The Hoh Rain Forest and Hurricane Ridge: Olympic’s Rainforest and Mountains

Olympic is really three parks in one boundary — coast, rainforest, and mountains — and two of the three are the reason most people fall for it: the moss-draped rainforest of the Hoh, and the glaciated high country you can actually drive to at Hurricane Ridge. They sit on the park’s western and northern edges, close enough to Sol Duc and Lake Crescent to string together without fighting the US-101 horseshoe. Here is how to see them well, with the parking realities and the winter road rules that catch first-timers out. (Distances marked “about” are commonly cited figures; confirm current conditions at nps.gov before you go.)

The Hoh Rain Forest and the Hall of Mosses

The Hoh is the park’s most famous rainforest and, for many visitors, the single most memorable place in it. The star is the Hall of Mosses, a short loop of about 0.8 miles, nearly flat, that winds beneath big-leaf maples so heavily draped in club moss they look like something out of a dream. A small child can manage it, and it is glorious in the rain — the mossiest, mistiest days are the wet ones, so do not let drizzle keep you away. Next door, the Spruce Nature Trail adds about 1.2 more flat miles along the Hoh River through old-growth spruce, with a good chance of spotting Roosevelt elk in the valley at dawn and dusk. Together the two loops make a gentle two miles that show off the best of the Hoh without a single steep step.

Here is the practical truth about the Hoh, and it is important: the road in is narrow and the parking lot is small, and in summer it can fill by mid-morning, at which point rangers meter cars at the entrance — sometimes a long wait on a peak day. As of this writing there is no formal timed-entry reservation system, though a pilot reservation or queue has been discussed and tried, so this is exactly the kind of detail to confirm on nps.gov before you drive out. Your best defense is simple: arrive before 9 a.m. in summer, or come in the shoulder seasons and wet months when the crowds thin and the moss is at its most vivid. The Hoh sits at the end of its own spur road off US-101, reached from Forks, and the drive runs about an hour each way from the highway (a couple of hours from Port Angeles), so budget the full out-and-back and factor it into an early start. If you want to walk farther, the Hoh River Trail runs flat and lovely for miles into the valley — turn around anywhere.

Quieter rainforest: Quinault, Sol Duc Falls, and Staircase

If the Hoh is the famous rainforest, Lake Quinault is the connoisseur’s choice — lush, less crowded, and home to record-size trees that earned the area its nickname, the “Valley of the Rain Forest Giants.” Gentle old-growth loops and big-tree trails wind through the forest off the South Shore Road, and a drive around the lake strings together giants, lodge views, and rainforest at its most serene. It sits in the park’s quiet southwestern corner and, like the Hoh, is one of the best valleys for Roosevelt elk at dawn and dusk.

• Sol Duc Falls — ~1.6 mi round trip, ~200 ft, about 1 hour, easy. A short, gentle walk through mossy old growth to a dramatic multi-channel falls that splits and plunges into a narrow gorge, with a footbridge for a head-on view. One of the best effort-to-payoff walks in the park, spectacular when the river runs high, and it pairs naturally with a soak at the nearby Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort (seasonal, so check its dates). Reached by its own road off US-101 west of Port Angeles.
• Staircase Rapids Loop — ~2.8 mi, ~285 ft, easy–moderate. Tucked into the quiet southeast on Lake Cushman, this underrated loop follows the North Fork Skokomish River through mossy old growth to a set of rapids and back. It sees a fraction of the west-side crowds, which is exactly its charm. If you want the rainforest feel without the Hoh’s parking scramble, and you are coming from the Seattle side or the south, make time for it.

Hurricane Ridge: the drive-up mountains

Hurricane Ridge is the park’s great drive-up mountain experience: subalpine meadows perched high above Port Angeles, with wildflowers in summer and long views to Mount Olympus and its glaciers to the south and, on a clear day, across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Canada. A road of about 17 miles of switchbacks climbs from Port Angeles to the ridge, where easy meadow paths (the Cirque Rim and Big Meadow loops) suit almost anyone. Stronger hikers can push on to Hurricane Hill, about 3.2 miles round trip with roughly 700 feet of gain, for even wider views. Wildflowers peak in the short subalpine summer, roughly July into August, and marmots, black-tailed deer, and sometimes mountain goats share the slopes — give them room and stay on the trail to protect the fragile meadows.

In summer the challenge is simple: the lot fills, so arrive before 9 a.m., especially on clear days. The reward for a bluebird day here is enormous, and sunset from the ridge is one of the park’s finest sights, so if you get a clear day during your trip, consider spending it up top. Allow a half day, and keep the flexibility to move your ridge visit to the clearest day you get, because a socked-in ridge gives you nothing.

The winter road rules that catch people out

Here is the essential catch, and it is a big one. In winter, Hurricane Ridge Road runs only limited days, typically Friday through Sunday and holidays, generally 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it can open as late as noon depending on conditions. It closes on Christmas Day. From about November 1 to April 1, every vehicle — including four-wheel-drive — must carry tire chains, and all vehicles must be below the Heart O’ the Hills station by 5 p.m. Storms can close the road with little notice. This is the single most important thing to confirm on nps.gov before a winter visit up top, because the days, hours, and chain rules are exactly the kind of detail that shifts. Note too that the historic day lodge was lost to fire, so services on the ridge are reduced; come self-sufficient with your own layers, food, and water, and check the road status and avalanche conditions before you drive up. When the snow piles up, the ridge becomes a winter playground for skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and snowshoeing, with ranger-led snowshoe walks on open weekends.

Lake Crescent, on the way to the mountains

On the way to and from the north-side high country lies Lake Crescent, a glacially deep, startlingly clear lake right on US-101, its water an almost impossible blue-green. A gentle forest walk of about 1.8 miles round trip, with roughly 200 feet of gain, leads to Marymere Falls, a 90-foot cascade and a wonderful family outing. For the strong and steady, the trail up Mount Storm King climbs about 4.6 miles round trip and roughly 2,100 feet to jaw-dropping views over the lake, with fixed-rope scramble sections near the top that are genuinely exposed and dangerous when wet — save it for a dry, clear day, and skip it if heights unsettle you. The lake itself invites paddling, with kayak and canoe rentals at the lodges, and the calm mornings before the afternoon breeze are the finest time to be on the water. Sitting right on US-101 west of Port Angeles, it pairs naturally with Sol Duc in a single day.

Putting a north-side day together

This is where the geography pays off. A clean north-side day links Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, and Sol Duc — all mountains and forest, all close together, none more than about an hour apart. Start early up Hurricane Ridge for the meadows and the light, come down to Lake Crescent for Marymere Falls and a lakeside lunch, and finish with the short walk to Sol Duc Falls and, if the resort is open, a soak. It shows off Olympic’s range without a single long drive. The one habit that governs it: match the day’s weather to the right world. Save Hurricane Ridge and the Storm King scramble for the clearest, driest hours you get, and send yourself to the rainforest and the waterfalls on the gray, drizzly days, when they are at their finest.

FAQ

Do I need a reservation for the Hoh Rain Forest?

As of this writing there is no formal timed-entry reservation, but in summer the small lot fills by mid-morning and rangers meter cars at the entrance, which can mean a wait. A pilot queue or reservation has been discussed and tried, so check nps.gov for the current rules and arrive before 9 a.m.

How long is the Hall of Mosses walk?

About 0.8 miles on a nearly flat loop — 30 to 45 minutes at an easy pace. Add the Spruce Nature Trail next door (about 1.2 flat miles) to make a satisfying two-mile morning in the Hoh.

Can you drive to Hurricane Ridge in winter?

Only on limited days, typically Friday through Sunday and holidays, weather permitting, and it closes on Christmas Day. Every vehicle, including four-wheel-drive, must carry tire chains from about November 1 to April 1, and all cars must be below Heart O’ the Hills by 5 p.m. Confirm the current schedule on nps.gov and call the Road and Weather Hotline (360-565-3131) before you drive up.

How far apart are the Hoh and Hurricane Ridge?

Farther than the map suggests, because there is no road across the interior — they are effectively a half-day of driving apart around the US-101 horseshoe. Do not try to do both in one day; the Hoh pairs with the coast, and Hurricane Ridge pairs with Lake Crescent and Sol Duc.

Keep reading: The Olympic coast and sea stacks · A ready-made Olympic itinerary · The complete Olympic National Park guide