Day trip to the Hoh Rain Forest

The Hoh Rain Forest is reason enough to explore the western side of the Olympic Peninsula. The drive along Upper Hoh Road penetrates a good 18 miles up the Hoh River and deep into a primeval wilderness dominated by massive conifers. With annual rainfall reaching 170 inches, the forest is fertile and thriving. A couple of short hikes takes in many of the best features of the rainforest and both are perfect for a safe and easy family trek.

The one thing you won’t see in totality is “The Big Spruce Tree.” The signage to the tree and the turnout remains, but the tree sadly fell in December 2014. The tree towered at 270 feet and was estimated to be 550 years old. What’s left is a 20 foot tall stump. The tree snapped like a matchstick with much tearing and splintering. As of May 2015, the wood looked fresh and clean like the toppling occurred just the night before.

Despite the falling of a giant, the Hoh Rainforest is a success story. You may have noticed lumber trucks on Highway 101. They don’t reach this far and thanks to the Hoh River Trust, a lot of private land is being bought up as the only way to prevent encroachment.

Two-thirds along the Upper Hoh Road is the entrance into the Olympic National Park. Here, the old growth stands of Sitka spruce, western hemlock, bigleaf maple, and western red cedar remain as they have for centuries.  They are more likely to be toppled by wind than chain saws.

At the end of the road is a large parking lot and the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. There are picnik tables and bathrooms along with literature and post cards at the small visitors center. As of May 2015, the visitor center is housed in temporary quarters near the bathrooms. The rangers who gather here are a lighthearted bunch and very helpful. They see my teenage children and recommend the 1.2 mile Spruce Nature Trail where there's access to the Hoh River and plenty to see and do. They do forewarn my 13-year-old to keep his slingshot in the car as any type of weapon is prohibited.

Only on the trail does the peculiarities of the rainforest become apparent. Trees seem to grow larger here and moss hangs from branches like webbing and ferns flourish. The ground is carpeted green with ferns, mosses, herbs, and shrubs. Even the sunlight appears a translucent green. Watch for downed trees called “nurse” logs. New conifers sprout from these nurse logs. As the tree grows, the nurse log slowly returns to the earth. The sprouting seedlings and plant growth on the log are called epiphyts and turn out to be vital to the continuous regeneration of the forest.

The ranger’s suggestion to take the Spruce Nature Trail is a good one. Mid-way we scramble down to a sandbar loaded with rocks. The view is magnificent from the wide flat-bottom river bed which opens up a panarama of the high country like a John Ford western.

The Hoh is initially fed by the Hoh Glacier atop  Mount Olympus. This is the park’s longest glacier at just over three miles. Other glaciers, like the Blue and White, also contribute to the Hoh as it twists around Mount Olympus, descending 7,000 feet to the Pacific Ocean. It’s meandering creates numerous sandbars, many of which are accessible from Upper Hoh Road on the way up to the visitor’s center. This area is popular for fly-fishing.

 Back on the Spruce Nature Trail, watch for black-tailed deer foraging. The park is home to the Olympic black bear,Roosevelt Elk, cougars, bobcats, raccoons, and many other smaller mammals. On the forest floor look for a yellow slug. This is the banana slug (Ariolimax columbianus), a native species and the second largest slug in the world growing to over nine inches. They are a huge benefit to the forest because they eat and decompose just about everything at ground level including leaves, fungi, and animal droppings. They are also known to spread seeds and spores throughout the forest. You’re

more likely to see black slugs (Arion ater) which are a an invasive species from Northern Europe and may pose a threat to the banana slug.

Alternatively, the Hall of Mosses Trail is less than a mile in length and a very easy walk. It may see more foot traffic for this reason, but worth every step. Trailheads for both the Spruce Nature Trail and the Hall of Mosses are located across the parking lot from the visitors center.

Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center
Located 30 miles south of Forks, Washington.
Phone: (360) 374-6925