We left at 3 AM, severely lacking sleep, but we were determined to get to the trailhead for an early start. The drive was about 4.5 hours from Vancouver to the Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center where the trail starts. Saw elk and deer near the road while driving through Olympic coast. We got our permit from the visitor center and readied our packs. Weighed in at about 28 pounds each. Didn't seem too bad for two first-timers.
Many pack adjustments would ensue in the coming days
Excited (but already exhausted)
Goal for day one was to reach Olympus Guard Station at 9.1 miles. The first 12 miles of trail is relatively flat through the extremely green/mossy/dense rainforest. Beautiful setting. Soon we met up with the Hoh River which we would follow for the rest of the day. We ran into a bear a few miles in. It was awesome to see one so close.
Apologize for blurriness
We took a rest at 5-mile Island, where we found a great campsite that we hoped to snag on our way back down in a few days. There were a ton of great options by the river.
We struggled the last 4.1 miles to our camp area for the night. I think having just 2 hours of sleep and carrying 30 pound packs for miles was finally wearing on us. Not the best way to start a trip like this off, but we made it through. We found a camp spot in the sand about 50 yards from the river. We love close proximity to fresh water sources.
Last sliver of light
The next day required 6 miles of travel up to our next planned campsite, Elk Lake. The first 3 miles of the day were quick and flat. Soon, the valley walls began to close in and we were forced to go up. At around 13 miles you cross the High Hoh Bridge, where Glacier Creek converges with the Hoh.
Continuing up for 2 more miles, we mercifully reached Elk Lake. However, the campsites were all far away from the lake and the nearest running water was Martin Creek about a quarter mile back down. We decided to go back down to the Martin Creek horse camp and stay there. It was actually a much better place to stay anyway because it's the last site along the trail where fires are allowed, and we had the area to ourselves for 2 days opposed to crowded Elk Lake.
Martin Creek camp in the shady trees
Nap time
The next morning we day hiked up to Blue Glacier, which was the most strenuous day in terms of elevation gain. The trail slopes up immediately from Elk Lake and continues that way all the way to the glacier overlook. Nice scenery along the way.
Another glacier in the distance
Mt. Olympus
Only scary part of trail; about 12-16 inches wide of loose material. Very steep drop
After climbing and climbing, we finally crested a ridge and were surprisingly greeted with these views of Blue Glacier.
The views were spectacular and unforgettable. Definitely made the trip feel worth it. After admiring it for a while and enjoying a snack, we headed back down toward camp. On the way down, we met a nice marmot who helped escort us.
We camped one more nice night at Martin Creek, even taking a dip in the freezing water. The next day we decided to knock out some extra miles and get back down to 5-mile island so we could head out a day earlier. The 10 mile hike down was tiring but so worth it when we got back to our desired spot that we had found a few days earlier. We relaxed by the water and enjoyed our last night in the wilderness.
Last campsite for the trip
The next morning was just a 5 miles hike back to the car through the flat forest. We savored our last hours in the huge trees but were excited to get back home to our puppy and to taste some non-dehydrated food. This was a great trip for two beginner backpackers that offers different challenges the whole way. We loved our time in the Hoh rainforest and will surely return again.
Goodbye Hoh River Trail
