Spruce Nature Trail, Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, WA

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Spruce Nature Trail

Parent Category: Hiking

in Coast

Created: 17 January 2014

Distance:	1.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain:	Less than 100 feet
Permit:	National Park/Refuge entry fee required
Best time to visit:	Spring, Summer and Autumn
GPS Coordinates:	N 47 51.625 W 123 56.063

Photo from Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest, Spruce Nature Trail

The Spruce Nature Trail is one of the most visited trails in the Hoh Rainforest, which is situated in the western part of Washington State.

The Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S. and is the most spectacular place which is worth while visiting.

The Hoh Rainforest is a part of the most beautiful and fabulous place of the Olympic National Park that stretches from the mountains to the shore.

This famous park was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938. The president was so impressed with the beauty of nature of the old trees and the magnificent wildlife within the forest so that after visiting this area he decided to declare this area a national park.

The Hoh Rainforest is located beside the Hoh River, which was formed by glaciers many years ago. The Hoh Rainforest as every rainforest receives quite a lot of rain each year. Rainfall accumulates in the region between 140 to 170 inches per year.

Photo from Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest, Spruce Nature Trail

What is special about the Hoh rainforest is that trees there may be more than 1000 years old, and every tree is covered with its own plant life. This fact makes it an individual small microcosm. The most predominant species of the Hoh Rainforest are: Sitka Spruce, Coast Douglas-fir, Western Redcedar, Vine Maple, Red Alder and Black Cottonwood. As for the species of the fauna, the most dominant are: Olympic Black Bears, Raccoons, Northern Spotted Owls, Cougars, Bobcats and Black-tailed Deer.

The best way to explore the Hoh Rainforest is by hiking a forest’s trail. There are two trails: the Hall of Mosses Trail and Spruce Nature Trail, which go through the most beautiful rainforest.

The Spruce Nature Trail takes its beginning as well as the Hall of Mosses Trail from the visitor’s center. It is a little bit longer than the Hall of Mosses, but most of the hikers consider it to be more picturesque.

Photo from Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest, Spruce Nature Trail

Along the way the hikers will encounter lots of green moss hanging from the huge trees, lots of fungus and many fallen trees.

This trail is also considered to be more interesting and picturesque because it runs near the Hoh River. You may find the water in the river to be milky and whitish, this happens because the water carries silt from the melting glaciers.

This path also leads the hikers between two fallen logs and then under one of them. This part of the trail shows the real size of the great trees.

Photo from Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest, Spruce Nature Trail

This trail is also a well-marked trail that can be hiked with kids. Children will have the opportunity to learn more about the ecosystem of the rainforest because there are lots of informational signs that will tell lots about the history and the present of the trees.

Don’t forget to look for the wildlife here, because here there are possibilities to encounter different animals and birds as well as fish that live in the streams.