Washington's Hurricane Ridge Reopens, But There's a Line for the Bathroom

ByAllison WilliamsAugust 3, 2023

Image: melissamn/shutterstock.com and Seattle Met composite

First, the good news. Hurricane Ridge, one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the state, is open again after a disastrous fire burned the Olympic National Park day lodge there in May. But then there's the not-so-great news—the national park has to limit the number of people who get to see it and, well, go to the little marmot's room.

When the national park reopened the site in late June, it had to make do without the 71-year-old building, which did more than provide interpretive exhibits and a snack bar at the site south of Port Angeles; it was where the bathrooms were. Now the park has brought in portable toilets and reopened the parking lot, but capacity is now measured in loo use. Rangers close the road when 345 vehicles have entered each day so the toilets don't get overwhelmed.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it took place during a $10 million renovation of the visitor center. No one was injured, but the event represents a significant loss for the park. Hurricane Ridge is Olympic National Park's most mountain-minded destination, sitting at an elevation of more than 6,000 feet; on clear days the meadows have a view that reaches into the center of the Olympic range. Trails lead to points where you can see down to Puget Sound and Vancouver Island.

Rangers close the road when 345 vehicles have entered each day so the toilets don't get overwhelmed.

Every day the capacity limits are shared on Hurricane Ridge's Twitter account; most days, especially weekends, the quota has been exceeded before noon. Still, there are ways around the bathroom barrier, like the bus shuttle from Port Angeles run by Clallam Transit. Backpackers with wilderness permits also get through regardless of closures, as do cyclists.

The park has not announced plans for reconstruction, but already stargazing events have resumed at Hurricane Ridge. The next night sky telescope program will be held the evening of August 7. And while entrance to Hurricane Ridge has become difficult, Olympic National Park has a number of other memorable destinations. Historic Lake Crescent Lodge and Lake Quinault Lodge both face mountain lakes ideal for paddling, while Sol Duc Hot Springs pump naturally warmed waters into swimming pools. And then there's the beaches, among Washington's wildest and most remote, along with a certain semi-famous Tree of Life.

And, of course, you can always be one of the first 345 cars in line at the entrance gate near Port Angeles to reach Hurricane Ridge. But do everyone a favor—maybe go to the bathroom before you leave the house.