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Rehabilitation Of Hurricane Ridge Lodge About To Start At Olympic National Park

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By Compiled From N... - March 21st, 2023

Renovations to the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge will occur this year/NPS file

This spring work at Olympic National Park in Washington state will begin to rehabilitate the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge, an approximately $11 million project funded through the Great American Outdoors Act.

To prepare for this project, the Hurricane Ridge area of the national park will be temporarily closed to the public. Public access to Hurricane Ridge will resume on Memorial Day Weekend. Visitors to Hurricane Ridge will notice some changes to operations during construction.

Over the next year, the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge will undergo an extensive rehabilitation to improve the building's interior and exterior, bring the lodge into compliance with current codes and accessibility standards, and ensure proper weatherproofing. Learn more about this project here.

Temporary Closure

To ensure the safety of National Park Service staff, contractors, and visitors, Hurricane Ridge will be closed to the public from March 27 through May 25. Hurricane Ridge will be closed to vehicles, bicycles, and hikers during this time. This closure will allow for the safe and efficient staging and setup of vehicles, supplies, and equipment, and will ensure a timely start for this important project.

"We are grateful for the public's understanding during this temporary closure," said Superintendent Sula Jacobs. "The rehabilitation of the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge is a much-needed project that will result in a more welcoming, safe, and energy-efficient building for future generations of park visitors."

Changes to the Visitor Experience at Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge will reopen to the public on May 26 in time for Memorial Day Weekend. Trails and areas around Hurricane Ridge will be open to visitors throughout construction as weather and conditions allow, however the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge will be closed during construction. Visitors to Hurricane Ridge this summer should be aware of the following changes:

  • Temporary restrooms, including accessible and family restrooms, will be available at Hurricane Ridge.
  • National park rangers will be available at a temporary visitor contact station to help visitors plan their visit to Hurricane Ridge.
  • Some sidewalk areas may be closed due to construction. Visitors with accessibility concerns should call (360) 565-3131 for current information.
  • Parking may be limited as sections of the Hurricane Ridge parking lot are used for temporary facilities and construction staging. Visitors to Hurricane Ridge are strongly encouraged to use the Clallam Transit bus service from downtown Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge. Learn more about this service here.
  • The Hurricane Ridge Mountain View Café, Gift Shop & Rental Shop, which is operated by Aramark Sports and Entertainment Service, LLC, and located inside the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge, will be closed. Visitors should plan ahead by bringing their own food and drinks, while being sure to Leave No Trace. The nearest store is a bookstore operated by Discover Your Northwest and located at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center at 3002 Mount Angeles Road, Port Angeles, WA 98362.

"We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to Hurricane Ridge this summer! Hurricane Ridge is the premier destination in the park to experience the amazing and beautiful subalpine meadows and sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains," said Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers Lee Snook. "While visiting Hurricane Ridge will be a little different this summer than in years past, our park rangers can't wait to share this special place with visitors from around the world."

With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, ecological diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including the glacier-capped mountains visible from Hurricane Ridge, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline. Visitors to Olympic National Park can start planning their visit at www.nps.gov/olym.

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