The Forks Logging & Mill Tour kicks off on Wednesday, May 22^nd.  They are scheduled through the summer and leave the Chamber at 9am.  Tours last about 3 hours and reservations are recommended.  Last year, each tour was at or near capacity.  Tours take place in the Chamber’s van and while donations are always appreciated, tours remain free of charge.  Our volunteer guides are retired from the timber industry and very knowledgeable on “working in the woods”.  We also do special tours for large groups, with walk-on guides.

For over a decade, visitors to Forks have been treated to an insider’s look at our logging industry with a first-class tour of active logging sites and working mills.  The Forks Chamber of Commerce sponsors this free tour and has gotten numerous compliments on this “E Ticket Ride” thanks to our volunteer tour guides, past and present.  We are very proud to bring this educational and entertaining tour to the public, with the help of our area partners Allen Logging, Rayonier, Dahlgren Logging and Dilley & Soloman Logging and others. 

The start date is May 22^nd and it will run Wednesdays through September 4^th. There is a special tour scheduled for Friday, September 13^th to give those coming for the busy Stephenie Meyer Day / Bella’s Birthday weekend a chance to take part and another for Hickory Shirt / Heritage Days on Wednesday September 26^th.

We are trying to keep tourism and the timber industry connected and with the success of reality shows about the logging industry, we can show people what working in the woods is really like.  No drama, just hard work!  And many that take the tour extend the experience with a visit to the Forks Timber Museum, open for the season Tuesday through Saturday through October.

To reserve your space, simply call the Chamber at 360-374-2531.  For more information click here

The Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction is this weekend, March 16 – 17, and the FHS Seniors are gearing up for a fun weekend of live auction items, food and fundraising.  The Scholarship Auction is an annual event that the whole town looks forward to and is open to the public.  The seniors organize this event, collect the donations and run the auction.  All money raised goes towards scholarships, trade school funding or work-related items (like tools or boots) for FHS grads.  This event has been going for over 40 years and has raised over a million dollars.

Auction items can be viewed on the web www.searchforks.com/qvsa and can be bid on by calling the phone number provided on the website.  Donations are accepted throughout the auction.  Monetary donations can be mailed to QVSA, PO Box 976, Forks, WA 98331.

The “Salmon In Water” pictured is handmade by OCC inmates and their contribution of handcrafted toys and decorative items are important to the auction every year.  This year, in addition to the toys they have donated, they are offering to personalize them with a logo or name after the auction.

There is a wide variety of auction items like baked goods, smoked salmon, handmade toys and decorative items, firewood, fishing trips, hunting trips, services and more.

Greetings from Forks High School! I’m Liz Sanchez, a teacher here, and the following blog entry (including photo) is from three sophomores: Chase Adams, DJ Souder, and Ismael Greene. They will add to this blog each month, including input from their classmates and teachers. In this entry they tell about our awesome new green room-enjoy!

Chase and I got together and thought we should make a blog about the green room, and so we went around the school asking people what their thoughts were about the green room.  Mr. Scheibner is the guy who works the green room and we interviewed him first. He said “It’s a great news room, people working with cameras, weather people experience, and eventually will be able to see throughout the whole school.  If you scratch it, just a little, then the paint comes off which isn’t good. We have the right equipment to do the things the school wants to.”  After Mr. Scheibner we asked a couple of students what their opinions were about the green room.

We asked Dimitri Sampson (Meat-Head) what his thoughts were and he said “The green room can help students experience the technology it can provide.  It can spark interests for some students for what they want to do for a career.  I can’t wait till they put the morning announcements through every projector in the school.” 

We asked, teacher, Mr. VanSickle what his thoughts were and he said “I think it opens doors for kids to learn new things.  We have technology that is useful and today’s new technology.  I don’t like how they aren’t using the green room right now but when they do, I think it would be good for both students and teachers.” 

Chase and I asked Mr. Scheibner when are we going to use the green room and he said when the new semester starts we should be able to project the morning announcements through every projector in every class.  Our second semester starts February 2, 2013.

Greetings from Forks High School! I’m Liz Sanchez, a teacher here, and the following blog entry (including photos) is from three sophomores: Chase Adams, DJ Souder, and Ismael Greene. They will add to this blog each month, including input from their classmates and teachers. In their first entry they tell about our awesome new building-enjoy!

The Forks High School is a very well spirited place and we have made some recent changes to the school. We have made a new Forks High School and it is a lot bigger than the old Forks High School. The first person we interviewed was the 10^th grade science teacher, Mr. Hunter.  He had a couple very interesting things to say. When we asked his likes about the new school, he said “it is good for students and teachers to all be in one building.” Also the new heating system makes the school a lot warmer and also the newer technology they put into the school, like the smart boards or the green room, which is still being worked on.

There weren’t very many dislikes about the new Forks High School.  The only real complaint we had about the new school, is about the courtyard.  Teachers and students think we should be able to go into the courtyard.  They also said that we should put more benches, and stuff like that, out there so there is more places to sit other than stand and walk around.

The basketball players got new traveling gear. The school feels more safe and the heating is way better than the last school. The kids seem to be learning more. The teachers like all the smart boards. The kids and teachers enjoy all the new technology.

The webcams which the Forks Chamber sponsors feature, among other places, First Beach and James Island in La Push.  At this time of year particularly, the views are spectacular.   I invite the public to go to the home page of  www.forkswa.com (the Chamber’s website) and scroll down the lefthand side of the site to Webcams, and feast your eyes on the two La Push sites.  It just doesn’t get more beautiful than these two popular places.  The Quileute Tribe welcomes visitors, as does the Forks Chamber of Commerce, and a visual of the northwest coast is a treat available to all no matter where you are.   

I just wanted to drop a line and tell you ALL (especially Marcia and Lissy!!!) a very big THANK YOU! My niece and I visited Forks for the first time in September of 2012 for the Stephenie Meyer Day Weekend and we had an absolutely amazing time! It was so wonderful that even now in January I am still trying to process it all.  

I am so grateful to have met your fabulous team and have gotten so much information before and during our trip.  We were able to see and do so many things that I am speechless.  It was only possible due to your assistance, the information you provided and the constant contact your office had with me each time I sent an email or called with a question.  I always received a quick and courteous response for which I am extremely grateful.  This was the first big trip I have ever planned for myself and it went so well!  My niece and I had such an amazing time that we did not want to leave!  Not only did we visit the Timber Museum, experienced West End Thunder, the Quileute Reservation and sat in on a drum circle, but we also took the Hall of Mosses hike in the Hoh Rain Forest, drove up to the Makah Territory, visited the Makah Museum and hiked up to Cape Flattery where we were able to take really great pictures.  We visited First Beach and Rialto Beach numerous times on our trip and even got pictures at “Hole In the Wall”! We also were able to get a Twilight/Forks tour from Randy who I absolutely fell in love with! He is so down to earth, funny and he really knows his stuff.  All in all I could not have had a better experience! 

I check the First Beach Webcam daily as well as the Forks and Quileute websites and dream of returning to the area that has stolen my heart!  Not only is the area picturesque but the people of Forks, Washington are so helpful, courteous, amazing and friendly.  It was nice to be able to travel to such a beautiful area with so many wonderful sites to see, hiking trails to explore and now new friends to keep in touch with.   Charlene and her team did an amazing job with the entire Stephenie Meyer Day Weekend Festivities.  I was really impressed and had so much fun.  It is truly an even that every TwiHard should experience at least once in their lifetime! 

I am glad to say that I am already looking forward to going back in September of this year (jumping in my seat with excitement right now!)!!! As soon as we landed and my hubby picked me up from the airport I hugged him and my four sons.  I looked at them and said “Can I go back next year?!” LOL! I hope to take some of my friends with me who are also moms, Twilight fans and can use a little get away.  The year after that I plan on taking the trip with my husband! Yes, when I find something I like I tend to stick to it! I am extremely loyal to the things/people that I love.  And I definitely LOVE Forks! I hope to one year see the town in its Winter Glory!!! Thank you so much for everything! All of the information that Lissy provided to me before the trip was extremely useful and we had everything planned out well ahead of time.  When we got there Marcia gave us some additional tips/info and we put that too good use too and tasted some excellent food because of her suggestion.  Everyone was so warm and welcoming and did not consider me or my niece nuts at all! LOL! 

I hope to keep in touch throughout the year and keep you all updated as to my return because you know I will be coming in to say Hello and take more pictures with you all! In the meantime please feel free to let me know if any of your team will be in the Chicago area as I would love to show you around my hometown! Thanks again…a million times thank you!!!! 

Kathryn R.

Chicago, Illinois”

This was a very nice letter we received from Kathy in Chicago.  She was a delight and we can’t wait for her to visit again!  And thank YOU for such an amazing letter!  Lissy  and Kathryn are pictured below (at the Forks Visitor Information Center).

The Forks Logging & Mill Tour was very popular this summer and we welcomed back two “seasoned” log tour drivers, Jack Zaccardo and Randy Mesenbrink and two new ones aboard, Joe Seymour and Mike Wendell.

One of the challenges faced this year was the heavy snowfall we received in January. A tree fell on Marcia Bingham’s house and caused her and the Sol Duc River a huge headache. The river was actually closed when it was removed. That doesn’t happen every day!   Mike Gurling left the Chamber in September (as a paid employee anyway) to pursue dreams of traveling with his new lady, Claire. Rianilee Belles, our longtime Sunday employee, relocated to a new city. Merry Parker shortened her hours at the Chamber to take on management of the Teen Center at night. And we welcomed the always smiling Whitney Flagg to our staff. Our summer person, Beth Turner was a great help to us. Susie Michels, our webmaster, worked diligently on the Chamber’s new website. Very loyal volunteers, Willard Morgan and Marcia Yanish are now joined by our new volunteer, Tisha Sliwinski. I have taken on Mike’s administrative duties and love every minute!

The Chamber saw businesses open and close. We welcomed new residents to town, and said goodbye to others. The dry summer put everyone on high fire alert (although it was good for tourism.) And with the start of the rain again, we were heartbroken, along with the rest of the community, when the IOOF Hall that housed Rainforest Arts Center burned down. The empty, burning Dazzled By Twilight store was a sad sight to behold, splashed across websites and newspapers.

From the perspective of the Forks Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information Center, it was a very good year. Our visitor numbers continued to stay strong, according to the VIC guest register. We were prepared for a slow-down this summer and much to our surprise, we had throngs of first-timers, repeat visitors, and those wishing to live here some day! We are continuing to hear from writers – travel, blog, magazine, you name it. They want us to reveal the magic that is Forks. Maybe they will be lucky enough to come here some day to find out for themselves.

We look forward to a very promising, interesting and busy 2013 and hope you do too!

“How do I get to Forks, Washington once I arrive at Sea-Tac?” is one of the most common questions we get when people contact the Forks Visitor Information Center.

Forks is about 3.5 hours from Sea-Tac International Airport.  And there are many ways and routes to get from Sea-Tac to Forks.  With some planning, it is very easy to take advantage of the commuter flights and bus service.  I recommend flying into Sea-Tac as early as possible, preferably before noon.  This gives you time to catch the flight or bus and arrive in Port Angeles, and still get to Forks by early evening.

Once you arrive in Port Angeles, there are a few “Twilight” spots to check out like Bella Italia (where Edward and Bella had their first date), the movie theater and the book store – all featured in the books.  You will then travel the 56 miles to Forks where you will see the beauty of Lake Crescent while traveling through the Olympic National Park and Forest.

If you fly Kenmore Air from Sea-Tac to Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles, this is what you can expect:

When you purchase your ticket, make sure that you let them know you will need the shuttle service (no additional charge) to Boeing Field.   After you get your baggage, you will depart from Door 00 on the bottom floor and it is very easy to find.  You will take the shuttle bus from Sea-Tac to Boeing Field where you will depart for Port Angeles.  On a clear day, there is a spectacular view of downtown Seattle, including the Space Needle.

When you arrive in Port Angeles, you can rent a car at the airport or take Clallam Transit* to Forks.  Private flights to Forks Municipal Airport are another option.

If you take the Dungeness Line bus service from Sea-Tac to downtown Port Angeles, this is what you can expect:

You will depart from Door 00, the route takes you over the Kingston/Edmonds Ferry, and since it is a bus service, they don’t make you wait in line.  You will get to enjoy a ferry ride and the beautiful countryside.  And if you are afraid of flying on small planes, this is a great choice.  The 12:50pm route usually arrives in Port Angeles at 4:35pm.

When you arrive in Port Angeles, you can rent a car downtown (at the Olympic Bus Lines office, home of the Dungeness Line) or take Clallam Transit to Forks.

Budget Car Rental – There is an office in Port Angeles that is locally owned by the Olympic Bus Lines so make sure that if you rent a car, you call them, and not the nationwide number.  They have rental offices in downtown Port Angeles and at the airport.  Their phone number is 360-417-0700 or 800-457-4492.

Clallam Transit – This is public transit and operates limited hours.  *The bus does not go to the airport unless you request it prior to your arrival.

Bella Italia, Dungeness Line and Kenmore Air are members of the Forks Chamber of Commerce.

If you rent a car at SeaTac and drive to Forks:

I recommend taking the Tacoma Narrows route from Sea-Tac to Forks.  This takes you I5 South  to 16W to 3N, then turn left and go over the Hood Canal Bridge on 104W, then take 101N and stay on that until you get to Port Angeles, where you will turn left (follow sign to Forks), then you will stay on 101 until you reach Forks.

These directions can be downloaded on Google Maps.

Have other questions?  Feel free to contact us at info@forkswa.com

Thanks and happy traveling!

When you live in and travel to a place that is surrounded by the Olympic National Park you learn pretty quickly that dogs are not welcome on most of the trails.  There are exceptions of course.  From the Olympic National Park’s Pet Policy: To protect park wildlife, to provide for you and your pet’s safety and to help all visitors enjoy the park, please observe the following rules:

Halle swims the Bogie!

Pets are permitted (leashed only, maximum 6′ length) in park campgrounds, picnic areas, and parking lots; they are also allowed on the following trails and ocean beaches:

• Spruce Railroad Trail (Olympic Discovery Trail)
• Peabody Creek Trail
• All Kalaloch Beaches (from Ruby Beach south to South Beach)
• Rialto Beach, 0.8 mile north to Ellen Creek only (day use only)
• Pets are prohibited on any other trails, beaches, in the park’s designated wilderness, in public buildings or in boats on park rivers.

But don’t get discouraged!  If you want to take your best friend with you, and want them to have as much fun as you, Forks is for you!

There are many pet friendly places that do welcome your dog (and cat I suppose).  There are local lodging establishments that welcome furry four legged guests.  I spoke to visitors this week that were traveling with their 5 huskies, came to town with no reservations and got right in at Quileute Oceanside Resort, no problem!  And First Beach in La Push is a popular destination for locals and visitors to take their pups for a romp on the beach.  There are stores in town like True Value, that make sure they are amply stocked with dog biscuits, right at nose height.  Twilight Tours by Team Forks will let you bring your pup along on a Twilight tour.  Let me guess – your dog is team Jacob?

If you want a short excursion while you are in town, check out Olympic Natural Resources Center located just south of the Visitor Information Center.  They have numerous trails and a scenic overlook of Forks.  Bear and cougar have been spotted, but not often.  The ‘Trail of Senses Interpretive Hike’ at the Elk Creek Conservation Area on Calawah Way is just minutes from downtown.  The Olympic National Forest is very pet friendly and invites you to walk your dog on their trails.  Mt. Muller boasts outstanding views of the Sol Duc Valley, Lake Crescent, and the Olympic Mountain Ranges.  It is also home to the Littleton Horse Camp and a wonderful 13 mile loop trail with an excellent equestrian campground.  The ONF also offers the Bogachiel Rainforest Trail, just south of Forks.  The trail can get a bit muddy during the rainy season, but is a great way to see the rainforest without going all the way to the Hoh.  Although keeping your dog on leash at all times is best (“lots of wildlife in them thar hills”), they trust you will use your best judgment.

Clallam County invites you to enjoy their parks – Quillayute River, Lake Pleasant, Pillar Point, Salt Creek and others.  They do require that you keep your dog on a leash (8 foot maximum.)

One business we could really use in Forks that we don’t have is a 24 hour dog wash.  Wouldn’t that be nice?

And of course, last but not least – please bring your baby into the Forks Visitor Information Center so we can meet them.  We are pet friendly in Forks!