PORT ANGELES — July was a good month for visitors to Olympic National Park, but the total was slightly behind the count for the same month last year.
But for the year, the recreational visit count is up 10,000 compared to 2010.
Possible explanations for the dip in July include a number of temporary road closures in the park.
Obstruction Point Road, which was scheduled to open July 1, was still blanketed by winter’s snow, up to six feet high in places during the month.
Deer Park Road was also under snow, with drifts several feet high at the top. The road’s operating season runs May 26 to Oct. 2 under normal weather conditions.
In addition Lower Dam Road, which leads to the Elwha Dam, closed to all public access. on July 5.
Barnard Construction Inc., contractor for the $26.9 million removal of Elwha and Glines Canyon dams, installed a gate just south of Elwha RV Park.
The closure is expected to last three years while both dams are removed.
The visitation count:
— July 2011: 509,287
— July 2010: 515,266
— Difference: -1.2 percent
— YTD 2011: 1,491,304
— YTD 2010: 1,481,333
— Difference: 0.7 percent
