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10/11/21 - A Short Autumn Walk to the Elwha Gap

We took a short walk along the Elwha River starting at Madison Falls where the road ends. The mountains were misty and topped with early season snow. The autumn foliage was near its peak. We walked past the mule camp and around the bend for some good views of the river recently nourished by the seasonal rain. We stopped at the gap in the road cut by a hearty new Elwha tributary.

Misty, snowy mountains

Some fall foliage

Foliage hidden in the forest

Bright yellow and bright green

The river

Another view of the river

More color change

Autumn is here.

Further up the river

The might Elwha

The gap

Downriver at the gap

Upriver at the gap

A vertical view, even more dramatic

The road showing its age

Bright red

Bright yellow

The mules - We always say hello.

The Elwha from the parking area

Keywords: autumn, elwha

06/23/21 - Hurricane Hill

We've been getting an early start on the hiking trail and heading out along the Hurricane Hill Trail. The snow along the trail has melted, but the climb is as steep as ever. The rewards are the wildflowers, the marmots and the amazing views.

The view of the mountains, as spectacular as ever

Morning clouds over the Elwha

One of the marmots

Another marmot

Yet another golden marmot

Melting snow

The start of the little lake

Pask flowers

Other flowers

Across the high country

Another mountain view

Glacier lilies

Avalanche lilies

Mountains and mountains

Western wallflower

More glacier lilies

More avalanche lilies

Lots of larkspur

Early lupines

Keywords: elwha, flowers, high country, hurricane hill, marmots

06/16/21 - Summer Along the Elwha

It's summer along the Elwha River. The river is milky with snow melt and the water is running high. The foliage just about everywhere is green and thick, and we even saw a young fawn. We took our usual walk starting at Madison Falls and heading along the closed portion of Olympic Hot Springs Road. We took the detour around the old campground through the high ground and forest and emerged again on the road to the Altair bridge.

As usual, we went a bit beyond the road gate and looked for the waterfall across the river. We saw it, but, as usual this time of year, this meant a glimpse now and then revealed through the foliage. Eventually, we'll head on and check out the old dam overlook, but it's a two hour hike for us just to cross the bridge. Next time maybe.


The Elwha now running through the old campground

The Elwha as seen from the Altair bridge

Roses in bloom near the bridge

A doe and fawn, still speckled

The green wall

Elderberry buds

Milky blue water

Another look at the Elwha

And another

Green trail on the detour

A turk's cap lily

Keywords: elwha, summer, waterfall

04/13/21 - Up The Elwha To Altair

We've been getting out more thanks to the warming weather and our COVID vaccinations. We've been wandering up Olympic Hot Springs Road along the Elwha starting at Madison Falls where the road closes to traffic and up to the Altair Bridge. There's a detour through the hills behind the old Elwha Campground which was washed out along with the road. All along the way we've been spotting signs of spring.

Already, the columbines and trilliums are coming out, and the skunk cabbage is nearing its peak. The river is still calm before the spring melt, but with ten plus feet of snow at Hurricane Ridge, we expect an impressive flow when the melting begins in earnest. We'll keep coming back to see how things progress.

A columbine bud

A columbine flower

Another columbine

Trilliums

Another trillium

The Elwha

Fiddleheads

Ferns, also known as grown up fiddleheads

Skunk cabbage

The view from the Altair Bridge

A swamp marigold blossom

Keywords: elwha, spring, trillium, weather

02/05/20 - To The Altair Bridge and Beyond

We took advantage of a relatively sunny day to head up along the Elwha, starting at Madison Falls and past the Altair Bridge. The Elwha was the big attraction. With the recent rains, it was in full flood. We took the detour, climbing up past the water tank. As we approached the river, we could see it had overflowed its banks. Trees were standing in rushing water. A part of the trail was flooded, so we took the little wooden foot bridge for a dry passage.

As we approached the road again, we could see water rushing by. The side channel that destroyed the old Elwha campground was borrowing a bit of the road. The detour took us out dry shod, and we continued along the road towards the bridge. There were signs of wind damage with twigs and branches on the ground, all the little streams were full of racing water, and here and there, in shady places, there were patches of snow and ice.

We crossed the bridge and walked a few minutes farther along the road, past the gate, for a view of our favorite little waterfall across the river. It was easy to spot even with the trees along the road blocking it. We headed back with our eyes open and were rewarded with the first skunk cabbage shoots of the year. It was not a particularly spring-like walk. It was a winter walk, but we could tell spring would be coming sooner or later.


A fallen branch

Olympic Hot Springs Road

A view of the Elwha

The little waterfall

A close up of the waterfall

The Elwha seen from the bridge

The view downstream

Another downstream view with snowy mountains

Snowy mountain closeup

Snow and frost - still winter

The mossy forest

Skunk cabbage

The flooded road near the old campground

The little foot bridge

An old log

Flooded river

Trees standing in running water

Water over a tree trunk

Another view of the flooded river

Keywords: elwha, waterfall, winter

01/08/20 - Olympic Hot Springs Road Still Closed

We went out to take a look at the Elwha River. We walked up past the mule camp, now closed for the season. We walked all the way up to where the road is completely washed out. Yes, the road is still closed. Still, it was pretty in a northwestern wintry sort of way.

Olympic Hot Springs Road is still closed.

The Elwha River

Another view of the river

Snow on the mountains

Mist and a mountain

Mist and more mountains

Yet another view of the Elwha

And still another

More on the same theme

The forest

The river near the Madison Falls parking lot

Keywords: elwha

01/08/20 - Olympic Hot Springs Road Still Closed

We went out to take a look at the Elwha River. We walked up past the mule camp, now closed for the season. We walked all the way up to where the road is completely washed out. Yes, the road is still closed. Still, it was pretty in a northwestern wintry sort of way.

Olympic Hot Springs Road is still closed.

The Elwha River

Another view of the river

Snow on the mountains

Mist and a mountain

Mist and more mountains

Yet another view of the Elwha

And still another

More on the same theme

The forest

The river near the Madison Falls parking lot

Keywords: elwha

06/28/19 - To the Altair Bridge Again

We took another walk along the Elwha from Madison Falls south to the Altair Bridge. We actually went a bit past the bridge to take a look at the waterfall across the river. The roses are all gone, but the summer flowers have been coming in.

If you make it past the Altair bridge, watch for this little waterfall across the river. It is visible just a bit past the gate.

A waterfall closeup

Another closeup

Olympic Hot Springs Road where we turned around

Olympic Hot Springs Road towards the new branch of the Elwha

The Elwha below

Another Elwha view

Elderberries

Elderberry closeup

Fern forest

More fern forest

One of the summer flowers

Ocean spray

The detour

Tiger lilies

A butterfly

That butterfly again

That persistent butterfly

A bellflower

Keywords: elwha, flowers, summer, waterfall

06/06/19 - To The Elwha Dam Overlook

We've been taking the scenic detour and making our way farther and farther along Olympic Hot Springs Road. We finally made it all the way to the dam overlook. It was a long walk, especially with the detour, but it was a cool sunny day and easy going.

Olympic Hot Springs Road and green forest

Maple pods, bright red in the sun

Maple pods in the shade

One of the many, many roses that scented the trail

A peek at a peak

The waterfall into the Elwha

Another view of that waterfall, worth stopping for

The dam site

The Elwha upstream, formerly Lake Mills

A view downstream

Another view upstream

Green forest and bright sunlight

Another study in contrast

The Elwha River from the Altair Bridge

Foxglove

A duck to look up

A butterfly in the sun

Keywords: elwha, spring

05/19/19 - Again, to the Altair Bridge

We have been turning this into a regular walk, starting at Madison Falls and heading, by way of the detour, to the Altair Bridge over the Elwha. The columbines are gone and the trilliums and dogwood almost past, but the tiarella is now in bloom as are other late spring blossoms.

As usual, we stopped to soak our feet in the river. A bit later, we had to step to the side of the trail to let a mule team get by. The park service people and animals were heading out to do trail work. The mules were new to the area and a bit skittish. We did our best to keep them calm.

The river is still pretty high, so the park service might just be waiting for it to go down, but we're guessing that they won't be setting up the temporary bridges the way they did last year. Despite this, we'll be back in a week or two to follow the spring progression and we'll let you know the latest.


The Elwha as seen from the Altair Bridge

Another view of the Elwha

Yet another view

The river is so high that the river branch that cut the road has flooded. The gap may grow.

The forest detour

Tiarella

Elderberry flower buds

Another tiarella

Stinky bob on an old maple tree

A mushroom

The Elwha from the bank

An entire forest growing on a tree

A fading trillium

Paintbrush

More tiarella

More of the forest trail

Across the river, lupines in bloom

Keywords: elwha, spring, trillium

05/06/19 - To the Altair Bridge

We've been slowly reclaiming the Elwha, hiking farther along now disused section of Olympic Hot Springs Road. This time we made it all the way to the Altair Bridge, sort of a breakthrough for us. The bridge is still there. It's just farther away. It was great seeing the view of the Elwha from the bridge again, and we're hoping to go farther, perhaps to dam site overlook. Meanwhile, we'll enjoy the river and the flowers.

Along the detour

Paintbrush

Flowers

An orchid

Mahonia

Trilliums

More flowers

The view of the Elwha from the Altair Bridge

The view in the other direction

Skunk cabbage

One of the Elwha's new branches

A view of the old Elwha campground

Another orchid

Tiarella

More flowers

Forest

Dogwood

Keywords: elwha, flowers, spring

04/15/19 - Spring Flowers on the Elwha Detour

We finally followed the Elwha detour from where it leaves Olympic Hot Springs Road about a half mile past Madison Falls to where it rejoins the road past the old Elwha campground. It's a 250 foot or so climb, but it goes through forest, and the forest is full of columbines, trilliums and other spring flowers.

The detour trail heads up past a work area at the end of the service road and then heads higher to a junction with the Cascade Rock trail. There are glimpses of the Elwha along the way as it follows the ridge past the washout. After the junction the trail goes down a bit, then up a bit, then slowly descends behind the old campground. There is a sturdy tributary of the Elwha running between the trail and the collapsed campground pavilion.

The trail lets out a bit past the washout but before the ranger station and work area. It took us about 45 minutes from Madison Falls, so it would be another 15 or 20 minutes to the Altair bridge. We didn't make it that far, at least not this time.

A perfect place for columbines

Columbines

and more

and more

and even more



Other spring flowers

The trail ahead

One of the many trilliums

and a pair, overlapping,

and another

and yet more

Skunk cabbage, a sure sign of spring

The old campground pavilion across the new Elwha channel

More of the trail

We forget what this is called

Mysterious rock overhangs and mysterious caves

A glimpse of the high country

Keywords: elwha, flowers, spring, trillium

03/02/19 - Winter on the Elwha

Just about all of the snow has melted in Port Angeles and Sequim, so we were surprised to see how much snow was still on the ground just west of town. We made our way to the parking lot at Madison Falls at the current end of Olympic Hot Springs Road and explored the winter paradise. There was bright sun, black water and white snow. We followed the track made by other hikers and cross country skiers past the mule camp, now with its electric fence removed. We were relieved when we made it to some shade and delighted when we made it past the corner where we had an excellent view of the river.

As noted above, the water was almost black and framed by the brilliant white snow. The trees were gray and bare. We continued along the road, lured by the snow capped mountains beyond. There is almost never this much snow in this area. This has been a very snowy winter. We made it to the first river crossing where the park service usually has a small metal truss bridge except that the bridge was gone. The channel ran dark and deep before us. No fools, we turned around and made our way back to Madison Falls.

While the hiking is rather limited, it was well worth coming out and exploring. There is that back trail around the flooded area, but we've yet to try it. For now, at least, we'll enjoy that part of the river that we can get to.


The Elwha River

Olympic Hot Springs Road near the mule camp

A view of the Elwha

Another view of the Elwha

Ditto

Brilliant sun and black water

The end of the road

Another view ...

... and yet another

Sparkling water

The mountains, still beckoning

Keywords: elwha, winter

12/01/18 - Olympic Hot Springs Road Closed

Olympic Hot Springs Road is feeling the wrath of the unleashed Elwha River. This time, the road was closed just before the Madison Falls parking lot. We stopped at the road closed sign and watched men and machines at work digging dirt and moving big rocks in an attempt to rebuild the road. This year, 2018, seems to have been the year of "road closed", but we're hoping they'll have this small stretch repaired soon.







Keywords: elwha, olympic hot springs

10/20/18 - End of the Season

While Olympic Hot Springs Road has been closed to general motor traffic at Madison Falls for a while now, the road was open for hikers, bikers and park vehicles thanks to a pair of temporary bridges. Those bridges are now gone for the season. The detour hiking route is still open, but it is longer and not good for bicycles.

The mules are vanishing too. They're probably off to their winter homes. The area is closing down for the season. It isn't going to close completely. There is a trail, but the wide easy road is closed.


Click and you'll see a log across the road.

The road looks like someone has been chewing on it.

No more bridges

The leaves are vanishing too.

It's still pretty.

Keywords: elwha, olympic hot springs, winter

08/24/18 - Back to the Elwha - The Smokey Bottom Trail

With Olympic Hot Springs Road closed, and likely to remain closed for some time, we've been missing the Elwha River much past Madison Falls. It's a 45 minute walk from Madison Falls to the Altair Bridge, and another 15 minutes gets one to the old dam overlook. We usually turn back there, but this time we pressed on. We made our way down towards the river bed along the Smokey Bottom Trail. It descends, crosses a stream and then offers wonderful views of the Elwha River. We miss making our way towards the river by way of Michael's Cottage and Hume's Ranch, but this will have to do for now.

A view of the Elwha River

Another view

The Smokey Bottom Trail is a bit overgrown, but passable.

The river again

Trees

A slug

Another river view

Late summer color

The Elwha Valley

Lupines

A last peek at the river

Keywords: elwha

07/20/18 - Farther Along The Elwha

The park service has put in another pair of temporary bridges along Olympic Hot Springs Road, so we took an easy walk all the way up to the Altair bridge. The road is still closed to cars from Madison Falls on, but accessible by foot or bicycle. We crossed the first temporary bridge at the north end of the old campground and continued. The road had been destroyed by the river, and it is still pretty beaten up. The park service has scraped and smoothed it, but clearly doesn't trust it.

We made our way to the next new tributary of the Elwha, where the river had carved a pair of passages across the roadway. There were now a pair of bridges in place. We continued on and were soon at the ranger station and construction facility across the way. We continued past the turn off for Whiskey Bend Road and on to the bridge right before the old Altair campground.

That was far enough for us. We were just out exploring. It is going to be some time before this area is open to public vehicular traffic. Supposedly, the park service is evaluating an alternate route around the new branch of the Elwha. For now, the temporary bridges let the park service keep up trail maintenance and make it easier for visitors to walk in. Unfortunately, they'll be gone this winter. The Elwha is a wild river now, and no one wants to lose those temporary spans to the winter flood.

Along the road the river has claimed

The new temporary bridge

Still the old wild forest

A view from the Altair bridge

Another view from the Altair bridge

A view from the temporary bridge

A view from the road

Another view from the road

One of our favorite views, and not very far from the parking lot

Keywords: elwha, olympic hot springs, spring, winter

06/14/18 - Can I Ride The Mules?

Olympic Hot Springs Road is still closed at Madison Falls. The mules have been relocated from their usual home at the start of Whiskey Bend Road to right past the end of the road. Clearly, we are not the only ones following the mules' progress. Others are curious about them too, so curious in fact that the park service has been asking the question that seems to be haunting everyone, "Can I ride the mules?" In brief, the answer is no. That isn't the question we tend to ask. We're more likely to ask if there has been any progress towards getting the road or a replacement for it opened.

Can I Ride the Mules?

Mule Camp is on the left.

A tiger lily

Where the river meets the road

Another view of the river

Keywords: elwha

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