At the end of 2024, the Hoh Rain Forest in the Olympic National Park was closed indefinitely. Similar to recent Washington trail closures, the rain forest closure lacked a solution in the absence of federal funds. Now the beloved Hoh Rain Forest is reopening this Thursday, May 8 after the essential funds came from an unexpected source.
Keep reading for all the details.
The washed-out access road has been repaired and the trails, restrooms, and parking lots at the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park will reopen at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8. The timing aligns with the start of the summer tourist season, which is good news for the county’s revenue since the rain forest is a major source of tourist dollars.
The Hoh Rain Forest closed down at the end of December 2024 after heavy rainfall caused the only access road to be washed out. Lacking the funds required to repair the road, Jefferson County made an appeal for emergency funding from the Federal Highway Administration but didn’t receive a response. The county had no choice but to declare the rain forest closed indefinitely.
Some campers with reservations to stay in the rain forest this summer reported that they received emails advising them to cancel for a refund.
You can read more details about the Hoh Rain Forest closure here.
The news of the rain forest’s closure received widespread media coverage, which eventually reached Washington Governor Bob Ferguson. After declaring the Hoh Rain Forest a crown jewel and noting its economic importance as a driver of tourism, Gov. Ferguson said, “We cannot allow access to remain closed during the peak visitor season, costing Washington businesses tourism dollars that rural communities rely on. My team is focused on finding solutions for Washingtonians.”
On Thursday, March 13 Governor Ferguson announced that the state would provide the majority of the funding needed to repair the access road, enabling the Hoh Rain Forest to reopen. The $623,000 in funds essentially came from unclaimed lottery prize money in Washington state.
In more detail: Ferguson authorized the use of the state’s Economic Development Strategic Reserve Account to pay for the Hoh Rain Forest road repair. This account is made up of the state’s unclaimed lottery prize money and is meant to be used to help businesses in need of emergency economic relief. The governor cited the financial impact that the rain forest closure would have on tour operators as well as local “lodging, restaurants, shops, outfitters and other businesses.” In 2023 alone, tourists in the area generated nearly $39 million in state and local tax dollars.
There was a catch, however. By law, any use of the funds from the reserve account needs to be paired with private investment. That means Gov. Ferguson had to task Jefferson County with raising an additional $27,000 in funds to pay for the road repair. In a matter of three days, the county had raised the amount needed thanks to donations from individuals and local businesses.
The county shared that the road repairs were estimated to take about a month and that they hoped to have the work done during April. Now the Hoh Rain Forest will reopen on May 8, 2025.
Also don’t forget: the rest of the Olympic National Park remains open to visitors. If you plan to visit, you may want to check out similar places in the park such as the Quinalt Rain Forest and the Sol Duc Valley.