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Elma, Washington: Satsop Abandoned Nuclear Plant

Massive cooling towers of a never completed power plant.

Address:
150 Technology Way, Elma, WA
Directions:
From North: I-5 exit 104 at Olympia, follow signs to Ocean Beaches. After 27 miles, take Satsop Development Park (SDP) exit. From South: I-5 exit 88B to US Hwy 12 west. Drive 26 miles, at Elma go 1/2 mile and take SDP exit. After SDP exit: Make left to cross over freeway. Another 1.6 miles south, watch for SDP sign. Take bridge over river, turn right to Lambert Road and go 3.2 miles to park entrance at Olympic View Drive.
Hours:
Visible from entrance. Local health policies may affect hours and access.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
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Visitor Tips and News About Satsop Abandoned Nuclear Plant

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Satsop Abandoned Nuclear Plant

You can get really close to these, and there is a maintained port-a-John right next to them. They are surprisingly big up close. Way worth stopping to see.

[Ian Armijo, 08/19/2021]

Cooling tower at Satsop.

Satsop Abandoned Nuclear Plant

150 Technology Way is the main entrance address. No tours.

[Lu Davis, 08/02/2021]

Third-party tours at old insane asylums have perhaps blinded us to the fact that most abandoned places are just abandoned.

Satsop Abandoned Nuclear Plant

They're all fenced in now. You can purchase a tour at the main office from May to September.

[Jackson, 11/02/2019]

Satsop Abandoned Nuclear Plant.

Satsop Abandoned Nuclear Plant

What a contrast -- nature vs. nuclear power plant. So glad this was never completed. Interesting that it is being used as a business park. You can freely drive around it; fencing and no trespassing signs prevent you from getting into the unfinished reactors.

[Christy Shelton, 04/27/2016]

Inside a cooling tower.

SATSOP Nuclear Facility - Repurposed

I revisited these towers because of the uniqueness of the photos that can be taken at them.

As I mentioned on your site a couple years ago, one of the towers is fenced in with a business. The business is a training facility, which at times is training workers to build a new Seattle road tunnel -- there is a huge tunnel drill outside the fence. During the week, it's simple for someone to just walk though the open gate and walk around the tower. The other tower is still fenced in completely.

[Nate Williams, 01/25/2012]

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