Hoh Rain Forest
Washington
🚗 Check available routes: 🌲 Washington National Parks Road Trip · 🏔️ Washington Highlights Road Trip
📍 Location: Olympic National Park, east of Forks, Washington
🗓️ Best time to visit: May through September
⏳ Recommended stay: 3–5 hours
🌐 Official visitor information: NPS — Visiting the Hoh
🌿 About the Hoh Rain Forest
The Hoh is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States, receiving well over 100 inches of rain a year. The result is a dense, green world of towering spruce and hemlock draped in mosses and ferns.
The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center anchors the area at the end of the Upper Hoh Road, with short interpretive loops and the start of the long Hoh River Trail toward Mount Olympus. The moss-hung maples of the Hall of Mosses are the area's signature image.
✨ Why Visit
The Hoh Rain Forest is especially known for:
- 🌿 The Hall of Mosses and its moss-draped bigleaf maples
- 🌲 Enormous old-growth spruce and hemlock
- 🦌 Roosevelt elk sightings
- 🍃 Deep green, quiet forest atmosphere
- 🥾 Easy interpretive loops and a long river trail
- 📸 Soft, diffuse rainforest light for photography
🥾 Trails at the Hoh
- Hall of Mosses — about 0.8 mi loop, 30–60 minutes, 🟢 easy, the classic moss-hung maple grove. Route reference: AllTrails — Hall of Mosses
- Spruce Nature Trail — about 1.2 mi loop, 45–75 minutes, 🟢 easy, through forest and along the river. Route reference: AllTrails — Spruce Nature Trail
- Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls — about 5.5 mi / 300 ft round trip, 2.5–3.5 hours, 🟡 moderate, a longer walk up the valley. Route reference: AllTrails — Hoh River to Mineral Creek Falls
📅 Best Time to Visit
🌱 May–June — Lush and Green
Spring is vivid and green, with fewer crowds than midsummer, though the forest is wetter.
☀️ July–September — Driest Window
Summer offers the driest trails and warmest weather, but the entrance can back up. Arrive early.
⚠️ The Hoh entrance can develop long vehicle queues on summer mornings, and the road has been subject to storm-related closures. Check conditions before driving out.
🚗 Access and Parking
The Upper Hoh Road leads to the visitor center and trailheads. The lot fills by mid-morning in summer, and the entrance line can be long — plan to arrive early.
🎟️ Fees and Reservations
The Hoh is inside Olympic National Park; a valid park entrance pass is required. No timed-entry reservation is normally required, but verify current rules and road status before you go.
⚠️ Safety
- Trails can be muddy and slick — wear grippy shoes
- Keep a safe distance from elk, especially in fall
- Bring rain gear; the forest lives up to its name
- Carry offline maps — cell service is limited
✅ Before You Go
Check current information before visiting: