OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Hurricane Ridge is the most popular tourist attraction in the state, according to user data collected by www.tripadvisor.com.
The travel website used a “popularity index” based on the quality, quantity and recency of reviews written by users.
With panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains, Hurricane Ridge is one of Olympic National Park’s signature attractions.
The mile-high ridge, located 17 miles south of Port Angeles, has a network of trails, alpine meadows, wildlife and a popular visitor center.
Hurricane Ridge had 465,000 visits last year, Olympic National Park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said.
A list of the top tourist attractions in all 50 states was published Saturday by Parade magazine.
The Parade list, which includes a photograph of the Olympic Mountains from Hurricane Ridge, is available at http://tinyurl.com/pdn-tripadvisor.
“It’s always gratifying to know how much people appreciate their national parks, and Hurricane Ridge is definitely a stand-out location,” Maynes said.
Maynes added that Hurricane Ridge is one of many places to appreciate the diversity of Olympic National Park.
Hurricane Ridge Road is open daily during the summer.
In the winter, the road to the Hurricane Ridge and its ski area is generally open from 9 a.m. to dusk Fridays through Sundays and holiday Mondays.
The road is subject to close at any time for inclement weather.
Hurricane Ridge also can be accessed by trail from the Elwha Valley, Heart o’ the Hills and Little River valley.
Other notable tourist attractions on the TripAdvisor list include New York’s Central Park, Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania and the Pacific Coast Highway in California.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
