The Rain Forests of Olympic National Park are a unique attribute of the National Park System. On Oct 1st the area begins its transition to the wet months and is also the best time of the year to visit. The bobcat pictured here shows up for the Coho salmon spawning and visitors often get to see her. She follows the otters up and down the creek hoping to grab a fish they haul up on the bank of Taft creek. For the last few years, a woman in a wheelchair visits at this time of year to park herself on one of the bridges to watch the action. I hope she doesn’t get turned away because of this shutdown nonsense. Then there are the science data gathering duties that are not getting done. Our atmospheric chemistry sample gathering goes back over 25 years showing the cleanest air in the United states. It is not getting done. Meteorological data gathering is not getting done. Shutdown, what a disappointment.
Sincerely,
Olympic National Park
Exploring Olympic’s dynamic landscape is like visiting three parks in one. The high mountains offer snow, glaciers, wilderness and — if you time it right — acres of wildflowers. The lush, verdant Hoh Rainforest is unlike anything else in the Lower 48, and home to Roosevelt elk, black bears and other charismatic wildlife. And the park’s stunning coast offers some of the country's wildest and most spectacular beaches, dotted with tide pools and sea stacks. Visitors can now see where park staff recently removed two large dams, letting the Elwha River flow freely again for the first time in more than 100 years.
State(s): Washington
Established: 1938
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Greetings from Olympic National Park
Enjoying a soak in Sol Duc Hot Springs on a clear September morning! The springs get pretty crowded later in the day, but early is like having a private pool to yourself. So peaceful ....
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Greetings from Olympic National Park
Strolling through the Redwoods of Olympic National Park late last Summer, I was reminded of how little we are. The Staircase area of the park that I visited took me back in time instantaneously. It gave me a sense of gratefulness that generations before me had preserved one of our…
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