Hoh Rain Forest may stay closed this summer unless feds help
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The Hall of Mosses Trail is one of the most popular attractions in the Hoh Rain Forest. Photo: Greg Vaughn/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The Hoh Rain Forest, one of Washington state's most popular outdoor attractions and a highlight of Olympic National Park, is closed to visitors because of road damage, with no clear timeline for reopening.
Why it matters: If the sole access road to the rainforest isn't repaired soon, it could force thousands of would-be campers and hikers to cancel their summer plans, while hurting the economies of nearby communities.
- About 460,000 people visited the Hoh area of Olympic National Park last year, according to the National Park Service.
State of play: Heavy rains in December washed out part of the Upper Hoh Road, the only way to access the rainforest's trailheads, campgrounds and visitor center by car.
- Jefferson County, which maintains the road, has asked the Federal Highway Administration for emergency repair funding, something it has done before to complete similar repairs on the same road, Eric Kuzma, the county's assistant public works director, tells Axios.
- But he said after "countless meetings, emails, and calls," the federal agency has yet to make a decision on whether the local project qualifies for that money.
The National Highway Administration didn't immediately respond to questions Axios sent by email this week.
Zoom in: Some people with June reservations at campgrounds in the Hoh Rain Forest have reported receiving notices that the area is likely to be closed at that time, and that they may want to cancel so they can receive a full refund.
- The Hoh is known for being one of the country's last temperate rainforests, for its trails blanketed with mosses and ferns; and for being home to what an acoustic expert declared the quietest spot in the contiguous U.S.
What they're saying: No full-time residents of Jefferson County live beyond where the Upper Hoh Road is currently damaged, Kuzma said.
- But visitors to the Hoh Rain Forest are "vital" for communities in Jefferson and Clallam counties, he said, which is part of why local officials continue to push to get the road reopened.
Between the lines: Washington state is facing a budget shortfall, so it's unclear whether legislators will step in and help.
- They aren't expected to finalize a new two-year budget until the end of April at the earliest, which could be too late to get the road fixed before the busy summer tourist season begins.
- "I'd like to help if we can, but our budget is under a lot of pressure," state Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), who chairs the state Senate Transportation Committee, told Axios.
What we're watching: Once federal assistance is granted, the county could fix the road "within a month," Kuzma said.
- But without that aid, he said it's uncertain when the road — and access to the park — can be restored.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to remove an estimate of how much it would cost to repair Upper Hoh Road.