Hiker Headlines: Halloween Hikes, Highway 20 Closure Scheduled, SR 14 Survey

It’s October 28. If you head out for a Halloween hike this weekend, be sure to share your photos in a trip report. The National Park Service has some great templates for pumpkin carving. The Highway 20 seasonal closure is on the calendar for November 15. Winter weather is ramping up this week with heavy rainfall in Western Washington and snowy mountain passes. Provide your input for SR 14 planning near Dog Mountain. And, it’s Bat Week! Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Happy Halloween hiking! Garfield Ledges. Photo by WalkieTalkie. 

Share photos of your Halloween hike: If you go out for a Halloween hike this weekend be sure to share your experience in a trip report, especially if you wear a costume while hiking.

National Parks pumpkin carving: Consider celebrating Halloween with the National Park Service this weekend by carving a pumpkin using one of their downloadable templates. These fun templates include bats, bison, bears and more designs to bring the spirit of public lands to your Halloween festivities.

North Cascades Highway scheduled to close mid-November: The Washington State Department of Transportation has scheduled the closure of Highway 20 for November 15, although the highway may close earlier depending on snow and ice accumulation. Scheduling a closure date in advance is a new strategy intended to give visitors more certainty when making travel plans. It’s also a good reminder to go prepared for winter driving conditions. This week we’ve already seen snow on Highway 20 and 410.

Atmospheric river has arrived: A weather system known as an Atmospheric River will bring heavy rainfall to Western Washington through Friday morning. Significant rainfall is forecasted for the lowlands, Cascades and the coast, and could lead to flooding and mudslides in certain areas.  

Survey on traffic safety and congestion around Dog Mountain: Increased visitation to Dog Mountain and other destinations along SR 14 has led planners to work toward reducing congestion and increasing safety along this popular recreation corridor in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. They are asking for public input as part of the planning process. Learn more about the project and take the survey before November 1.

Bat week: It’s Bat Week, the international celebration of all things bats. Celebrate these amazing creatures by learning more about them, building a bat house or keeping an eye out at night on your next hike.

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• Check our Hiking Guide for information on what trails are open.
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