PORT ANGELES — Olympic National Park crews have completed a temporary foot trail into the Elwha Valley that bypasses the washed-out area of Olympic Hot Springs Road and provides an interim pedestrian access route into the valley.
The park will receive a Federal Highway Administration emergency repair grant to offset the cost of opening the temporary foot trail, Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman, has said.
Maynes said she did not know how much money the park would receive.
Caution urged
“We urge people to use extra caution throughout the Elwha Valley,” said Park Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum in a news release Saturday.
“Flood damage exists in a number of areas, and conditions are muddy and can be slippery in many areas, including on the temporary trail.”
A flood Nov. 17 reactivated a long-dry river channel behind the Elwha Campground, obliterating a section of Olympic Hot Springs Road and inundating the campground with silt and debris.
Flooded areas
A second flood Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 caused additional damage to both the road and campground.
The road is closed at the park gate at Madison Falls, 1 mile north of the washout.
All trails in the Elwha Valley are open, but both campgrounds are closed indefinitely.
Only one is likely to reopen this summer after silt and debris covering the site is removed and repairs made, Maynes said.
The future use of the remaining portions of the campground is under consideration, she said.
Rehabilitation plans
Design work to restore vehicle access to the Elwha Valley is ongoing, with park staff working to have Olympic Hot Springs Road reopen in time for the summer season.
Long-term repairs to the road will be part of a planned large-scale rehabilitation of the aging visitor infrastructure of Elwha Valley roads, trails and campgrounds, Maynes said.
Park planners expect to begin taking public comment and complete environmental studies on the project in a year or two, she said.
Pets are permitted on the temporary Elwha Access Trail, as well as on roads and parking lots within Olympic National Park.
Pets are not allowed on any other trails in the Elwha Valley, including trails that adjoin the Elwha Access Trail. Bicycles are permitted on roads within the park but are not allowed on park trails.
A map of the temporary Elwha Access Trail is available at http://tinyurl.com/PDNTrailMap.
For more information about visiting the park, visit www.nps.gov/olym.
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Reporter Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
