Hiker Headlines: Free Day, Highway Closures, Bridge Replacement, Art Contest

It’s November 10. Parking fees will be waived in many places on Veteran’s Day tomorrow. The North Cascades Highway and Mountain Loop Highway are closed for the season. A bridge replacement project at Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve is closing part of the area through at least this month. And, an art contest for high-schoolers to spread awareness about invasive species has opened. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

The north side of the river at the Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve is closed for a few weeks for a bridge replacement project. Photo by Todd.

Free day: Parking fees will be waived at many day-use areas on Veteran’s Day — Friday, November 11. Fees will be waived on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Highway closures: The North Cascades Highway/Highway 20 is closed between milepost 134 (Ross Dam Trailhead) to milepost 178 (Early Winters gate) for the winter season. Additionally, the Mountain Loop Highway is closed for the season between milepost 24 (Deer Creek) and milepost 36 (Bedal Creek).

Bridge replacement project: Access to the north side of the river at Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve is closed to the public for a bridge replacement project. The project is slated to continue at least through the rest of November. Follow the project's progress on the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy’s website.

Art contest: In an effort to raise awareness about invasive species, the Washington Invasive Species Council and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) are holding a digital art contest for high-school students. They are asking for submissions of art that include information and depictions of invasive species in Washington through Dec. 31. The two winners of the contest will win a cash prize, and their artwork will be featured on a new WDFW trailer.

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