One thing that amazes me about Olympic National Park (other than its captivating beauty) is the diversity it has within such a relatively small area. The day before we visited the Hoh River section of the park we were hiking on Alpine meadows, with jagged, snowy peaks as a backdrop. The Hoh RIver experience was almost the complete opposite. This is the western side of the park which receives high rainfall year round, creating a rain forest ecology that is virtually unique at this latitude. There are many hikes of various lengths that you can take, but all of them immerse you in ancient forests with towering trees draped in moss. (I am convinced the movie "The Lord of the Rings" could easily have been filmed here. A trip to this side of the park is well worth the effort, and can easily be combined with a visit to the coast and to the nearby town of Forks (aka the Twighlight film location).
The Trail along the river was a nice hike and it was a nice peaceful one at that. Go early in the morning if you can less hikers at least for us it was that way!!!
Today we spent the day wandering the Hoh National Park - beautiful moss covered spruce and hemlock, the likes of which you will not see elsewhere. We took the ranger-guided tour at 2 pm given by Laura - she provided information on area rainfall, types of trees in the area, fungi and so much more. After that we walked the the Hall of Mosses for some more beautiful views of the forest - the tour really helped us in recognizing the 'nurse' trees not to mention the fungi.The entrance to the park (pay a fee) is roughly 6 miles from 101 and then another 6 miles to the visitor center. Tour leaves from the visitor center and is free.
Take your fishing pole... or better yet, take a tour guide and a raft. This river is amazing and the views are second to none. I wonder f we could've camped here..... I think so!
It was a nice average river that runs along beside the Hoh Rainforest and crosses Hwy 101. We did not fish or get in the water. Still a nice scene.
This is my favorite camping spot in this whole area. We have been there many times. Being in the rain forest you have to expect alot of rain, so come prepared.
The moss and ferns as well as the huge trees in weird shapes gave this area a magical feeling. We only walked the Hall of Mosses trail which did not include huge changes in elevation. There was a bit,it is not flat by any means but there are lots of benches and logs to take a short rest if needed. By all means take the trail. This one has the old growth trees while the other trail goes nearer the river and has more recent forest. This area is so different from other areas in the park. The Quinalt Rain Forest is nice but Hoh is more impressive. Small Visitor center has some interesting information on Rain Forests.
Breathtaking scenic route and hiking trails. We saw quite a few Roosevelt Elk and a huge Bald Eagle fishing along the river. We walked along a trail at the campground (located at the very end of road) and I really felt like we were in the movie "FernGully"
Even though we went to the Quinault Rain Forest the Hoh River and rain forest was beautiful and a different experience for my family. I would recommend this to everyone who is thinking of a vacation in the area.
If you just want to go for an easy stroll through the rain forest and along the river- it is great. It is absolutely green and beautiful. If you want to work up a sweat increase your speed and distance... the trail goes on forever. Or you can just walk a quick loop or get a feel for the beauty with a short trek. Watch for elk, they are frequently around.