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
I spent a day hiking in Olympic National Park with my family this summer. We were greeted by snow-capped mountains and miles of evergreens, both of which were familiar characteristics of Washington State. Throughout the year, the mountains are always dotted with wildflowers frequented by fat bees and skittish butterflies.…
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Greetings from Olympic National Park
On top of Hurricane Ridge I came across this deer who seemed to be enjoying the view as much as I did.
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Greetings from Olympic National Park
In 1993 I was 16 years old and had just come out in my small town. There was no one else I knew, no support groups, no gay characters in TV or movies. Fortunately, I had very supportive friends. I spent that summer volunteering in the backcountry of Olympic National…
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