In the one and half days we spent here we really did the Hoh Rain Forest, located within Olympic NP, threw and threw. We hiked the hikes, camped the camp, dipped in the river, and were absolutely mesmerized.
June 30, 2019
Hoh Campground
The first thing we did upon arriving in the Hoh Rain Forest was claim our campsite for the night (marked as the red asterisk). No reservations are allowed at this campsite, which made it way easier to walk-in. Best of all, the Hoh River was only steps away! Jon even took a quick plunge (a belly flop really) in the river later that evening.
Another perk of this campground is that is walking distance from Hoh Visitors Center and all of the trailheads. The parking lot fills up quick here, even on a Monday. It was so convenient to just park at our campsite and gander on over to the trailheads without the hassle.
I also found a cute little caterpillar at our campsite. After letting him munch on a leaf in my hand, while gushing over how cute he was, I returned him to a tree full of more munchies. Look at his little face!
Spruce Nature Trial & Hall of Mosses
With a few hours of daylight to spare, we headed out from our campsite towards the trial heads. Only about a mile each, we decided to do both the Spruce Nature Trail and the Hall of Mosses.
We learned a lot about the trees and greenery that thrive in the Hoh Rain Forest. We were fascinated by the concept of nursing logs. Seriously google it. As Jon said, nature is “metal”. Our favorite sight was certainly the vibrant green moss that decorated the trees and the streams. The Hall of Mosses trail really puts this on display.
Now to be totally honest. Our experience on these trials was really dampened by an abundance of tourists . And the worst kind of tourists. The ones who act like they are walking around the mall, not one the most precious rain forest reserves in the northwest. So do yourself a favor and arrive early, well before the crowd. Even on a Monday!
Tips :
- In a time crunch? We recommend the Hall of Mosses trail over the Spruce Nature Trial.
- Arrive early and get the full effect of this beautiful rain forest without the crowds!
July 1, 2019
Hoh River Trial
Determined to avoid the crowds, we set out early for the Hoh River Trail. This trail is 18 miles in total and is typically frequented by backpackers. However, there are plenty of sights along the way. We decided to do the first four miles of the hike, eight miles in total there and back.
The first 2.7 miles led us to a small waterfall and bridge crossing. Then, another 0.2 miles later we came across a small diverging trail that led to an small meadow. Tom’s Creek can also be accessed from this trial. This area was a very popular backpacker pit stop and for good reason. It was so very beautiful and peaceful. We hoped back on the main trail and hiked for another couple miles looking for a giant western red cedar, which was supposed to be located at the 4 mile mark. We hiked our little hearts out, but there was no cedar to be found. After a quick snack break, we decided to head back.
Further down this trial you’ll find Elk Lake, Glacier Meadows, Glacier Moraine. If we came back to the Hoh Rain Forest, we would definitely backpack the full length of this trial. However, we were very satisfied with the little taste that we got.
Tips :
- Just want a day hike? We suggest hiking the 2.9 miles to Tom Creek and back.
- Set out early and avoid the crowds! There were a TON of people on this trail on the way back.
Little Adventure 