Trails lead to Salmon Cascades , Sol Duc Falls and to ancient forests. Access the Hoh Rain Forest and its visitor center by taking a spur road off coastal U.S. 101. Some of the world's largest trees grow here. Sitka spruce, western red cedar, and western hemlock tower up to 200 feet above the ground. Ferns arc like feathers from the forest floor.
Mosses shroud the trees, covering the trunks in fuzzy green.
The air is heavy with moisture, and sounds are muffled. Nowhere is bare earth visible as salmonberry, blackberry, trillium, licorice, sword and maidenhair fern, vine maple, and countless other plants compete for space and nutrients. The Spruce Nature Trail, 1.3 miles, offers a slightly longer foray into the forest. The Hoh River Trail leads the hiker deep into the hushed, primeval world of the Hoh. This 17-mile trail continues on to Glacier Meadows, with its summer wildflowers, and the Blue Glacier moraine.