Ohanapecosh Walking Tour: Wet Forest

At this stop the trail crosses a short wooden boardwalk next to a western red cedar.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Ohanapecosh

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

The forest may look very much the same from one place to another, but the environmental factors, such as light, water, temperature, and soil, determine which individuals will survive in a particular location. This marshy section of trail plays a role in the lives of the plants around it. Just as most cities are built on or near water, and need it for life, so do the mosses on this bank and the trees towering above. Those needing the most water live the closest to it. Plants like coltsfoot, ferns, and mosses would not survive without this source of water.  The western red cedar, nánk (Cowlitz tribal word for cedar) needs to have its roots wet. In a drier site, it would be less "fit" than the competing western hemlock or Douglas-fir, ipatawí (Yakama tribal word for Douglas-fir).