The Hoh Rain Forest located in Washington’s Olympic National Park is like stepping into Jurassic Park. Walking the trails through this temperate rainforest with moss-covered trees, ferns everywhere, and some of the biggest trees I’ve ever seen really changes your prospective on life.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Visit to Hoh Rain Forest
- Hoh Rain Forest is located 87 miles west of Port Angeles, WA or 45 miles from Rialto beach
- Plan to spent 1-2 hours for a quick visit, or 3-5 hours for a few shorter hikes, or longer if you want to do more extensive hiking.
- We stayed about 2 hours and hiked the Hall of Moses and part of the Spruce Nature Trail.
- Best time to visit: May to September
- One road in and out of the section of the park
Hiking
Hall of Moses Trail
- Distance .8 miles (round trip)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: Minimal, 100ft
- Estimated Time: 0.5 to 1 hours
Spruce Nature Trail
- Distance 1.2 miles (round trip)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: Minimal, 50ft
- Estimated Time: 0.5 to 1 hours
Introduction
After spending the morning at Rialto Beach, we grabbed lunch and made our way to the Hoh Rain Forest for the afternoon. The drive itself is scenic, with winding roads, after you get off the main highway onto the mail road into Hoh Rain Forest, that transitions to deep green rainforest all around you.
Once we arrived, we explored a few of the trails that show off the best of the area. The most popular and probably the most photographed is the Hall of Mosses Trail, known for its ancient trees draped in thick green moss. We also walked the Spruce Nature Trail, which follows the Hoh River and gives a great look at the mix of rainforest and river scenery that makes this part of Olympic National Park so unique.
Hall of Moses
The Hall of Mosses Trail is the most popular hike in the Hoh Rain Forest, and it’s easy to see why. The short loop (about 0.8 miles) takes you through a dense, green world filled with massive trees covered in moss and ferns that carpet the forest floor.
Every turn feels photo-worthy, especially when sunlight filters through the canopy. It’s an easy walk suitable for most visitors and a great way to experience the rainforest up close without needing to hike far.
Spruce Nature Trail
The Spruce Nature Trail is another short, peaceful loop that showcases a different side of the rainforest. It winds through lush old-growth forest and eventually opens up to views of the Hoh River. The mix of mossy trees, river scenery, and wildlife makes it a great complement to the Hall of Mosses. If you have the time, doing both trails gives you a well-rounded experience of the Hoh Rain Forest’s unique beauty.
This uprooted tree was massive. Standing next to it, its probably 15 feet tall and the truck of the tree was around 6 feet in diameter.
Final Thoughts
Visiting the Hoh Rain Forest was the perfect way to spend the afternoon after exploring Rialto Beach and wrapping up the west side of Olympic National Park. Walking both the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail gives you a complete look at what makes this area so special, from towering old-growth trees and moss-covered branches to the unique feeling of hiking through a true rainforest. It’s peaceful, untouched, and full of life. If you’re visiting Olympic National Park, the Hoh Rain Forest is absolutely worth setting aside a few hours to explore.
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