Hall of Mosses
Short loop.
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The Hoh Rain Forest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States, in the Hoh River valley on the western side of Olympic National Park, on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. Its visitor centre is about 35 km in a straight line south-east of the town of Forks. The valley is among the wettest places in the mainland United States, with more than 3 m of rain a year. The constant damp feeds a thick forest of Sitka spruce, western hemlock and bigleaf maple, many of them very old and very tall, with branches draped in hanging mosses and ferns. Fallen trees become «nurse logs» on which new trees sprout in straight rows, and Roosevelt elk graze in the valley. Two short loop trails start at the visitor centre: the Hall of Mosses, about 1.3 km, among maples hung with moss, and the Spruce Nature Trail, about 2 km, down to the river. The longer Hoh River Trail follows the valley deep into the park. Olympic National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A park entrance fee applies. The only road into the valley can close after winter floods, so check the park's road updates before going, and bring rain gear in any season.
Short loop.
Down to the river.
Graze in the valley.
Hoh River valley, Olympic Peninsula, Washington, United States
It can close after winter floods, so check before going.
Yes, the national park entrance fee.