Olympic: Quinault's Temporary Bridge Comes Out for Winter on Oct. 22

If you're planning a trip out to Lake Quinault, in the southern part of Olympic, take note of a change that'll reshape how you get around. Park crews are removing the temporary bridge linking North Shore Road and South Shore Road on Oct. 22, just before the winter storms roll in.

So why pull out a bridge that's doing its job? It comes down to what it crosses. The structure sits over a culvert, a drainage channel that's especially exposed to flooding and winter storm surges. Taking it out before winter keeps high water from damaging it. The thinking is simple. It's better to remove the structure now so it can go back once the worst of the risk has passed.

So what does this mean for you? If your route counted on crossing from one shore to the other by this shortcut, that won't be an option once the bridge is gone. But don't cross Graves Creek off your list just yet. The Graves Creek area stays open all winter, as long as you take the right road. Skip North Shore Road to get there. Take South Shore Road, which keeps serving the area all season long.

A bit of practical advice. This corner of Olympic is rarely a casual winter visit. The Quinault roads wind through rainforest, rain rules the place, and water levels climb fast after a storm blows through. Check the forecast the day before, build in some extra time, and look into road conditions before you head out, since things change from one day to the next.

To place this area within the rest of the park and plan the remainder of your trip, keep the Olympic park guide handy. And if you're putting together a bigger loop along the Pacific coast, take a look at our road trip route that runs through this park, a good way to slot Quinault into the right spot in your itinerary.