PORT ANGELES —
Olympic National Park rangers are guiding free interpretive walks along the Elwha River where Lake Aldwell once existed at 1 p.m. each Saturday through Sept. 7.
Rangers take visitors through the landscape being created by the river following the removal of the Elwha Dam in March 2012 and the draining of the lake.
The walks begin at the former boat launch, located at the end of Lake Aldwell Road.
Dogs on leashes are permitted.
To get there, take U.S. Highway 101 and drive about 8 miles west of Port Angeles.
Turn north — a sharp right — off Highway 101 onto Lake Aldwell Road immediately after the Elwha River Bridge.
Visitors should wear sturdy walking shoes or boots and be prepared for windy conditions with no shade.
The guided portion of the walk lasts about an hour; visitors are then free to continue exploring the lakebed area.
The land is controlled by ONP but technically is not part of the national park.
No park admission pass is needed.
For more information about Elwha Discovery Walks, phone the Elwha Ranger Station at 360-452-9191.
For more information about Elwha River restoration, the world’s largest ever dam removal project, including links to the project webcams, weekly dam-removal blog and Elwha River restoration Facebook page, visit the Olympic National Park website: http://tinyurl.com/Elwha-Restoration.
