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Hoh Rain Forest
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5 reviews for Hoh Rain Forest
If on the West coast of the Olympic Peninsula, this is one of those have to stop at and at least do one of the shorter trails.
With more than a few trails to choose from, this is a great place to go for most any level of hiker and to experience an amazing rain forest that is densely populated with so much vegetation and trees.
I actually got to see my first "nurse tree" which is amazing that I haven't seen it before considering how many hikes I've been on in the middle of nowhere...
This a wonderful place to see wildlife also... We ended up seeing an elk and we were dancing around to get a better picture of her eating foliage.
Afterwards, we saw & read the "elk warning" signs letting us know that they have a habit of charging people.. OOOPS..
We'll definitely be back!
Due to time constraints, we chose to do a couple of the shorter trails and promised each other that we'd be back to hike in and do an overnight with one of the longer trails.
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We visited during Father's Day weekend and were lucky that the Hoh Rainforest was participating in free park admission weekend. We saved ~$20, score!
Parking was plentiful but we got there before noon when we left, it was rather full.
The info center was cute and cabin-y, with a 60s-70s feel. There were posters with things to read, some displays with stuffed squirrels, a small couch with tv/video. The restrooms were surprisingly clean, with a changing table, and provided hand sanitizer instead of water/soap (to save water).
There are 3 main trails. We took the Hall of Mosses because it was the easiest/shortest (we had a toddler with us). The walk took just over an hour with her stopping every few feet...but the adults also stopped every so often to take in the awesomeness that is nature, giant trees, crisp air (really, the air was so nice), moss, and OMG, LOOK A BUNNY! Fortunately the weather had been relatively dry, so the trail wasn't mushy. :)
Everyone we passed smiled and greeted us. It was just a good mood-feeling kind of day/place. And the park rangers are cute!
Unlike any place on earth.
I drove here all the way from Spokane, and it was well worth it! This temperate rainforest contains SIX TIMES the biomass of a tropical rainforest. The main trail goes on for about 26 miles all the way to blue glacier on Mt Olympus. I only went about 4 miles, perhaps someday I can conquer treacherous Olympus.
Expect to be surrounded by huge trees covered in green velvet. Think tree-beard from Lord of the Rings meets the "tree surfing" scenes from Disney's Tarzan animated flick.
There isn't a whole lot of elevation change (at least not for the first 4 miles, where I was), so this trail is pretty easy...you can even bring some kiddies and/or old geezers along most likely.
This IS a rainforest, so come prepared. Bring waterproof clothing unless you want to be known as the dork with the umbrella.
Protip: If you don't want to camp, you can usually get hotels for pretty cheap in Forks, WA. If you're willing to drive a little bit further and do some pre-planning, look into cabins at La Push.
Looking for a great Washington weekend getaway? This is the place to go. There is plenty of camping and other lodging nearby. It's one of the few temperate rain forests in the world. It is also the largest.
There are trees in this forest that are over 300 feet tall and 23 feet around, many covered in thick moss. Many animals live here as well. Elk, spotted owls, bear, all type of exciting varieties. You can hike for hours and hours and be in awe of everything. There is a picture somewhere of me standing inside of a hollowed out dead tree. Don't worry, though, the vegetation is so thick that new trees often grow on top of the decaying ones. It's a truly fascinating ecosystem.
Oh, and if you are looking for some very easy laughs, the second 'h' in Hoh is silent. That should give you plenty to work with.
Hope you had a happy Earth Day!
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beautiful moss-covered trees, a variety of trails to choose from... easy and short (and paved and handicap accessible) to medium and perfect for photographers to longer than we were ready for. If you take the "Hall of Mosses" trail, don't skip the short walk to the Maple Grove, it's amazing how much the moss likes those maples.
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