Enchanted Valley (Olympic National Park) 6/24/2021

On the edge in 2014

On June 24th, 2021 I returned to Olympic National Park’s Enchanted Valley to check on the status of the iconic chalet, built in 1931 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The chalet was threatened in 2014 with the foundation hanging precariously over the eroded bank. Were nothing done, surely the chalet would have succumbed and fallen into pieces. However, in September of 2014 Jeff Monroe, a professional house mover, led a party to move the chalet back from the eroded bank 100 feet. On this recent visit I noted that the river had resumed a course much further away from the area of the chalet but continued erosion still had one corner about 8 feet from the edge.

Male Sooty Grouse seeking love

However, it’s not just about the chalet. The 32 mile round trip hike into the valley is an astounding example of old growth forest, paralleling the river and meandering through meadows with towering cedars and resplendent maples. This is a classic Olympic hike that (amazingly) offers no break from the bird song, greenery and ambiance of the rushing river. Enchanted Valley itself is surrounded by towering walls of rock and cascading waterfalls. This is truly a special place. The status and plan for the chalet has yet to be announced by the park service, but this structure has ensconced itself in these surroundings and will be sorely missed by all who have had the pleasure of its presence while visiting if it is dismantled and removed. The following video hopefully captures the grandeur of this hike, which should be on everyone’s list of places to visit.