Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge Public Listening Session

Olympic National Park is in the first stage of planning for a new facility on Hurricane Ridge, and park officials want the public to help shape the design. The original lodge, a 12,201-square-foot structure built in 1952, was lost to a fire in May 2023. The lodge was undergoing rehabilitation at the time. A third-party investigation into the origin and cause of the fire found no definitive cause. The popular facility supported concessions, education, and emergency operations in Olympic National Park's subalpine zone.

A public listening session will be held from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. on January 14, 2026, at the Field Arts and Events Hall in Port Angeles, Washington. Park officials ask that park visitors bring their ideas, questions, and copies of old photos to contribute to a memory board honoring the original lodge.

If you cannot make the event but would like to contribute ideas, click the "Comment Now" button below or send them via mail to: Superintendent, Olympic National Park - HRDL Listening Session, 600 East Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362, on or before January 21, 2026.

"This project will improve visitor and employee safety, enhance the visitor experience, and benefit our gateway communities," said Olympic National Park Superintendent Sula Jacobs. "Hurricane Ridge is one of the most beloved places within Olympic National Park and we want to ensure the new facility serves visitors for generations to come."

The project is in the conceptual, pre-design phase. A design contract was awarded to Anderson Hallas Architects, P.C. on September 19, 2025, and geotechnical surveys were performed a month later. The results of these surveys, which are currently being analyzed, will guide the design of a safe and resilient foundation.

Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in any other way than those specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted. Before including your address, telephone number, electronic mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment (including your personal identifying information) may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comments to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Topic Questions:

1. What makes Hurricane Ridge special to you?

2. What do you remember most about the old visitor center?

3. What do you want to share with future generations?

4. What worked best for you in the original visitor center? What didn't?

5. How did you use the original visitor center in summer? How did you use it in the winter?

6. What is most important to your Hurricane Ridge experience?

7. What are some stories that should be shared about or from Hurricane Ridge?

8. How would you describe your connection to the visitor center and the landscape around it?

9. Anything else you would like to share?

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