HOH TRAIL Length 17.0 mi/27.4 km Access Hoh River Road USGS Maps Mount Olympus; Mount Tom; Owl Mountain: Mount Came Agency Olympic National Park The main route to Mount Olympus, this trail traverses the river bottoms to the mountains base, then climbs steeply to the Blue Glacier, about halfway up the peak. Beyond the glacial moraine the route to the top of Olympus lies over fields of ice and snow. The trail is popular during the summer, when one is never far from company, but the hiker who goes into the upper Hoh in November is not likely to see anyone else. The weather can then change quickly from benign Indian summer to a fierce winter gale, and when storms sweep up the valley, the wind whooshes through the trees. But this is the time to see the valley's wildlife- elk and deer, bear, raccoon, and snowshoe rabbit. The trail begins at the Hoh Ranger Station and Visitor Center (578 ft/176 m) at the end of the Hoh River Road. After crossing tranquil Taft Creek, it meanders at a level grade through the multistoried rain forest. The ground is carpeted with ferns, mosses, lichens, liverworts, and thick growths of vine maple, huckle berry, red elder, and salmonberry. Above this jungle rise the hemlocks, spruces, firs, and cedars. On the ground the fallen logs are padded with cushions of moss and millions of baby trees. At intervals the gloomy stands of conifers arc broken by patches of alders or by glades where bigleaf maples and vine maples, heavily bearded with selaginella and ferns, stand in grotesque postures. As one travels up the valley, the forest changes gradually until Douglas fir becomes the dominant species, but spruce is common as far as Lewis Meadow. Unlike the mountain trails, this river-bottom path is smooth and fiat, not stony and rough. Little wayside camps, each with its own individual attractions, are located at various points along the route. Beyond a viewpoint where Mount Tom is visible (1.5 mi/2.4 km), the trail descends to the Hoh, and then climbs a bit because the river washes against a bluff opposite Mount Tom Creek. Here the trail crosses two streams that tumble down the slope, and just beyond them the Mount Tom Creek Trail (2.8 mi/4.5 km; 660 ft/201 m) leads to the right. The trail then crosses Five Mile Slough, a side channel of the river, and traverses grassy alder bottoms, only to re-cross the slough and return to the evergreen forest, which is now largely Douglas fir. Happy Four Shelter (5.6 mi/9.0 km; 800 ft/244 m), surrounded by large firs, stands on a bench above the river. Excellent campsites are located near the stream. Beyond this point, the trail provides periodic views of the Hoh River, at times going through bowers of vine maple that arc attractive in the fall after the leaves have fallen. On sunny days, the moss formations, dripping from the recent rains, are illuminated and appear to be translucent. The trail then descends and crosses Eight Mile Slough, another side channel of the river. Slough Camp (7.9 mi/12.7 km; 900 ft/274 m), to the right of the trail, is a good place for a small party to stay. The trail re-crosses the slough, and then climbs over a spur blackened by the 1978 Hoh take fire, which swept down to the river from the ridge above. Occasionally, when walking in this area, the hiker will hear rocks clatter down the cliffs to the north, where the protective vegetation was destroyed. Most of the trees in the burned area were killed, and the devastation contrasts markedly with the adjacent greenery. Leaving this scarred district, the (rail returns to the river bottoms. The Olympus Ranger Station (9.0 mi/14.5 km; 948 ft/289 m) and a trail shelter stand at the edge of a grass-covered meadow bordered by large spruce and cottonwood trees. Behind the rustic cabin, a clear, sparkling brook provides the camp with drinking water. The river flows by the meadows south side, and from the gravel bars south of the trail one can look up (he valley and see the Bailey Range as well as much of the area burned by the Hoh Lake fire. Douglas fir is dominant beyond the ranger station, but spruce, hemlock, and cedar are still present. Here (he trail winds through a stand of ancient firs. Many of the trees are 8 to 10 feet in diameter, and the average height is about 275 feet. Occasionally, larger specimens are found-trees that approach 12 feet in diameter and sometimes exceed 300 feet in height. The great shafts, with their ribbed bark, rise without limbs for 100 feet or more, like classic Doric columns, and breezes murmur softly in the crowns. The route intersects the Hoh Lake Trail (9.5 mi/15.3 km; 1000 ft/305 m) and crosses Lake Creek, which usually flows underground at this point-at least during the summer. The route then skins Lewis Meadow (10.3 mi/16.6 km; 1000 ft/ 305 m), where an old cabin once stood. This is a good campsite, but water must be obtained from the river. One can see the Bailey Range from the meadow. The trail reaches the end of the flat bottomland at Stove Hill Camp (12.0 mi/ 19.3 km; 1080 ft/329 m), so called because many years ago a weary packer dumped a large woodstove beside the trail. The path formerly went directly up the steep hill, but it has since been rerouted and now switchbacks up, then crosses a couple of streams before descending to Hoh Bridge (13.0 mi/20.9 km; 1357 ft/414 m), which spans the river just above its confluence with Glacier Creek. Here the Hoh surges through a rock-walled gorge 150 feet deep, and turbulent Glacier Creek flows through a similar canyon. The slots were cut in the black sandstone of a glacial step. This is the third bridge at this site. The first one, built by Henry Huelsdonk about 1923, was replaced in the 1940s, and the present one dates from 1971. Delicious huckleberries grow in the vicinity, and hikers often stop here to have lunch. A tiny camp located beside a little stream about 200 yards beyond the bridge has two tent sites. The trail now climbs the northern slopes of Mount Olympus via switchbacks that alternate with long, ascending traverses. The forest consists chiefly of stands of large Douglas fir, with undergrowth of vine maple and a ground cover of vanilla leaf and ferns, primarily sword and maidenhair. Queen cup bead lilies nestle amidst the greenery on the forest floor, their blue berries contrasting with the bright greens of the other plants. At Drip Rock, a huge monolith beside the trail, water drips from an overhanging cliff until midsummer. Upon approaching Martins Creek, where the stream plunges over an escarpment, the trail crosses above the falls. The grade eases beyond this point, the trail rounds a bend, and Elk Lake comes into view (14.6 mi/23.5 km; 2558 ft/780 m). The shelter here is often occupied, but good campsites are located in the timber above the trail. The lake is comparatively warm, and swimmers paddle among the lily pads. As late as 1935 the lake had no fish, never having been stocked, but trout are present today. The lake marks the approximate upper limit of the Douglas fir forest. Above it the slopes are covered with Alaska cedar, silver fir, and mountain hemlock. The trail now climbs sharply through dense forest, crosses a few open glades - avalanche zones overgrown with slide alder and salmonberry thickets-where one can see the High Divide and Mount Carrie, then traverses around a cliff that overlooks Glacier Creek. The stream is 1400 feet below, and vantage points here provide views of the Snow Dome on Olympus, the White Glacier, and Glacier Creek. The former extent of the glacier is clearly indicated by the distinct boundary between the neighboring conifer forest and the deciduous growth that flourishes upon the old glacial bed. On hot days, when the ice melts rapidly, the creek clatters like a freight train. After crossing a deep, rocky ravine, which is often filled with avalanched snow and where the rocks are unstable, the trail meanders to Glacier Meadows (17.0 mi/ 27.4 km; 4200 ft/1280 m). The dense forest ends here, but subalpine trees are scattered up the mountainside and on the rocky moraine above. Two shelters are located near the lower edge of the meadows, and the standard, maintained trail ends at this point. Beyond Glacier Meadows a way trail continues up to the Blue Glacier. This primitive path, which is not maintained, goes by the summer ranger's tent, winds briefly through dense groves of subalpine fir and mountain hemlock, and again enters open country. The trail then forks (17.1 mi/27.5 km). Both paths lead to the glacier. The right branch of the way trail climbs through brush and over large, rough boulders to a notch in the moraine just above the glacier's terminus, and then ascends Indian Rock (17.5 mi/28.2 km; 4700 ft/1433 m). This point overlooks the glacier, which is broken by numerous crevasses, but the Snow Dome hides the peaks of Olympus. One can camp here, but water must be carried up from below. Early in the season one can, of course, find snow to melt. The left branch of the trail is much longer-perhaps a mile or more. After crossing meadowland (where wild flowers grow profusely), it follows a ravine that is snow-filled until late summer. The moraine abuts a steep mountainside (18.0 mi/ 29.0 km; 5000 ft/1524 m). The terrain is deceiving, the distance farther than it appears. The transition here is abrupt. After having walked for miles through luxuriant rain forests, then a fringe of meadowland, one looks out upon a scene from the Ice Age-a world of snow, ice, and barren rock. The moraine, a ridge of loosely consolidated boulders and dirt, rises abruptly from the glaciers edge, and the view is one of the finest in the Olympics. Below is the sweep of the glacier; beyond are the peaks of Olympus, the Snow Dome, Glacier Pass, and the Blue Glacier icefall. Several primitive campsites are located adjacent to the moraine and are frequently used by hikers who wish to see the alpine glow at sunrise and sunset, or by climbers intent on getting an early start to scale the peak Although hikers not trained and experienced in the art of mountaineering will be sorely tempted to do so, they should retrain from venturing upon the glacier or attempting to climb Mount Olympus. The ascent is a glorious experience, but over the years a number of people have lost their lives on the peak-primarily due to inexperience and lack of proper equipment.