After a months-long delay, the only access road to the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park is scheduled for repair. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced last week that the state is directing $623,000 on an emergency basis to fix the road. An additional $27,000 of private donations will also be contributed to the project.
After heavy storms swept through the state late last year, the Hoh River eroded the Hoh Upper Road, making it impassable. The road has been closed to all traffic since December 2024.
While the road belongs to Jefferson County, repairs have previously been covered by emergency funds from the Federal Highway Administration. Because the road’s sole purpose is to access federal land, road repairs traditionally qualified as a special case for federal-level funding.
Economic impact
As weeks and months went by with no updates on incoming funding, local businesses were concerned about how this would affect the summer tourism season. Media reports indicated that visitors with camping reservations into June were being notified that they might want to cancel their reservations.
Without access to the rainforest, tour operators would face a 30-40 percent reduction in bookings, while lodging, restaurants and other businesses close to the Hoh Rainforest would also see significant declines, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
“The Hoh Rain Forest is one of the crown jewels of Olympic National Park and Washington’s coastal communities,” Ferguson said. “It is also a critical driver of tourism on the Olympic Peninsula. We cannot allow access to remain closed during the peak visitor season, costing Washington businesses tourism dollars that rural communities rely on.”
In 2023, tourists spent more than $444 million in Jefferson and Clallam counties, generating nearly $39 million in state and local tax dollars.
Securing funds for the project
The state funding was pulled from the Economic Development Strategic Reserve Account, which is set aside to support Washington’s economy, including protecting jobs. In order to activate the account, the town itself was required to raise and contribute thousands of dollars.
In less than three days, the community rallied, with dozens of individuals and businesses committing to donate a total of $27,240. Donations ranged from a few dollars to several thousand.
In the release, Senator Mike Chapman was quoted saying, “Without him (the governor) leaning into this issue, access to the Olympic National Park would have been in question at a time when the public is clearly expressing support for more, not less, access to public lands.”
County officials estimate that repairs will take approximately a month to complete, once funds and any necessary permits are secured.
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