![]() Forests of RainMild winters, cool summers and up to 12 feet of annual precipitation produce the giant conifers that dominate this rain forest, one of the most spectacular examples of temperate rain forest in the world.Bigleaf maple and vine maple host an abundance of epiphytes (plants growing upon other plants) that give the rain forest its characteristic look and ethereal quality. A plethora of mosses, ferns and plants compete for space on the forest floor; grazing elk keep the understory open. Dead and downed trees decay slowly and support new life as ‘nurselogs.' The eternal cycle of life and death is strikingly apparent in this magnificent forest community. Hoh Rain Forest InformationFacilities: Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, accessible, open daily in summer, hours vary in shoulder seasons. Closed January-February. Interpretive exhibits, educational sales items, wilderness camping permits. No food or gas. Wheelchair available for checkout. Picnic Area: Near visitor center. Picnic tables and accessible restrooms. Camping: 88 sites (one accessible), fire pits with grates, picnic tables, potable water, accessible restrooms, animal-proof food storage lockers, RV dump station (fee). Open year round. Regulations: No pets on trails. Pets must be on a leash at all times. Safety: Do not approach elk! Stay 50 yards away from wildlife. Swimming and boating on the Hoh River can be extremely dangerous and are not recommended. When I stop to follow a great bole of spruce from forest floor to the upper canopy, my perception changes and routine senses of scale and proportion slip away. In the rain forest, thoughts intuitively yield to a slower and grander pace. - Tim McNulty Hiking at the Hoh–Gateway to Mount Olympus!Mini-trail: 0.1 mile Flat, paved, accessible-with-assistance loop in old growth rain forest. Hall of Mosses: 0.8 mile Easy loop through old growth temperate rain forest, with 100 foot elevation gain. Spruce Nature Trail: 1.2 mile Loop through temperate rain forest to Hoh River. Less than 100 foot elevation gain. South Snider-Jackson (Starts just west of entrance station): 11.8 miles Ascending 2,700 feet before descending again to the Bogachiel River. River crossings can be hazardous after heavy rain and snowmelt. Hoh River: Dayhikers can walk part of the 17.3-mile route to Glacier Meadows, on the shoulder of Mount Olympus. For the whole route, elevation gain is 3,700 feet. An additional 700-foot climb in 0.9 miles leads to views of the Blue Glacier. Backpackers must obtain a wilderness camping permit. Climbing Mount Olympus requires glacier travel skills and equipment.
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Last updated: March 19, 2018