Hoh Rain Forest
Olympic National Park
This was my first visit to this part of the park. It is very popular with lots of visitors despite being before the Memorial Day weekend. I was there to make a couple of short hikes and spend the night in the small campground there.
(Here is a small soundscape I made in the morning. Light raindrops and bird call with the river sounds nearby. Put on headphones and immerse yourself. It makes good background while reading the post
I found my space in the campground then headed over to the trails in the late afternoon. Unless you are headed into the backcountry the trails range from very short to fairly short. I walked first up the Hoh river a couple of miles.
It was easy to marvel at the density of the forest, giant conifers, big leaf maples draped in ridiculous layers of long green moss. Not satisfied being festooned with wisps, all of the limbs and trunks might be covered. When the clouds parted fabulous shafts of light illuminated parts of the forest floor.
The Hoh river ran a milky blue with glacial flour. A cow elk was browsing next to the trail. High up in the surrounding mountain’s wisps of cloud spirited out of the tall dark forested shoulders of the ridges.
I awoke the next morning while nobody was up and about. I fixed my simple breakfast to the song of birds and the rabble of water in the river next to my campsite. I donned my pack and headed up into the Gallery of Moss. It was blessedly calm and quiet on this short walk through some uniquely beautiful forest. It was really lovely as the sun rose and began to release shafts of light through the canopy.
I walked back to camp and had a nice chat with a woman who was traveling with a more timid friend. She had a lovely friendly poodle mix companion I could not resist petting.
She was from Maine so was a long away from her roots. I didn’t ask but I was left with the impression that her small RV was her only home. She may have been one of these Nomads that camp out on public land as they can no longer afford to live in a fixed abode. If so she approached it with remarkable grace and was not inclined to complain.
I finished packing and left the campground quietly and drove slowly on the road back out to the highway. I encountered a heard of elk standing on the road and shoulder back in the forest. Some were laying down and they all seemed to be looking for warm patches of sunlight. I slowed and drove cautiously past them.