Clallam County used $4 million in four grants to rebuild part of the 36-mile Spruce Railroad Trail in Olympic National Park. The trail was built in 1918 by the U.S. Army as a railroad west of Port Angeles to deliver spruce for World War I airplanes. A blocked tunnel, steep trail, and rocky and muddy trail surfaces prevented people from using the trail and forced them to veer onto U.S. Highway 101 along Lake Crescent. During five phases, the County created a 10-mile bypass around the highway, restored parts of the trail including two mountain tunnels, and expanded a trailhead. The Spruce Railroad Trail is part of the Olympic Discovery Trail and connects to 80 miles of other trails for hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians.
See project details.