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As cold air returns to the region, bringing with it a fall snow event in the higher elevations, some good news was announced by Olympic National Park. On Friday, September 27th, the road to Graves Creek in the Quinault region of the park reopened to vehicles. The press release reads as follows:
The Olympic National Park road crew completed repairs to three washouts on the Quinault Valley’s Graves Creek Road. The road is now open to vehicle access.
The road repairs involved the placement of large logs along the length of the embankments, with the rootwads facing into the stream to encourage the development of fish habitat. Rock ballast was placed to secure the logs and prevent buoyancy. The gravel road was rebuilt overtop the logs which were salvaged from previous projects in the park.
Graves Creek Road is a six-mile long gravel road that runs from the intersection of the North and South Shore roads to the Graves Creek Trailhead. The road sustained damage during the last two years of winter storms and the repairs were critical to maintaining vehicle access to the area.
The cost for the road repair project was $140,000 and was funded through the Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP) of the Federal Highway Administration. The FLTP funds projects that improve access within federal lands (national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges, national recreation areas, and other federal public lands) on transportation facilities in the national Federal Lands transportation inventory, and owned and maintained by the federal government.
This is great news for those hoping to see fall colors on the maples, hike on empty trails and hear the sounds of elk bugling during the rut. The quinault region is a favorite during the autumn months, as it is a place abundant with wildlife, stunning scenery and world class hiking. For our favorite fall experiences in the Quinault Rainforest, pick up our Ultimate Fall Guide to Olympic National Park and Beyond. Now just $10 for the ebook copy that you can take with you on your phone!
