Approximately 18 miles (29 km) by road from Port Angeles, the ridge is open to hiking, skiing, and snowboarding and is one of the two most visited sites in the national park (along with the Hoh Rainforest).

[7] The lodge's role as a concession facility was replaced in the 1980s with more interpretative uses, focusing on Olympic National Park topics including as geology and wildlife.

[10] The Olympic National Park began restricting winter access to Hurricane Ridge in the late 1990s, which was followed by a decline in visitor numbers.

In 2011 and 2012, the park agreed to return to its original winter schedule for a trial period after the local community raised $75,000 to bridge the estimated budget gap.

Despite a 35% visitor increase, Olympic National Park officials declared the trial unsuccessful and returned to three-day-a-week access during the winter months.

On May 7, 2023, the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge and visitor center, built in 1952, was destroyed by a fire while preparations for a renovation and structural rehabilitation were underway.

[10] The National Park Service closed access to the area indefinitely as a result of the fire and later announced plans to reopen with timed entry and capacity restrictions.