Hoh Rain Forest

A rainforest does not have to be tropical. On the western Olympic Peninsula, wet Pacific air rises against the mountains and drops staggering amounts of rain, and the mild, moist climate lets a forest grow to extraordinary size and density. The Hoh is one of the best remaining examples in the world.

The signature plants are the mosses and epiphytes, plants that grow on other plants, draping the maples in green. Fallen trees become nurse logs, lines of young hemlocks and spruces sprouting along a single rotting trunk. The result is layered, dripping, and almost impossibly lush.

Two short loops leave from the visitor center. The Hall of Mosses is the postcard walk, a gentle loop through the most heavily draped maples. The Spruce Nature Trail winds down toward the Hoh River and shows the forest at different ages, from young groves on old gravel bars to towering giants.

For those with more time and gear, the Hoh River Trail runs deep up the valley toward Mount Olympus and the glaciers, a long backcountry route that climbs to Blue Glacier. Most visitors are more than satisfied by the two short loops near the road.

The valley takes its name from the Hoh, a people who have lived along this river and coast for a very long time, fishing its salmon and steelhead. The Hoh Tribe remains a sovereign nation today, with a reservation at the mouth of the river on the Pacific coast.

Their long presence is a reminder that this forest, however wild it feels, has always been part of a lived landscape, tied to the river and the runs of fish that still return to it.

Roosevelt elk are the great animal of the Hoh, and the valley's herds are part of why Olympic became a national park. They graze the river flats and move through the forest, and their browsing helps shape the open, parklike feel of some groves.

Look also for black-tailed deer, banana slugs sliding over the moss, and dippers working the river. The forest is loud with birdsong in spring, and its deep interior is renowned for a natural quiet that is increasingly hard to find anywhere.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Hoh Rain Forest, in Olympic National Park on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, is one of the finest examples of temperate rainforest in the United States, a lush, green wonderland of towering old-growth trees draped in moss and ferns. Receiving enormous amounts of rain each year, this magical forest features moss-covered maples and spruces, a carpet of ferns, and an almost otherworldly green atmosphere along trails like the famous Hall of Mosses. Home to Roosevelt elk and rich biodiversity, the Hoh Rain Forest offers a serene, beautiful, and unique natural experience, immersing visitors in one of the most enchanting and verdant forests in North America.

You can walk the short, easy loop trails like the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail through the enchanting moss-draped forest, hike the longer Hoh River Trail deeper into the wilderness, watch for Roosevelt elk and other wildlife, learn at the visitor center, and simply soak up the lush, green, tranquil atmosphere. The accessible loop trails make the rainforest easy to experience for most visitors. Photography is wonderful amid the moss and ferns. With its magical mossy trails, old-growth trees, and serene beauty, the Hoh Rain Forest offers an unforgettable and immersive natural experience in Olympic National Park.

In recent years, the popular Hoh Rain Forest area has at times used a timed-entry or reservation system during the busy summer season to manage heavy traffic and limited parking, in addition to the park entrance fee, so during peak periods you may need a reservation, and the system and dates can change. The access road can also be long, and the small parking area fills up. Checking the current reservation requirements and access information before you go is wise, especially in summer. Planning ahead helps ensure smooth entry to this popular part of Olympic National Park.

The Hoh Rain Forest is lush and beautiful year-round, but summer through early fall offers the most reliable weather with the least rain, making it the most popular and comfortable time to visit, though it is busiest and may require reservations. The forest is atmospheric and green in any season, and the rainy months, while wet, showcase the rainforest at its most vibrant. Mornings can be misty and magical. For drier weather and easiest access, aim for summer through early fall, while embracing the rain in other seasons reveals the forest at its lushest in the Hoh Rain Forest.

The Hoh Rain Forest is in Olympic National Park on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, within reach of the town of Forks, the wild Pacific beaches like Ruby Beach and Rialto Beach, Lake Crescent, and Hurricane Ridge, with the town of Port Angeles to the north. That makes the Hoh Rain Forest a magical stop to combine with the Olympic coast beaches, Lake Crescent, Hurricane Ridge, and the other diverse attractions of Olympic National Park on a visit to Washington.