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Day 1 - Tuesday, September 23

 

Olympic National Park Visitor Center

Stop 2 - Olympic National Park Visitor Center, WA (3:25pm, 9/23/03)

 

Olympic National Park

Our second stop was at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center.  The park entrance was located in the Northwest corner of Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula.  Olympic National Park was designated a National Park by Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 29, 1938.  The park contained a variety of environments from  mountains to beaches along the Pacific Coast, to old-growth forests, all the landscapes were protected by the National Park status.  About 95% of the park was designated wilderness in 1988.  The wilderness areas are shown in the map above. 

 

Designated wilderness areas in Olympic National Park 

 

 Text Box: Dark green shaded area = designated wilderness Orange shaded area = non-wilderness

Super Fun Facts! 

  • 3.6 million people visit Olympic National Park each year
  • There are over 600 miles of trails located in the park
  • Olympic National Park's air quality is affected by locations as far away as Asia
  • Salmon still migrate from the Pacific Ocean each year
    • After they die, salmon remains are spread throughout the park by feeding animals.  Oceanic minerals found in the remains can be detected in tree rings.  Researchers can now link salmon migration to tree growth
  • Over 200 inches of precipitation fall annually in the higher peaks in the park
 

650-year-old Douglas Fir Tree 

Megan trying to be an elk

A loose cougar in the  building (Watch Out!)

       

Forest Ecology

The Olympic Forest contained some of the world’s largest trees, some of them over 300 feet tall.  Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, big-leaf maple, and western red cedar, among other kinds of trees,      were all found in the forest. 

The Nature Center

Our second stop was at the Olympic National Park Nature Center.  We got to the Nature Center    at 3:25 p.m.  The Center contained many different displays.  There was a display of the history   of the park, including native people, plant growth, and animal life.  There was a 650 year-old       Douglas fir tree used to mark human historical events that began life in 1349.  Some examples of the historical events were marked on the tree ring were Columbus’s discovery of America, the landing of the Mayflower, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the designation of the first national park.  Other displays included information cards of common park plants, pressed species, and an exhibit of animal tracks and bones.  There was also a stuffed cougar and Roosevelt elk in       the Center.  The Nature Center has an interactive website at http://www.nps.gov/olym/home.htm.

             

                                                                                                                                         

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Web Site created by UWEC Geography 401 Class - Fall 2003