Bryan stopped abruptly on the rainforest path, and I nearly ran into him. Looking up, I saw that we were no longer alone. A bull elk had emerged from the ferns about 20 meters in front of us. He turned his antlered head slowly in our direction. For a moment, he held our gaze. Then he turned and disappeared into the green understory.
There was a pause, and then a dozen other elk followed at a trot, including several young calves. The last doe turned, as the bull had, and held our gaze for a long moment before returning to the forest.
We stood rooted there for a long while after they had gone.
“Amazing,” I finally whispered.
The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park is known as prime habitat for these majestic animals, the Roosevelt Elk—the largest of the North American elk and a key driver for the initial protections for Olympic National Park.
In today’s post, I’ll share the highlights of day hiking the Hoh Rainforest’s premier hiking trail, the Hoh River Trail. The Hoh River Trail travels through moss-draped temperate rainforest along the glacial blue Hoh River. Our recommended route includes two waterfalls: Mineral Creek Falls and its neighbor, Little Mineral Falls.
Prefer to start with a video tour? Check out our Hoh River Trail video below.
Video tour of the Hoh River Trail in Olympic National Park
Overview of Our Recommended Hoh River Trail Day Hike
The Pacific Northwest is known for lush forests filled with moss and ferns, but nowhere is this more salient than in the temperate rainforests. Per the National Park Service, the Hoh Rainforest gets 140 inches of rain per year on average. That’s more than three times as much rain as Seattle or Portland!
A Hoh River Trail day hike transports you into the thick of this vibrant green moss world. Even the deciduous maple trees are green year-round due to the heavy moss draped over their trunks and branches.
The trail follows the Hoh River, which you’ll see intermittently through the trees. The river is fed by glacier melt from nearby Mount Olympus, giving it a blue-green hue that contrasts with the golden greens of the surrounding rainforest.
Hoh River Trail Waterfalls
A pair of waterfalls are the destination and turnaround point for our recommended Hoh River Trail day hike. The first is about 2.6 miles in, and the second at 2.8 miles. Here is the link to the AllTrails entry for this route. I’d recommend downloading it and taking it with you, as the waterfalls are easy to miss from the main Hoh River Trail.
While the AllTrails entry is titled “Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls,” Mineral Creek Falls is actually the first of the two waterfalls. The second one (the turnaround point) is referred to as “Little Mineral Falls” by the Northwest Waterfall Survey, but I haven’t seen other references to support an official name.
The main trail doesn’t go close to either waterfall, but there are small side trails that do. We followed the side trail to Little Mineral Falls. It’s a bit narrow and rocky, so it may not be appropriate for all hikers. Take care, and make sure to hike within your comfort zone.
Here is a view of Little Mineral Falls from a close perspective.
How Long is the Hoh River Trail?
The whole Hoh River Trail covers nearly twenty miles, and it’s usually backpacked. For those with limited time (or if you’d prefer not to carry all that gear!), a Hoh River Trail day hike is a perfect way to experience the rainforest.
How Crowded is the Hoh River Trail?
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the top destinations in Olympic National Park, so you’ll likely see a lot of people at the beginning of the hike (near the visitor center). The good news is that most of the crowd will be hiking the short Hall of Mosses trail, which begins from the same trailhead. Once you split off onto the Hoh River Trail, the crowds begin to fade. You’re still likely to see other hikers, but it feels peaceful.
Hoh River Trailhead
The Hoh River Trail is on the west side of Olympic National Park. It begins right next to the Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center, which is just over 4 hours’ drive from Seattle and just over 5 hours’ drive from Portland.
Parking can get pretty busy at times. When we visited (on a summer afternoon), there was a backup at the entrance kiosk. It took about 30 minutes to get through. The entrance kiosk is on the road before the parking lot, and it’s where you’ll need to pay your entrance fee or show an annual pass. Here is the link to the Olympic National Park entrance fees page for the latest fee details.
If you do a lot of hiking, I’d recommend the annual America the Beautiful pass, as it covers a year of entry fees to national parks, national wildlife refuges, and national forests.
Roosevelt Elk on the Hoh River Trail
I mentioned at the beginning that we were lucky to see a herd of Roosevelt elk cross in front of us on the Hoh River Trail.
Per the National Park Service, Roosevelt elk were actually a key driver for the conservation of the land that’s now Olympic National Park. While there had been earlier efforts to conserve the rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula through the creation of the Olympic Forest Reserve, President Theodore Roosevelt increased protections by upgrading its status in 1909 to a national monument, largely to protect the elk.
This is a key reason the elk are now referred to as Roosevelt elk! To slightly add to the confusion, it was President Franklin Roosevelt who later made the final move, transforming the national monument into the national park it is today.
When to Hike the Hoh River Trail
The Hoh River Trail can be hiked in any season, though there are pros and cons to each. Summer is the driest season, so if you’d prefer a higher chance of sunshine and less mud, I’d recommend mid-to-late summer. Reviews from other seasons tend to mention a lot of mud, so plan accordingly and take the right gear if you go in the rainy season.
Since the forest does get (relatively) dried out by the end of summer, the flip side of summer hiking is that the moss is less full and puffy. We went in late summer, the first week of September. It was indeed a little dry, but still very beautiful.
How Hard is the Hoh River Trail?
The Hoh River Trail is relatively gradual unless you get very far in (for a backpacking trip). There are some roots to navigate and the occasional stream crossing.
The main obstacle on the Hoh River Trail that could be an issue for some hikers is a giant log that’s fallen across the trail a couple miles in (as of summer 2022). Climbing over it should be fine in most cases, but it might be tricky for kids or anyone with a knee injury. I’d recommend checking AllTrails reviews for the latest trail conditions before you go.
Hoh River Trail Parking and Fees
The Hoh River Trail begins at the Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center. Parking can get pretty busy at times. When we visited (on a summer afternoon), there was a bit of a backup at the entrance kiosk, and it took about 30 minutes to get through. The entrance kiosk is on the road before the parking lot, and it’s where you’ll need to pay your entrance fee or show an annual pass. Here is the link to the Olympic National Park entrance fees page for the latest fee details.
If you do a lot of hiking, I’d recommend the annual America the Beautiful pass, as it covers a year of entry fees to national parks, national wildlife refuges, and national forests.
Other Adventures in the Pacific Northwest
Thanks for joining us on the Hoh River Trail! For more travel ideas in the Pacific Northwest, check out our PNW Trip Planner. You can find adventures near you and filter by season and difficulty level. There are weird and wonderful things to explore any time of year. The trip planner links to blog posts to help you plan your next adventure.
Happy exploring!
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