Olympic National Park Alerts and Current Conditions

Cover of Brian Russ's guide to Olympic National Park

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This page tracks what's closed, what's changed, and what's coming up at Olympic National Park, Washington, from the park's alerts, conditions, and hours pages. I check it daily and rewrite it when the park posts something new. From October through May, weather can close roads and campgrounds on short notice, so check the park's alerts or road and weather line the morning you go.

Current alerts

  • Quinault's North Shore and South Shore roads no longer connect. Crews removed the temporary bridge between them on October 22 for the winter, because the culvert it spans is vulnerable to storms and high water. Reach Graves Creek by South Shore Road. (NPS)
  • Pile burning in four areas. From October 20, conditions permitting, crews are burning debris piles in the Mora, Hoh, Elwha, and Quinault maintenance areas. (NPS)
  • Staircase is open, but the wilderness around it isn't. The developed area, including the campground and the Staircase Rapids Loop, is open, but all other trails there stay closed after the Bear Gulch Fire. The park warns of falling trees, loose rock, and debris flows in burned areas. (NPS)
  • Rabid bat at Staircase. A bat found near Staircase Bridge on August 9 tested positive for rabies after getting caught in the hair of a woman the park hasn't identified, around 2 p.m. She should get medical care right away and call the Mason County Health Department at 360-427-9670, ext. 405. (NPS)
  • Elwha road is closed to cars at Madison Falls. A washout closed Olympic Hot Springs Road to vehicles at the Madison Falls parking area. Walkers, cyclists, stock, and leashed pets can go past the gate, but there are no facilities beyond it. (NPS)
  • Hurricane Ridge construction. Utility work continues in the main parking lot, there's no drinking water on the ridge, and paving work can bring short rolling closures. (NPS)

Open and closed right now

  • The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Entrance is $30 per private vehicle, good for seven consecutive days. (NPS)
  • Olympic National Park Visitor Center (Port Angeles): open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center: open Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., through October 31.
  • Closed for the season: the Kalaloch, Quinault Rain Forest, and Storm King ranger stations and the Hurricane Ridge contact station.
  • Hurricane Ridge: the road is open to the ridge, and Hurricane Hill Road is open beyond the parking area. Services are limited, and there's no overnight camping in the lots. Obstruction Point Road is closed for the season.
  • Roads listed as open: Sol Duc-Hot Springs, Mora, North Fork and Graves Creek (no RVs or trailers on Graves Creek), and the Queets roads, which can close on short notice in bad weather. (NPS)
  • Campgrounds open: Heart O' the Hills, Kalaloch, Mora, Hoh, Graves Creek, North Fork, Queets, Staircase, and the Sol Duc Hot Springs RV Park and Campground. Staircase has water and flush toilets only in summer.
  • Campgrounds closed: Fairholme and South Beach, both until spring. Ozette is unclear: the park's campground listing shows it closed for flooding, while the conditions page lists it as open. Call the road and weather line before you count on it.
  • Lodging and services: Lake Crescent Lodge and Kalaloch Lodge and its Mercantile are open. Log Cabin Resort and the Fairholme Store are closed. At Lake Crescent, the Spruce Railroad Trail, the Marymere Falls trailhead, and the boat launches are open.

Coming up in the next few weeks

  • Saturday, October 31: the last posted day of Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center hours; nothing is posted after that.
  • Sunday, November 1: the end of the reservation window for the Sol Duc Hot Springs RV Park and Campground.
  • Staircase Campground: the park's listing gives a November 1 winter closing, but the date shown is from 2025, so confirm before you go.
  • Thursday, November 26: the visitor centers and Hurricane Ridge Road are closed for Thanksgiving. The Port Angeles visitor center also closes December 24 and Christmas Day.
  • Winter: Heart O' the Hills goes walk-in only during heavy snow. Fairholme is scheduled to reopen April 23, 2027, and South Beach May 21, 2027.

What this means for your trip

Most of Olympic is open, but late fall moves the trip toward the lowlands. If your plan used the loop drive around Lake Quinault, it's now an out-and-back on South Shore Road to Graves Creek. At the Hoh, the visitor center keeps weekend hours through October 31, but the trails and parking areas are open regardless. Staircase gets you the Rapids Loop and nothing deeper, so save longer hikes for another valley.

Hurricane Ridge Road is open for now, though it closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas and weather can close it any day. Bring your own water and expect construction delays. Obstruction Point is out until next season.

Campers still have first-come, first-served choices on the coast and in the rain forests, but not at Lake Crescent. Expect rain and short days, and carry the Ten Essentials even on short walks, as the park urges.

Before you go

  • Check the park's alerts and conditions the morning of your visit.
  • Road and Weather recorded line: 360-565-3131. Visitor information: 360-565-3130.
  • Wilderness Information Center: 360-565-3100. Overnight wilderness permits must be booked in advance on Recreation.gov, and none are issued at trailheads.
  • Driving to Ozette? SR 112 has had frequent closures and detours from flooding and landslides, so check Washington State Department of Transportation conditions first.

If a closure knocks out part of your plan, my guide to Olympic National Park has nine one- to three-day itineraries at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for weather or closures. You can also check alerts and conditions for every national park.

This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always check the park's current alerts before you go.