Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Washington
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-11-2023, 08:05 AM
 
Location: West coast
5,281 posts, read 3,084,050 times
Reputation: 12275

Advertisements

This morning my wife and I were talking about taking my Mom who is visiting up to Hurricane Ridge.
We went back and forth about the opening day and then the feed on my wife’s iPad brought up that Hurricane Ridge Lodge had just burned down the other day.

Odd that the iPad was listening to us so I checked a few sources and they are saying that the Lodge burned down to the ground I think on May 9th.
Surely this park can’t remain closed for the season with all the tourists that it brings in.

It honestly never impressed me (meaning the Lodge) and was rather lame with the one bathroom situation for the hundreds of visitors.
They were going to rebuild the whole thing from what I read so apparently I wasn’t the only person that thought it lacked.

Do any of you have any information on this?
I wonder if the park or at least the parking area could still be used with portable restrooms and maybe a quick plumbing job for a water fountain or at least a vender truck with bottled water and nick nacks?

I was planning on taking advantage of the current blue sky’s to see the views from up there and then this happened .
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-12-2023, 08:49 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,260,275 times
Reputation: 57826
I have to admit that back in the 2000s when we went there the little restaurant in the basement of the lodge had outstanding fries. The lodge was already closed for renovations when it caught fire, so I would have thought they would have Honey Buckets there. I haven't been yet this year, we normally wait until at least June. One year in early July the trails were still closed with 15' of snow. There was still a lot of snow last weekend according to the webcam. Is she up to a medium-difficulty hike? We love the hike to Marymere Falls near Crescent Lake.

https://www.nps.gov/media/webcam/vie...7A7B41BF33172A
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2023, 01:01 PM
 
1,827 posts, read 808,990 times
Reputation: 5311
I never understood Hurricane Ridge. In the winter, they only plow about 1/8 of the parking lots and it's only open on weekends so it fills up early. One year, it was open during the week between Xmas and New Year's Day but that only happened once that I know of.

I don't get why the gate up would be closed and locked because the day lodge burned down. I was told that it won't be opened now for a indefinite period, was supposed to open by Memorial Day. The trailhead road is up there, too, & this is a good time of year for the start of wildflowers there.

I never really used the lodge except for the bathroom. I brought my own equipment (snowshoes, etc.). It seems weird that the lodge burned to the ground just after they received $10.8 million to "renovate" it.

Take your mom over to Lake Quinault. Part of the road around it is closed now, too, but there are lots of easy trails & it's beautiful there. There is a lodge on the south shore (don't know if it's open) and you can make a pit stop in Forks.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-12-2023, 01:18 PM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
14,498 posts, read 12,141,672 times
Reputation: 39085
I did read that it burned, it was all over my feed a few days ago.... I do agree, the lodge isn't the reason people go there. I hope it doesn't stay closed all summer!

They'd be smart to build a new tourist center with bathrooms and a restaurant.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-14-2023, 02:17 PM
 
Location: Near Sequim, WA
576 posts, read 2,261,752 times
Reputation: 467
Looks like it will be at least three weeks before the road is open again:

https://www.myclallamcounty.com/2023...t-three-weeks/
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-30-2023, 12:29 PM
 
Location: Near Sequim, WA
576 posts, read 2,261,752 times
Reputation: 467
Scratch that. Now apparently closed indefinitely:

https://komonews.com/news/local/hurr...oss-wilderness
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-31-2023, 07:31 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,260,275 times
Reputation: 57826
If you are brave and enjoy a "spirited" drive in the country, you can turn off of 101 onto Deer Park Rd. by the Toyota dealer, and just keep going. Once past the homes, it becomes a narrow, winding road which is closed from October-June. Meeting a car coming down may mean reversing to a wider spot to allow passing each other. Eventually it ends up on Blue Mountain, with trailheads and a small campground. It's not Hurricane Ridge, but still beautiful, with some hiking at the end, amazing views and a real adventure.

https://www.allolympicpark.com/viewp...e_mountain.php
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-31-2023, 12:34 PM
 
Location: West coast
5,281 posts, read 3,084,050 times
Reputation: 12275
Blue Mountain is a Blue Mountain is a very nice area.
It’s one of my favorite drives.
If hiking I would recommend wearing orange blaze because this is an area for hunting and shooting sports.
There is even a really good small engine mechanic shop up there in a barn that advertises on the internet for things like chainsaw and mower repair.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-31-2023, 11:04 PM
 
1,827 posts, read 808,990 times
Reputation: 5311
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140 View Post
If you are brave and enjoy a "spirited" drive in the country, you can turn off of 101 onto Deer Park Rd. by the Toyota dealer, and just keep going. Once past the homes, it becomes a narrow, winding road which is closed from October-June. Meeting a car coming down may mean reversing to a wider spot to allow passing each other. Eventually it ends up on Blue Mountain, with trailheads and a small campground. It's not Hurricane Ridge, but still beautiful, with some hiking at the end, amazing views and a real adventure.

https://www.allolympicpark.com/viewp...e_mountain.php
That used to be such a beautiful trip, I understood why it was called Deer Park, as the first time we went up there, we didn't see another person, just calm, inquisitive deer & beautiful views of the mountains, & the bay & strait at the top, 360 degrees on a clear day.

The last time I went (and it will truly be the last time) was last fall. The road was overrun with traffic. In spite of the fact that it is a narrow dirt road next to a straight-down mountainside, cars were trying to pass each other & it was nonstop traffic. A towtruck was bringing a car DOWN THE ROAD and people were trying to pass it! The whole trip was just a dusty, anxiety-ridden mess, the tourists have ruined it. I've done plenty of offroading so I'm not faint of heart, but this is now a dangerous road and I wouldn't recommend it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-01-2023, 07:27 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,260,275 times
Reputation: 57826
Quote:
Originally Posted by CalWorth View Post
That used to be such a beautiful trip, I understood why it was called Deer Park, as the first time we went up there, we didn't see another person, just calm, inquisitive deer & beautiful views of the mountains, & the bay & strait at the top, 360 degrees on a clear day.

The last time I went (and it will truly be the last time) was last fall. The road was overrun with traffic. In spite of the fact that it is a narrow dirt road next to a straight-down mountainside, cars were trying to pass each other & it was nonstop traffic. A towtruck was bringing a car DOWN THE ROAD and people were trying to pass it! The whole trip was just a dusty, anxiety-ridden mess, the tourists have ruined it. I've done plenty of offroading so I'm not faint of heart, but this is now a dangerous road and I wouldn't recommend it.
That's too bad, last time we went we passed maybe one car the whole way. Maybe it's the time of year, or it's just become more well known.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2022 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Washington

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top