You’d be hard-pressed to find a natural landscape more stunning than a rainforest. Have you ever wondered, “Are there any rainforests in the US?” While the continental United States is not home to any tropical rainforests, it does house multiple non-tropical temperate rainforests that will blow you away with their beauty. In addition, Hawaii also boasts some of the most beautiful tropical locales imaginable. When you’re ready to go on a virtual journey, here are 13 breathtaking images of rainforests in the US that will absolutely mesmerize you.

1. Does it get much more stunning than this? The Kohala Forest Preserve sits on the shores of Hawaii’s Big Island. Here, the rainforest meets the Pacific shoreline.
Kohala Forest Reserve, 525055 Akoni Pule Hwy, Waimea, HI 96743, USA
Flickr/JD
2. The Kenai River within Alaska’s Chugach National Forest, one of the most incredible rainforests to visit in the US, is nothing short of breathtaking.
Chugach National Forest, Seward, AK 99664, USA
Flickr/Forest Service Alaska Region, USDA


Take a look at this drone footage by @MIRASADVENTURES:
3. Towering rocks add to the beauty of Hawaii’s Iao Valley Park, located in Maui.
Iao Valley parking lot, Wailuku, HI 96793, USA
Flickr/emmett anderson
4. The greenery in this capture is truly remarkable. One of our country’s most stunning rainforests is located on the Ko’olau Range in Oahu, Hawaii. Can you imagine a more beautiful locale? It's one of the most jaw-dropping rainforests in the US.
Ko‘olau Forest Reserve, Ko‘Olau Forest Reserve, Hawaii 96790, USA
Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada/Wikimedia Commons
5. Alaska’s Tongass National Forest is the largest temperate rainforest in North America. You could spend a lifetime exploring and never truly see all that it has to offer.
Tongass National Forest, Alaska 99833, USA
Flickr/Joseph


Take a look at this video by @lovenature:
6. Water flows through greenery and rocks in Hawaii's Molokai Forest Reserve. We weren’t kidding when we said that Hawaii housed some truly breathtaking rainforests in the US.
Moloka?i Forest Reserve, Kaunakakai, HI 96748, USA
Flickr/Eric Tessmer

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7. You’ll wonder if you’ve stepped into a fairy tale when you explore the beauty of Hoh National Forest within Olympic National Park in Washington. Absolutely stunning.
Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, 18113 Upper Hoh Rd, Forks, WA 98331, USA
King of Hearts/Wikimedia Commons


Take a look at this mesmerizing video by @milosh9k:
8. An aerial view of Portage Valley, located within Alaska’s aforementioned Chugach National Forest.
Portage Valley, Alaska, USA
Flickr/Forest Service Alaska Region, USDA
9. Bears might not immediately come to mind when you think about rainforests, but you’ll certainly find plenty of them in Alaska’s temperate rainforests -- including Tongass.
Tongass National Forest, Alaska 99833, USA
Flickr/Forest Service Alaska Region, USDA
10. A mesmerizing capture from within Haleakala National Park in Hawaii. You can catch sights like this one along the Waimoku Falls Trail. Don’t forget your camera!
Haleakal? National Park, Hawaii, USA
Flickr/Angela Sevin
11. If this photo doesn’t make you want to visit Hawaii, we’re not sure what will. The rainforests of Kauai are even more stunning from above.
Kauai, Hawaii, USA
Flickr/Jim Mullhaupt
12. Another otherworldly scene captured inside the Hoh Rainforest of Olympic National Park. Tragically, sections of this park were destroyed during 2017’s wildfires.
Hoh Rainforest - Olympic National Park, 5629-4911 Upper Hoh Rd, Forks, WA 98331, USA
Flickr/Tjflex2
13. One final Hawaii scene: Upper Waikani Falls, located off Hana Highway in Maui.
Upper Waikani Falls, Hana Hwy, Haiku, HI 96708, USA
Flickr/Joe Parks

Have you visited these or any other beautiful rainforests in the US? We’d love to see your photos and hear about your experiences in the comment section below.

Rainforests are wet places so to help you stay dry, we suggest you get yourself a rain poncho from REI!

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More to Explore

Rainforests In The US

Melissa M. | August 29, 2023

How many rainforests are in the US?

There are a few states with temperate rainforests and one with more tropical rainforests. Hawaii, being the wettest state in the country, has quite a few areas that could be considered rainforest. In total, there are more than a dozen rainforests in the US. Here are some of those rainforests and where you can find them:

  • Washington: Hoh Rainforest and Quinault Rainforest can both be found in Olympic National Park.
  • Alaska: Tongass National Forest 
  • Hawaii: Waipio Valley, Ko’olau Forest, Iao Valley State Park, Kalalau Valley, Halawa Valley, Akaka Falls State Park, etc.

 

Which US state receives the most rainfall?

The US state with the most rainfall is Hawaii. Averaging 25-30 inches annually, there are some areas that actually receive 15 times that amount! Can you believe how much rain that is? Not only that, but there are several climate zones in Hawaii making it a place that’s rich and diverse in flora and fauna.

How many deserts are there in the US?

We talked at great length about rainforests in the US, so how about our drier areas? There are four major deserts in the US which include:

  • Great Basin
  • Chihuahua
  • Sonoran
  • Mohave

 

These deserts are all located in the western portion of the country in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Portions of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts are in Mexico. While rainforests are teeming with life, you won’t find the abundance or variety of species in our deserts.

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