Hoh River Trail to Mt. Olympus

Hoh River Trail to Mount Olympus

Why Hike this Trail?
In 1998, when we walked the "Hall of Mosses Trail" in the area around the Hoh Ranger Station (see pictures to right) I remember almost feeling a sense of disappointment that we were unequipped to venture deeper into this, the only temperate rainforest in North America, and one of only a handful in the world. Olympic National Park is amazingly untouched, with no roads travelling through the park and only a few making dead-end paths around the edges. This trail is the shortest path to the base of the highest peak in Olympic, Mt. Olympus.
    Whether you're strolling several hundred yards into the velvety green drapery of the Hoh's ethereal rain forest or trekking 17 miles to the icy shoulders of Mount Olympus, the Hoh River Trail is a magical experience you won't soon forget. - Pacific Northwest Hiking
When we first started planning this whole summer trip, our original plan was to spend most of the summer just hiking around Olympic National Park. This park deserves that kind of attention with the diversity of terrain, wildlife, and plant life. Maybe that will be the next trip... a month of just Olympic!

Trip Overview
Glacier Meadows
Loop Trip: 37 miles
Hiking Time: 3+ days
Elevation Peak: 4200 feet
Elevation Gain: 2700 feet
Hikable: Mid-July through October

Hoh Rain Forest

Useful Info

Other Olympic National Park Sites


Backup Plan... choose another hike in the Olympic area

If for some reason (permit falls through, trail unhikable, etc) we cannot hike to Mount Olympus via Hoh, we'll choose another hike in Olympic National Park. A loop hike on the High Divide comes highly recommended.