Washington – Hall of Mosses Trail in the Hoh Rainforest
Would you like to guess how much rain the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State receives annually? Well, Seattle gets about 3ft of rain each year, so you might have guessed 6 ft or maybe 10 ft… But the Hoh Rainforest gets a whopping 14 feet of rain annually, making it one of the lushest places in the contiguous United States and full of moss. Mosses thrive in this moist environment. They hang from the trees, cover every surface, and create such a unique environment that felt like I was walking onto a movie set. To discover what the Hoh Rainforest had to offer, we opted to do a leisurely stroll through the Hall of Mosses.
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Hall of Mosses Trail
The first time I looked up the Hoh Rainforest, I read the name of this trail as the “Hall of Moses” and thought, “Wow, there must be such an insane amount of water that they made a biblical reference!” MOSSES, Hanna, mosses. After making the long, but beautiful drive into the Hoh Rainforest, the Hall of MOSSES trail leaves from the parking area. At the start of the hike, there are informational plaques to introduce you to the different types of moss, trees, and animals. From the beginning, I recommend settling into a slow pace to learn, rather than the typical hustle that I feel on a hike.
After crossing a stream, climbing a hill, and ducking under a fallen tree, there is a fork on the path with a sign describing a loop. Since I was visiting during the summer of 2020, the National Park Service restricted the loop to go in one direction. Getting an early start and a single-direction loop made for less traffic on the trail. It was after about 10 or 15 minutes when I began to notice the amount of moss. It covers every tree and hangs down from any tree that has a slant to it.
My recommendation during this short walk is to follow your curiosity down to the small, rather than trying to take in the bigger scene. For instance, follow the detour to see the maple trees covered in moss (this looked a lot like the Maple Glade Rainforest Loop that I did at Lake Quinault), stop and take a look at the different things growing on a fallen stump, read the signs to learn about nurse trees, and notice this unique environment. The beauty here is subtle compared to an alpine vista.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, would go again
- Intensity: Casual Clothes, tennis shoes/casual shoes
- Location: Trailhead is accessible from the main parking lot at the Hoh Rainforest
- Cost: $30 per car, or opt for the National Parks Annual Pass for $80
- Restrooms: Near the parking lot
- Timing: 1 – 2 hours
- Distance: .8 miles
- Elevation Gain: less than 100 ft
Highlights:
- Discover the unique flora and fauna of a temperate rainforest
- Take a stroll and let your curiosity take you into the minutia of the environment instead of focusing on the bigger picture
- Would be great to go when it was raining or misting
Lowlights:
- This is a popular trail and can get quite busy – another reason to go in the offseason or on a rainy day.
Hoh Rainforest
The dominant tree species in the Hoh Rainforest is the Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock. As a result of so much rain, these trees grow to enormous proportions. We visited the world’s largest Sitka Spruce at Lake Quinault the day before, so we were no strangers to the extra-large trees. On the National Park website, you can see great photos of the different bark with leaves of the most common tree species, so that you can identify them on the trail. Check it out.
Without repeating what is on the National Park website, I wanted to share a discovery that my friends and I made while walking the Hall of Mosses Trail. About one-third of the way through the trail, we were admiring some moss when I noticed that there was a series of large trees in a straight line. It was as if it was a wall of trees and roots. We couldn’t figure out why it would be in a straight line until we saw an informational plaque about nursery trees. When one of these giants fall, there is an opening of sunlight in the canopy above and also provide nutrients in the collapsed log itself. This is an opportunity for smaller trees to grow from the fallen log.
Seeing the informational plaque it all clicked together. The mysterious line of trees was once a fallen tree that became a nursery log. It likely happened decades ago. Keep your eyes peeled for a line of trees while on the Hall of Mosses trail!
Other things to do at the Hoh Rainforest:
- Spruce Nature Trail – 1.2-mile loop through old and new growth forest
- Hoh River Trail – 18.5-mile out-and-back trail to hike as far as you desire
- Camping – this would be fun to be able to explore the trails in the early morning or late evening and have a better chance at seeing wildlife at quieter times of day
Hall of Mosses Trail Recommendations
Since this is a short hike that does not have much elevation gain, you won’t need much. However, to make sure you don’t rush through the trail, here’s what I recommend bringing to have the best Hall of Mosses/Hoh Rainforest experience
- Get an EARLY start – this is a popular destination
- Water bottle
- Bring a snack – I like those Bobos bars
- Small tripod for photos
- One thing I wish I had was one of those clip-on iPhone lenses that allow you to take clear detailed shots. I feel like the iPhone did OK, but could be better when extra close to the subject
Getting to the Hoh Rainforest and the Hall of Mosses Trailhead
No matter how you slice it, the Hoh Rainforest takes a long drive to get there. First, you must first make your way to the Pacific Ocean side of the Olympic Peninsula. Once there, you will then turn inland following a river valley. It takes about 45 minutes from Forks, 1.5 hours from Lake Quinault, 2.5 hours from Sequim, and 4.5 hours from Seattle to get here. Check out google maps to create a route where you can see other exciting things along the way. The Hall of Mosses trailhead leaves right from
Olympic Peninsula Adventures
In addition to visiting the Hoh Rainforest, I did a multi-day road trip to discover the unique climate zones of the Olympic Peninsula. The three areas that I discovered so far include rainforest, beach, and alpine. Check out these posts for more details on each activity: (I will link as I post them)
- Backpacking Royal Basin, Olympic National Park (alpine)
- Things to do at Lake Quinault, Olympic Peninsula (rainforest)
- Backpacking Hole-in-the-Wall Beach, Olympic National Park (beach)
- Hiking Hurricane Hill, Olympic National Park (alpine)
- Visiting the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim (zoo experience)
Overall Thoughts: Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rainforest
Whenever I hear the term “old-growth forest,” the overgrown moss and trees of the Hoh Rainforest are precisely what I’ve always imagined. If you have an interest in the small details of nature, you are sure to love this trail. One thing that is worth considering is the weather when you visit. We went on a sunny day and found it tough to capture the moss with the intense shadows. I’ve read that the moss is even more green and lively when it is rainy, so perhaps head to the Hall of Mosses during spring, fall, or even winter. And I bet it would be magical with mist. You cannot go wrong!
Have you done the Spruce Nature Trail or Hoh River Trail? If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. Let me know in the comments!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
