Elwha Campground

On Tuesday I was at Elwha Campground which is on the Elwha River, of course.  This area's claim to fame is that both of the dams on this river were removed in recent years; the last just a year ago this month.  The river runs free for the first time in decades and, amazingly, salmon have already returned! 

    Elwha River 

The campground itself is your basic $20 a night spot.  No hookups, of course, but there is a restroom, and fresh water available.  It's across the street from the Elwha River which Rudy and I enjoyed exploring a bit.

    Rudy on the river 

The campground comes complete with all the sand / sediment you could ever want AND also has more than its fair share of bugs, including a couple of huge ones I had never seen before.  Sitting outside means devoting some time to keeping the yellow jackets at bay.  In additions, if your dog likes to lay in the dirt (rather than the fine blanket you might have put down for her) then you'll also get to spend some time brushing her before you can let her back into your rig.

    Dirty dog (done dirt cheap)

The campground is redeemed by the nearby Glines Canyon Dam Overlook.  A visit here gives you a chance to see and understand the impact that removal of two dams have had on the environment.  The overlook takes you out over the former dam and you can experience a bit of vertigo looking down at the gorge the river flows through.  You can also see the former lake bed that is not being reclaimed by native vegetation; some of which had a helping hand through some replanting efforts.

    Glines Canyon - minus the reservoir 

 
Definitely not my favorite campground but I'm glad to have visited the Elwha to see the impact of the dam removal first hand.