Bart Weiss
On Friday morning 9/10 I packed up camp and drove 2 hours to the Hoh Rainforest. The last 3 days had been great, and I didn’t think my trip could get much better. I had been told about the rainforest by a number of people and had felt it calling me ever since I started thinking about this trip in July.
I arrived at the visitor center and took a look at the hiking map and decided to take the long hike out into the forest. The hike was 17 miles each way. I didn’t plan on taking the whole trip but decided to start hiking and see where the day took me.
Hoh Rain Forest was a magical place. I felt like I was walking thru a fantasy novel. Everything was just stunning. I hiked along the trail admiring the dense foliage and trees. Moss covered many of the spruce and other tree’s in the area and it was beautiful. I felt so at peace and one with nature as I hiked the the trail. Life was perfect. I wondered to myself if this is real or am I in a fantasy?
I stopped so many times just to take it all in and was in awe. The path was mostly flat and in excellent shape. At times the trail merged with the Ho River and the views from the creeks were amazing. Before I knew it I hiked 6 miles deep into the forest and came along a beachhead that seemed like a great place to admire and turn around. I had taken many pictures and some video on my hike in but decided to put my phone and GoPro down for the hike back and just to take it all in again and live in the moment.
On the way back it started to rain ever so slightly. It was the perfect. The dense forest absorbed most of the rain before it could reach the ground which resulted in me being surrounded by a faint mist which would barely make your skin damp. At times when the tree covering was less dense I would get a light rainfall on me and it felt beautiful. I would spread my arms wide and take in the light rain and run my hands thru the damp plants to the side of me. I felt wonderful and almost overwhelmed by my happiness and beauty of this mystical forest. I didn’t have a care in the world and just felt bliss.
I walked ever so slowly as I realized I was reaching the end of the trail and returning to the trailhead. I did not want this day to end, but after 12 miles of hiking and with 6 O’clock approaching I realized I should probably take the 1 hour drive back to my hotel, grab some dinner and contemplate when tomorrow would bring me. My only regret is no camping was available and I could not spend more time here. Could this trip get any better?
Looks like rain tomorrow, so I have decided to do some hiking and get a little wet at Ruby Beach then get a hotel in Olympia for a few day to contemplate the next stops in the 1st leg of my journey before flying back to Madison on August 22nd from Portland.
Full Photo Album – https://photos.app.goo.gl/v1vPSFF2ygSZ7riB9
