this stunning region. At worst, the delays, which take place on the first five miles of the gorgeous 17 mile road, will only be for 20 minutes at a time.

Hurricane Ridge is one of the major destinations for all who visit Olympic National Park. Just 18 miles from downtown Port Angeles, the trails and vistas of Hurricane Ridge await you. The drive up is one of the prettiest roads in America, with scenery so stunning you’ll have to seriously focus on staying on the road . With sights of Mount Olympus and the Olympic interior, as well as numerous day hikes, you can—and should—spend a whole day here. Keep an eye out for the marmots, mountain goats, and deer that frequent the trails in the summer.

The following is a press release from Olympic National Park: Road work is set to begin Monday, April 9 on a five-month project to rehabilitate the first five miles of Hurricane Ridge Road from the intersection with Mt. Angeles Road to the Heart O’ the Hills entrance station.

The road work will include utility work, pavement rehabilitation, culvert installation, guardrail installation, and paving. Drivers should expect delays of up to 20 minutes in both directions during weekday work hours. Flaggers and pilot cars will guide drivers through the active construction areas and temporary traffic signs and devices will be installed for weekend and evening travel as needed.

“While we recognize the inconvenience of this road construction for park visitors and local residents in the Lake Dawn community, we are looking forward to improved conditions and an extended lifespan for this busy road. We ask the public for their patience and understanding as we complete this project.” ~ ” Park Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum.

The $6.9 million road rehabilitation project is a partnership between the National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration and Washington State contractor Columbia Pacific Construction, Inc. of Woodland.

For more information about visiting Olympic National Park, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/olym or call the recorded Road & Weather Hotline at 360-565-3131 for daily updates.

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Discover a Hike a Week through Doug Scott’s Olympic National Park Area Guidebook