The Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park is one of a few places Tom has been talking about for years. I’ve seen photos from his visit in the fall of 2021, and they’re filled with lush greenery, vibrant fungi, and golden sunlight.
Day 4 | Olympic National Park
We had a late morning, catching up on work, so we arrived to the Olympic National Park Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center entrance just before midday. The parking lots were full, creating a long, long line of cars and RV’s waiting to enter. We waited in line for over an hour before making it through and successfully parking. The timing was perfect because as we walked up, we saw that a ranger-led tour of the Hall of Mosses Trail would begin in 15 minutes!
Hoh Rain Forest
The Hoh Rain Forest is a temperate, as opposed to tropical, rain forest. Temperate rain forests like the Hoh are located in cooler coastal areas. The Hoh’s average temperatures are moderate, ranging from lows in the 40’s °F to highs in the 70’s °F. With an average rainfall of approximately 140 inches – it’s not called a rain forest for nothin’!
The Hoh Rain Forest is comprised mainly of Western Hemlock, Sitka Spruce, and Douglas Fir coniferous trees, with the few deciduous trees including the Bigleaf and Vine Maples. These deciduous maples play a crucial role in the biodiversity of the rain forest – they’re host to many epiphytes (plants growing on or out of other plants), commonly in the form of mosses and lichens.
Banana Slugs
Seeing a Banana Slug was at the very top of my Olympic NP list, especially because I love yellow, and bananas, and slugs. We were lucky enough to see one within minutes of our first hike!
Banana slugs are the second-largest slug in the world, growing up to 9 inches long! We spotted this guy on a decaying log running through a creek bed, happily soaking up the moisture of the day.
Hall of Mosses Trail
The rain forest floor and the abundant life there has long been studied. In more recent years, scientists have conducted studies focused on the rain forest canopies, and estimated that roughly half of the biodiversity found in the Hoh Rain Forest is contained within the canopies alone.
One related study removed all the epiphytes (moss, lichen, and other species) covering a single Biglef Maple tree, dried the mass, and then weighed it. The resulting weight was over 2,000 pounds – dry weight, from a single tree. And after the growth was removed, the tree died. Additional studies have provided evidence showing that the trees begin to grow roots in the soil that is created beneath the epiphytes, which helps sustain them through the drier seasons. It was incredible to look up at the graceful swags of moss along the treetops, and know that the mosses and trees were in perfect symbiotic harmony. And, wow, trees can grow roots from their limbs!
Nurse Trees, Stumps, & Slags
Unlike in many wilderness areas, fire plays only a very small role in the Hoh Rain Forest. Since fire doesn’t regularly cleanse the forest floor, there are countless dead trees, both fallen ones and standing “slags.” As these trees begin to decompose, they become the perfect place for new growth to take their place.
Everywhere we looked in the Hoh Rain Forest, we saw what Tom scientifically refers to as “tree-ception.” A pretty accurate descriptor, in my opinion! Trees were growing out of the sides of trees, both alive and dead, from tree stumps, and from fallen decayed trees.
Nurse logs aid in seedling growth by providing nutrients and protection from grazers along the forest floor. Some nurse logs were readily evident to us, while others were almost fully decayed. We saw areas where trees were growing in a straight line – evidence of a nurse log! We also saw some trees with octopus-like tentacles for roots. These trees likely grew on a nurse stump that has now returned to the earth.
Western Hemlocks & Sitka Spruces
In a dense forest like the Hoh, young trees must compete for the sunlight that filters through mature trees. In the Hoh Rain Forest, this competition exists primarily between Western Hemlocks and Sitka Spruces.
Sitka Spruce trees, with their sharp needles, grow directly on the rain forest floor. Western Hemlock trees, with their soft and tasty needles, look for ground higher up on logs and stumps to avoid becoming snack for grazing Roosevelt Elk.
Douglas Fir trees survive only one to two generations, due to their need for direct sunlight.
Spruce Nature Trail
The Spruce Nature Trail is a 1.2 mile trail peppered with informational plaques. We learned that Hoh Rain Forest is one of very few old growth rain forests, without any past logging whatsoever. Before scientists helped to advance our knowledge through new discoveries, it was thought that the Hoh Rain Forest, and other old growth areas, were overcrowded. This theory led to the thought that selective logging would thin the forests and help to improve the forests’ health.
The Hoh Rain Forest was named for the Hoh River that runs through it, created by the snowmelt of the nearby glacier-capped Mt. Olympus. As the river winds through the Hoh Valley, it pushes fallen trees into logjams thereby creating the perfect breeding ground for salmon. Once the salmon spawn and die, they become food for the forest animals, subsequently bringing ocean nutrients to the forest floor.
Hoh Rain Forest Wild Camping
Tom found a stunning free campsite, just minutes outside Hoh Rain Forest and Olympic National Park. The site was right on the bank of the Hoh River, and watching the light change as the sun began to set was enchanting.
A short trail followed the ridge above the river, leading to a small river access area. Tom climbed down the steep ridge to enjoy a refreshing swim before coming inside for dinner. A beautiful end to a beautiful day.
