Goblins Gate

Goblins Gate is a strikingly narrow gorge on the Elwha River in Olympic National Park, where the river squeezes into Rica Canyon through an opening about 20 feet wide. Named by the 1889–90 Seattle Press Expedition, it drew vivid descriptions from Charles Barnes and later Smitty Parratt, who emphasized its sinister rock forms, sharp bend, and plunge into the steep canyon below. Bridges once crossed the gorge, but one was lost to flooding around the turn of the 20th century and another was removed in 1935 after becoming hazardous. Its dramatic, dangerous waters have remained difficult even for modern fisheries surveys.

Washington · United States