Hot Spots
Rialto Beach / Mora Road
From July 8 through October 15, 2026, the road is CLOSED beyond the Mora Campground for essential road repairs. Rialto Beach is not accessible during this construction period. Consider alternative beach locations such as First Beach (La Push), Second Beach, Ruby Beach, or Kalaloch beaches.
Staircase Area
Good news. The Staircase developed area – including the Staircase Rapids Loop trail, campground, ranger station and other facilities – is OPEN. However, the surrounding wilderness area and all other trails remain closed, as repair and recovery efforts continue following last year’s Bear Gulch fire. LEARN MORE
General Alerts / Conditions
Click the links below to read more about each project.
Hurricane Ridge – Olympic National Park
Hoh Rain Forest – Olympic National Park
Summer’s longer days and good weather always means road construction season. The Olympic Peninsula is dotted with orange traffic cones, flaggers, and big machinery. Please slow down, stay alert, and help keep everyone safe. We strongly recommend visitors download the WSDOT mobile app while visiting in order to stay informed on up-to-the-minute travel information, including traffic delays and ferries.
Know before you go. Find out more about Olympic Peninsula Construction and Expected Delays, and other alerts on the WA State Department of Transportation website.
WA State Ferries
Plan accordingly. The ferries can be busy in the summer, especially on weekends and holidays. LEARN MORE
Vehicle reservations for the summer schedule (through September 19) on the Port Townsend/Coupeville route are now available to reserve.
Looking for an alternative? Here are some fun alternate routes to consider, each of which offers great things to see and do along the way (for planning purposes only; Google maps do not show real-time traffic):
Northern Route via Whidbey Island
Hood Canal Bridge (SR 104)
Boat traffic means periodic drawspan openings on the Hood Canal Bridge will occur. These openings are usually announced, and they can cause road traffic delays and backups of up to an hour. Please plan accordingly. Periodic maintenance work can also cause delays. Click HERE for the status of the Hood Canal Bridge, or download the app for real-time updates. (Note that for military purposes, the bridge can be closed to road traffic without notice.)
Hurricane Ridge (Olympic National Park)
The Hurricane Ridge Road is open daily. Click HERE for current conditions and updates. The park’s webcam can be accessed for a current visual, which helps for trip planning and live weather watching.
Consider the convenience of car-free travel by using the Hurricane Ridge Shuttle from Port Angeles (operating May 24 through September 7, 2026).
Hoh Rain Forest (Olympic National Park)
Due to heavy visitation and limited parking at the Hoh Visitor Center, visitors should anticipate possible 1-2 hour wait times at the entrance pay station between 9am – 5pm daily. Hint: go early, or go later in the day.
Quinault Area
The Lake Quinault area is open and accessible, and the Quinault Ranger Station is open. However, there are some closures nearby that may impact travel plans.
The South Shore Road is closed at milepost 8, due to a major washout.
WSDOT Resources for Safe Travel
For real-time conditions & data and advanced notices for work that is planned:
WSDOT real-time travel data webpage
For information about park roads and other destinations, visitors should call the recorded Road and Weather Hotline at 360-565-3131 or visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/olym.
