Wonderful Washington: Escape to the lush land that is the Hoh Rain Forest
Put on your most waterproof wellies and get ready to inhale the freshest air while being enveloped by incredible views of mossy trees, insects, and wetness.
With a yearly average of 3.55 meters of rain, it’s no wonder the Hoh Rain Forest is as green as it is. The beautiful temperate rain forest is one of the lushest in the world, crowned with both a World Heritage Site title and biosphere reserve title from UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
For your own safety, please make sure you are prepared before heading out on your next adventure. Information on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe while on your hike is available from waparks.org and parks.wa.gov. Always remember to leave no trace, pack out what you pack in, stick to designated trails, and refrain from feeding wildlife — and please note that irresponsibly taken selfies (even if they look great for the ‘gram) can be fatal.
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Where is it?
The Hoh Rainforest is on the west side of the Olympic National Park, located in the Pacific Northwest Rainforest.
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How do you get there?
The Hoh Rain Forest is an easy four-hour journey from Downtown Seattle. Take the I-5 S, WA-16W, WA-3 N, WA-104W, and US-101-N to Upper Hoh Road in Jefferson County. The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center will appear on your left around 207 miles up the road.
We suggest staying the night in Forks or camping out in the forest to maximize your time in the wilderness.
What’s there?
Start your visit at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, where you’ll learn the history of the forest, speak to a guide, and view a map of the entire forest including its many trails.
From the Visitor Center, embark on one of two hikes: the 0.8 mile-long Hall of Mosses trail, or the 1.2 mile-long Spruce Nature Trail. Over the summer, guides from the Visitor Center lead multiple walks down these trails.
Besides these two populated trails, spend your days exploring more of the rain forest on the Hoh River Trail, a 17.3-mile trek to Glacier Meadows, or on the Hoh Lake Trail that will bring you all the way to Bogachiel Peak.
The best time to visit the forest is when it’s a little bit damp out so that you can really see nature come to life. If you’re lucky, you may even cross paths with elk or a few banana slugs.
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