Large trees and ferns inhabit the temperate forests of Olympic.
With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline. Come explore!
Firefighters extinguished two small lightning fires in Olympic National Park on Tuesday. The Maiden 2 fire had burned 0.7 acres near a ridgeline approximately 1 mile north of Maiden Peak. A single tree fire near Deer Park Campground was also extinguished. Both fires were ignited during last weekend’s lightning storm.
A rabid bat was found at Olympic National Park near Staircase Bridge on August 9th. Anyone who may have had contact with a bat in the area (even if not bitten) should contact a healthcare provider and their local health department promptly to determine whether treatment is needed.
Fire crews extinguished the Sourdough Mountain Fire on August 10. The fire had burned less than one acre on the southern slope of Sourdough Mountain, approximately 0.5 miles below the Aurora Ridge Trail. Over the weekend, air resources responded to increased activity on the Mount Tom Creek Fire. Water buckets were dropped on the fire on Monday.
The Sourdough Fire is burning 0.75 acres on a steep, forested slope on the north side of Olympic National Park. A Type 1 K-Max helicopter and eight rappelers are currently working to contain the fire. The Aurora Ridge Trail, North Fork Sol Duc Trail, and Eagle Lakes and Aurora Springs backcountry campsites are closed. There are no evacuation orders in place.
Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest will reopen the Staircase developed area and its access road, FS-24, on July 8. The area has been closed since the human-caused Bear Gulch Fire ignited in Olympic National Forest on July 6, 2025.