Old National Park Roads

[inkyatari]

In reference to the "Old alignments visible from Google Maps," I posted a link to a couple google maps of roads in Yellowstone and Rock Mountain National Parks that are old hiking trails.  I find old National Park roads fascinating.  I came across this one, which is a little harder to see.  It's in the Petrified Forest National park, and is part of an "off trail" hike called "Jasper Forest".  The old road was built by the CCC in the 30's, and was closed by the park service in 1965...

https://goo.gl/maps/X2Sv5NE62722

If you look at the bottom center, you can make out where the old road connected to the main road through the park, and if you look at the top center, you can see the loop around the Eagle Nest rock (which collapsed in 1941.)  If you follow just below the mesa ridge, you can make out parts of the old road.

NPS Guide to the Jasper Forest hike -- https://www.nps.gov/pefo/upload/Jasper-Forest-Hike.pdf

Further north along the main park road, there's a loop road to the east which ends in a loop at the top of Blue Mesa, however if you go further north along the main park road, you come across the original road to the top of the mesa.  This road was constructed by the CCC between 1835 and 1937, and was replaced by the current road in 1955.  This one is a lot harder to see in Google Maps, especially closer to the mesa, but it's still there. Check out the guide after the map link.  It makes the path of the road easier to follow when you zoom in.

https://goo.gl/maps/oQkrtkgAEZT2

NPS Guide to the Blue Forest hike -- https://www.nps.gov/pefo/upload/Blue-Forest-Hike.pdf

Then of course, there's the old Rt. 66 through the park...

https://goo.gl/maps/KsSXaPwsGjw

Any other examples of closed National Park roads that can be viewed from google maps?

[BrianP]

The western half of Crater Rim Drive in Hawaii's Volcano National Park closed in 2008.  It's closed from the Jaggar Museum:
https://www.google.com/maps/@19.4201172,-155.2893791,3a,60y,243.91h,76.75t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTEuJpeqweuPV0brLA-GLBA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

To Chain Of Craters Road:
https://www.google.com/maps/@19.4053984,-155.2529037,3a,60y,257.62h,84.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAKXBJYaHIn6k1SxpgkwD2w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It used to still be intact until recently.  Due to the subsidence in the caldera, part of the road has collapsed into the crater.

Here's a view of how the road abruptly ends:
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2289.jpg

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2431.jpg
If you look at the upper-middle part of the image above you can see again the road abruptly ends at the crater.  The former overlook that was there has fallen into the crater.  Here's where the overlook parking lot was:
https://www.google.com/maps/@19.4015531,-155.2812434,208m/data=!3m1!1e3

And here's the parking lot when part had collapsed and part was still there:
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2240.jpg

This image is from earlier.  It's before any of the parking lot collapsed.  But there's a big crack in the ground foreshadowing what's to come:
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2198.jpg

Here's a crack in the Crater Rim Drive at the parking lot:
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2199.jpg

Also there is part of Chain Of Craters Road that's closed due to earlier lava flows:
https://www.google.com/maps/@19.2992139,-155.0900208,3a,75y,272.83h,86.33t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPUAkh6-e4qVmNXKWDWRC_O0WTjW-2O5gNnE6T1!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPUAkh6-e4qVmNXKWDWRC_O0WTjW-2O5gNnE6T1%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya175.12358-ro0-fo100!7i4864!8i1549

[inkyatari]

Wow!  Those are amazing pictures.  Thanks for the links!

[BrianP]

While not built by the National Park Service, there are still remnants of Baltimore Boulevard on Assateague Island / Assateague National Seashore. 

You can see parts like this one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.1858368,-75.1607285,104m/data=!3m1!1e3

https://www.freestock.com/free-photos/ruins-baltimore-boulevard-island-road-asphalt-145510288

There are hopes of removing those remnants though:
http://www.wboc.com/story/35345244/park-service-lays-groundwork-for-removing-old-assateague-road

[inkyatari]

Here's another one.  I remember this being open the last time I went to Yellowstone, roughly.. 35 years ago..  The southern Mt. Washburn road,which is a trail, again (common theme here...)

https://goo.gl/maps/7wgbYs4eF6D2

https://goo.gl/maps/msm5rtkeF8k

https://goo.gl/maps/4Q4Ct9EtsE82

[jay8g]

There are at least five in Olympic National Park that I can think of off the top of my head:

The first, and most prominent, is the Dosewallips road, which was partially washed out way back in 2002 and never fixed (the washed out part is actually in the national forest, but the road extends into the national park, where there is also an abandoned campground and ranger station). There has been talk off and on about fixing the road, but no real progress that I've heard of. Satellite view of the washout

The original road to Hurricane Ridge has been closed since the current road opened, which I believe was in the 1960s sometime. It's now the Wolf Creek Trail, some portions of which still feel like a road but some which now seem like just any trail. Satellite view towards the Hurricane Ridge end of the trail

Also in the Hurricane Ridge area, the lower portion of the current Hurricane Ridge Road was rebuilt on a new alignment, in the 70s sometime I think. Some of it is still in use as a local road, but the upper part has been abandoned, and is in use (unofficially as far as I know) as a trail. Most of the pavement remains, but it's certainly falling into disrepair. Satellite view of the top end of the road.

The Lake Crescent Lodge area also has a section of US 101 that has been bypassed. However, most of the old road is still open and provides access to the lodge and surrounding facilities. It's the road labeled Lake Crescent Rd in this satellite image.

Finally, the top end of the road in the Elwha River valley has been permanently abandoned and is now a trail leading up to the Olympic Hot Springs and an abandoned campground. I believe it was closed due to washouts quite a while ago. When I last hiked the trail, it still was clearly an old road, but I think it has since been rebuilt in a more trail-like manner. Satellite view of one of the washouts (looks like trail construction was underway when that satellite picture was taken). It's now looking more and more like the rest of the road, plus the spur Whisky Bend Road (which also connects to the Wolf Creek Trail/former Hurricane Ridge Road mentioned previously) is going to be closed for the long term -- since the Elwha River dams were removed, winter storms have destroyed both of the two campgrounds in the Elwha valley and a large section of the road near the destroyed Elwha Campground (that satellite view shows the conditions a year or two ago, after the road had been damaged but temporarily repaired; it has since been damaged even further and it's unclear whether it will be able to be fully repaired without being destroyed again every winter.)

Also, there's another one in Yellowstone that hasn't been mentioned before, in the Lake Hotel area and stretching to the Fishing Bridge area. Satellite view of the whole area

[Max Rockatansky]

You have the Colony Mill Road in Sequoia National Park that predates the Generals Highway and the Old Wawona Road which cuts from Grouse Creek to Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite.  I wrote blog Articles on both and I'll link them over when I get the chance.

Oh, one more is the Old Tioga Pass Road which runs from the White Wolf Lodge to Evergreen Road.

[mrcmc888]

State routes in Tennessee aren't supposed to go above 500, but an exception was made for I-840 in Nashville before it got its interstate number.  It was designated SR 840

[Max Rockatansky]

Four more I recall off the top of my head would be:

-  The Knife Edge Road in Mesa Verde National Park.
-  The Old Ingraham Highway in Everglades National Park.
-  A long abandoned US 66 through the northern part of Petrified Forest National Park.
-  The US 10 entrance station road to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

There is a Road that predated Trail Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park that I recently wrote about but the name eluded me at the moment. 

[inkyatari]

There is a Road that predated Trail Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park that I recently wrote about but the name eluded me at the moment.

Fall River Road?

[Max Rockatansky]

There is a Road that predated Trail Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park that I recently wrote about but the name eluded me at the moment.

Fall River Road?

Yes that's the one, thank you. 

[inkyatari]

There is a Road that predated Trail Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park that I recently wrote about but the name eluded me at the moment.

Fall River Road?

Yes that's the one, thank you.

I mentioned that up a bit.  After looking at old park maps through the national archives, I discovered that the current Ute Trail is part of the Fall river road.


Old National Park roads have always fascinated me.  I'm also fascinated by old state park trails, but my state of Illinois has no archive of old trail maps.

[Max Rockatansky]

There is a Road that predated Trail Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park that I recently wrote about but the name eluded me at the moment.

Fall River Road?

Yes that's the one, thank you.

I mentioned that up a bit.  After looking at old park maps through the national archives, I discovered that the current Ute Trail is part of the Fall river road.


Old National Park roads have always fascinated me.  I'm also fascinated by old state park trails, but my state of Illinois has no archive of old trail maps.

Kind of have the same deal with Sequoia National Park with the Colony Mill Road and Yosemite with the Old Wawona Road and Old Tioga Pass Road.  All of them are essentially just trails within those parks.  Hard to believe some of the routes people used to take into some of those parks.  The Old Wawona Road in particular has some grades on it that would be brutal in an early era car much less a wagon.  I hiked Old Wawona a bit earlier this year the grade is largely still recognizable:

IMG_2639 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

The Old Wawona Road can be seen splitting from the modern road just west of Bridalveil Falls below:

IMG_2657 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[inkyatari]

I hope to get to Sequoia / Kings Canyon / Yosemitie someday...

Those are great pictures.  But then again, you always take great pictures.

[Max Rockatansky]

I hope to get to Sequoia / Kings Canyon / Yosemitie someday...

Those are great pictures.  But then again, you always take great pictures.

Thanks, the photos will link to the full album.  In the album description I did a narrative on the history of Wawona Road which will under a hyperlink. 

Really Yosemite in particular has some really interesting history with infrastructure.  The Wawona Road started as a stage route to Yosemite Valley.  Tioga Pass was cobbled together from old mining roads to connect to the Big Oak Flat Road.  The El Portal Road and CA 140 essentially we're meant as replacements for Yosemite Valley Railroad.  Unsurprisingly topics like that don't get a ton of press in the NPS following but as a whole they have some really neat topics to look into regarding some of the most scenic roads in the country. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Here are some of the blog posts I wrote recently concerning old or abandoned National Park Service roads:

History of the Wawona Road

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/02/history-of-wawona-road-yosemite.html


Tioga Pass Road

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-tioga-pass-road.html


The Generals Highway and the prior road to the Giant Forest on the Colony Mill Road

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/07/return-to-sequoia-national-park-and.html


Here are some more photos of abandoned NPS roadways:

Crystal Cave Road which was the top side of the Colony Mill Road in Sequoia National Park

1a by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

The uphill climb where the asphalt ends on what was the Colony Mill Road

2a by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr


The Knife Edge Road in Mesa Verde National Park

IMG_1698 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1697 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr


Former US 66 in Petrified Forest National Park

3897258402513 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

3897257682495 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr


Former entrance road to Theodore Roosevelt National Park from US 10

IMG_6325 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[inkyatari]

Great photos!

[inkyatari]

Here's the Serpent's Trail at Colorado National Monument. This road used to be the eastern entrance to the park before they blasted a few tunnels for the newer road.

https://goo.gl/maps/8n7Q13K34X52

https://www.nps.gov/colm/planyourvisit/short-hiking-trails.htm

[inkyatari]

Former entrance road to Theodore Roosevelt National Park from US 10

IMG_6325 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Found an old Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park map from 1957...

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/hh/thro/images/thro37.jpg

[Max Rockatansky]

Former entrance road to Theodore Roosevelt National Park from US 10

IMG_6325 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Found an old Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park map from 1957...

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/hh/thro/images/thro37.jpg

That's the one on the east side of the park. 

[BrianP]

A new photo of part of what's left of Crater Rim Drive in Volcanoes National Park has been published:
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2603.jpg

[cpzilliacus]

Beach Drive, N.W. in Rock Creek Park (a national park though it is not called that) once had several fords through the Rock Creek (both run the length of the park), all of which have now been bypassed, though the remnants can be seen at several places.

[inkyatari]

A new photo of part of what's left of Crater Rim Drive in Volcanoes National Park has been published:
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2603.jpg

I am really digging those photos.

[inkyatari]

Speaking of Hawaii Volcanoes, here's the Crater Rim Trail.  It used to be part of the Crater Rim Road before it was closed in 1983 after a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck...

https://goo.gl/maps/Qy51FPdBxBE2

[inkyatari]

Here's a short piece at Big Bend NAtional Park.  This used to be known as "Dead Man's Curve," but a tunnel was bored through the ridge at some point, just to the north, to bypass the dangerous road..

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.2006667,-102.9767772,212a,35y,350h/data=!3m1!1e3