Glines Canyon Dam [Suggest Edits]

Description

If you're looking for a spot to appreciate both the lengthy and recent history of the area, stopping by the Glines Canyon dam site will accomplish this. For thousands of years, the Elwha River ran wild, providing the perfect habitat for many plant and animal species and forming a network that supported life in the river valley for many residents. When a dam was built to supply lumber to the industrializing United States, this network was interrupted. For 100 years, two dams prevented fish from spawning, flooded the homeland of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, and interrupted an ancient web of life.

In 1993, Congress agreed to remove the dams through the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act, in the hopes of reviving the region. The largest dam removal in United States history, work on removing both the Elwha and the Glines Canyon Dam was completed in 2014. Stopping at what was once a dam overlook gives visitors a place to take in the immense history of the area, and the tremendous efforts undertaken to ensure that the Elwha runs wild.

On the Road: Located near Whiskey Bend Road, and Olympic Hot Springs Road, access to this overlook is quite easy.

Gem Type: Historic Site