Hoh Rain Forest, Washington: Discover an Emerald Oasis and the Quietest Square Inch in America

Editor's Note: As of March 2025, the road to Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park is closed due to extensive damage. You can view the most current updates, including projected reopening dates, on the National Park Service website.

Washington is the very best cure for wanderlust — but it might also ignite an insatiable appetite for exploring, too. The Evergreen State has some of the most stunning parks in the country, and Olympic National Park is its crown jewel. By the numbers, Olympic National Park is 922,651 acres of pure beauty, with over 3,000 miles of rivers and streams, 1,200 types of native plants, 300 avian inhabitants, 73 miles of coastline, 60 glaciers, and 56 mammal species (including 22 listed as endangered or threatened). Its magnitude and presence are formidable. But statistics aside, Olympic National Park is an absolutely inspiring place to visit; it's a Washington wonderland with one of the most diverse ecosystems and geographies in the world. It's brimming with the soul-filling joy home to the best hiking trails in the U.S. And there's one place within Olympic National Park - Hoh Rain Forest - one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. that's the most transcendent and revelatory of all.

Is the Hoh Rain Forest worth visiting?

Olympic National Park is one of Washington's most sublime natural wonders. This incredible state park attracted more than 3.7 million visitors in 2024 alone, making it one of the most popular destinations in Washington. And while there are incredible places to visit throughout the park, its central attraction is, of course, Mount Olympus.

Towering at a majestic 7,980 feet, Mount Olympus is the tallest peak in Olympic National Park and the most prominent mountain in the Olympic Mountains. It's absolutely spectacular - but it's not the only stunning natural wonder in Olympic National Park.

Tucked within this epic natural expanse, Hoh Rain Forest is the most glorious hidden treasure in all of Olympic National Park.

Hoh Rain Forest is one of the only temperate rainforests on the planet. Filled with untamed mosses and hanging ferns, old-growth trees, and an abundance of wildlife, Hoh Rain Forest is a lush wonderland within the Washington wilds. The rainforest gets a staggering 12-14 feet of rain annually, which gives this thriving ecosystem its striking canopy of mosses, ferns, and trees. The result is an enchanting, emerald-green Garden of Eden.

What are the most popular attractions in the Hoh Rain Forest?

The "Green Giant" is one of Hoh's most extraordinary trees, standing majestically within the forest. The most common types of trees that grow here are the Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock (Washington's official state tree), which can reach over 300 feet high and seven feet in diameter.

Best Hikes/Trails in the Hoh Rain Forest

Hiking in the Hoh Rain Forest is unforgettable, and there is a great variety of trails, giving visitors several options for exploring this flourishing rainforest. In our opinion, the best place to start your exploration of the Hoh Rain Forest is at the eponymous visitor center. From there, you have the option of two short trails: the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail.

The Hall of Mosses is perfect for families; it's a 0.8-mile loop that's completely paved. This scenic trail winds through lush, old-growth forest, and showcases the most beautiful features of Hoh Rain Forest: the towering maple trees draped with hanging moss, the dazzling green canopies, and the abundant wildlife. This trail, along with the 1.2-mile Spruce Nature Trail, are two accessible paths that let hikers of all ages and abilities experience the splendor of Hoh Rain Forest.

For more seasoned hikers, Mineral Creek Falls on the Hoh River Trail is absolutely divine. This 5.5-mile, out-and-back trek is definitely one of the more challenging trails in the rainforest, but immensely rewarding. The views of Mineral Creek Falls, a perfect, two-tier waterfall, are glorious.

And if you're lucky, you might happen upon a rainbow while hiking in the Hoh Rain Forest.

The rainforest's wet climate, numerous rivers, and myriad falls don't just give Hoh Rain Forest its ubiquitous green glow; these conditions also create some of the most picture-perfect rainbows you'll ever see.

And for those looking to take a deep dive into the rainforest, there's no better way than the Hoh River Trail. It's an 18.5-mile, out-and-back trail that is a tour de force of the Hoh Rain Forest. The Hoh River Trail winds right through the middle of the Olympic Peninsula, ending at the Blue Glacier moraine, culminating in an utterly rapturous view of Mount Olympus.

While definitely challenging, the Hoh River Trail is one of the most rewarding ways to explore this unique natural wonderland.

Where to stay in Hoh Rain Forest

If you plan to tackle the Hoh River Trail, you'll want to give yourself plenty of time for this endeavor. The Hoh River Trail is best broken up in a weekend or several days, so you can really soak up the splendor of your surroundings. Luckily, there are seven established campsites along the trail, giving hikers plenty of options for breaking up the trek.

There is a campground located right next to the Nature Center and several campsites along the Hoh River Trail — and the camping in this area is resplendent. Permits are required to camp along the trail, and reservations can be made online.

You don’t need to tackle the Hoh River Trail to still enjoy camping throughout the park. The Hoh Rain Forest Campground is a seasonal campground where reservations are strongly recommended. Here, you’ll find 72 campsites, including a group campsite and an ADA-accessible campsite.

Editor’s Note: Reservations for the 2025 season at Hoh Rain Forest Campground are unavailable until the Upper Hoh Road, which was washed out, is repaired. You can learn more on Recreation.gov.  

The Quietest Square Inch in America

One of the most wonderful things about Hoh Rain Forest is how incredibly tranquil and quiet it is. There's a natural explanation for this: the omnipresent moss is very effective at absorbing sounds.

In fact, within the rainforest, there is one square inch of perfect, uninterrupted silence.

“One Square Inch of Silence” is a noise-control project that's a fusion of art, nature, and physics. For this project, Emmy-winning acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton sought out the world’s most remote areas, searching for the most objectively quiet places on the planet.

This included a spot within the Hoh Rain Forest, which Hempton regarded to be the quietest place in the U.S. The exact location is marked by a red stone — but you don’t need to find the exact spot to experience the soul-filling silence of Hoh Rain Forest; simply wander beneath the canopies of moss and old-growth trees, above the fern-covered forest floor, and you'll discover true peace and quiet.

Practical tips for visiting Hoh Rain Forest

General Information

Accessibility: The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible, and there is a 0.1-mile, paved, accessible-with-assistance loop at the Visitor Center. The Hall of Mosses Trail and Spruce Nature Trail are unpaved, with less than 100 feet in elevation gain along their respective routes.

Pet-Friendly: Pets, with the exception of service animals, are not allowed on trails within Hoh Rain Forest.

Parking: Parking is available at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center and Campground, though spaces are limited and can fill up quickly during the summer months.

Seasonal Access: While the trails are open year-round, the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is closed from January through early March. It is open daily during the summertime and on Friday through Sunday during the spring and fall seasons. Hours vary by season.

Cost: The entrance fee for Olympic National Park is $30 per vehicle ($25 per motorcycle) or $15 per individual entering on foot or by bicycle; however, these passes are good for seven consecutive days, so you may explore Hoh Rain Forest and the surrounding park at your leisure. Additional charges apply for overnight camping fees. This national park does not accept cash. We recommend purchasing an annual National Parks Pass to make accessing this national park and others fast and easy.

Why we love the Hoh Rain Forest

Hoh Rain Forest is one of Washington's most shining treasures, and it will bring out the wanderlust in anyone who visits. It will leave you awestruck at the immense beauty and majesty of Mother Nature. It's a sublime and powerful experience that will fill your soul.

From the rugged coastal beaches to the glacial mountain tops, to the abundant rainforest, it's absolutely mind-blowing to think you can find all of this within one Washington park.

Hoh Rain Forest is one of Washington's most glorious natural wonders, and it's truly a place everyone should experience. Read more about Hoh Rain Forest and Olympic National Park at their respective pages on the National Parks Service website.

If visiting this beautiful treasure has you inspired to indulge your wanderlust, this scenic road trip will take you to all seven wonders of Washington.

Feeling inspired to fill your Bucket List? Check out our feature of Ruby Falls in Tennessee and subscribe to our weekly Bucket List newsletter to discover new destinations across the country that definitely deserve a visit.