OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Visitors to Olympic National Park’s Sol Duc Valley and the Hoh Rain Forest should expect traffic delays this week.
One-lane traffic and delays of up to 20 minutes in the Sol Duc Valley and one-hour delays on the Upper Hoh Road will begin today.
Also, power outages are planned in the Sol Duc Valley on Wednesday through Friday.
Crews for Anderson Environmental of Kelso, the contractor for the Sol Duc Road repair project, will repair slumping of the road between Mileposts 5 and 9.
Preparatory work began July 18.
Beginning Wednesday, the Clallam County Public Utility District will install electrical conduits and manholes through Friday.
Power outages will occur between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, Sol Duc campground and Eagle Ranger Station.
The Hoh Rain Forest will remain open throughout repair work at Willoughby Creek Bridge, but some delays are anticipated.
According to Jefferson County officials, the repair work will require one-hour closures between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today through Thursday.
Whiskey Bend
In addition, Whiskey Bend Road, a popular trailhead access in the Elwha Valley, remains closed to motor vehicles.
A slide last December undermined the road following heavy rains. Repairs are expected to take at least until the end of September.
The 4.5-mile-long gravel road is open for pedestrians, bicyclists and stock users who must use extra caution when crossing the damaged areas.
Whiskey Bend access is not affected by closures related to the removal of the Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam.
The Elwha Valley’s Olympic Hot Springs Road closed to all public access just south of the Altair campground on Aug. 1.
Glines Canyon Dam, Lake Mills, Olympic Hot Springs and the Boulder Creek trail and campground are no longer accessible by Olympic Hot Springs Road.
For current road information in the park, phone 360-565-3131 or visit http://tinyurl.com/3hbuum8.