PORT ANGELES — The Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center will change to an online reservation system beginning at noon March 18.
The new system at www.recreation.gov will allow backpackers to check the availability of sites in real time, plan their trips and receive immediate confirmation, while also streamlining the park’s wilderness permit reservations, park officials said in a press release.
In addition to the online option, wilderness permit reservation requests can be submitted in person at a park Wilderness Information Center during business hours.
A third option for phone reservations will be functional by late April. This option will allow users to call the recreation.gov call center at 1-877-444-6777 to obtain a reservation.
The call center will be available for assistance with navigating the website beginning March 18. It is recommended that new users to www.recreation.gov create an account and get familiar with the new site, which was launched Oct. 1.
The fee for online, phone or in-person reservations will be $6 in addition to the regular permit fees.
Wilderness Permit fees are $8 per person per night for those 16 or older.
Annual wilderness passes are $45 per person, which covers regular permit fees for the pass holder.
“The new online system is more efficient, convenient, and allows more time for our wilderness information specialists to answer questions and assist with trip planning,” said Sarah Creachbaum, Olympic National Park superintendent.
Reservations are encouraged when planning trips that include one or more nights to quota areas and group sites such as Ozette Coast (Yellow Banks to Point of the Arches), Royal Basin/Royal Lake, Lake Constance, Upper Lena Lake, Flapjack Lakes (including Gladys Divide), Grand Valley and Badger Valley, Sol Duc/Seven Lakes Basin, Hoh Lake and CB Flats, Hoh River Trail group sites and Upper Hoh River Trail sites (Elk Lake, Glacier Meadows, Martin Creek).
Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) permit holders and Special Use Permit (SUP) holders will be required to have a Recreation.gov account which will be set up and administered by WIC staff.
All current CUA and SUP holders will be contacted by WIC staff with their account information shortly before March 18.
For more information about wilderness permits and backpacking in Olympic National Park, see the park website at www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/wilderness-trip-planner.htm.
