The Hoh River Trail and Hall of Mosses in the Olympic National Park

In addition to hiking on the Pacific beach in the Olympic National Park, we head over to the rain forest for some hiking in the mud.  The Hoh River Trail leads into the forest from the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, where we see signs to beware of elk, bears, and giant slugs, but, today, especially, the elk.

Elk warning

The Hoh Rain Forest is named after the Hoh River that flows through it.  The forest gets a yearly average of 140 inches (3.55 meters) of rain, resulting in a lush, green canopy of both coniferous and deciduous species, with mosses and ferns blanketing the surfaces.

We hike about an hour into the rainforest, to the Mineral Creek Falls and back.

Heading into the rain forest

As we proceed along, we get occasional views of the Hoh River flowing through the forest.

Hoh River

Continuing through the rain forest

Soon we reach the falls, take a few pictures, and turn back.

Mineral Creek Falls

Moss-covered trees

Heading back

Near the entrance to the trail, we follow a short path to the Hall of Mosses, a walk featuring incredible moss-covered trees with moss hanging from every surface.  The mosses thrive in this environment, absorbing their food from the atmosphere and not affecting the trees on which they live.

Hall of Mosses

This has been another great, albeit short, visit to the Olympic National Park, a location to which we'll be returning many times.