Hoh River Trail

Hoh River Trail is the classic long backcountry line up the Hoh River in Olympic National Park, running through temperate rainforest before reaching Glacier Meadows for the upper end of the route. The trail generally starts out flat along the river, then turns into sustained climbing as you get closer to Glacier Meadows and Blue Glacier.

Route scale and how people use it: the commonly hiked distance is 17.4 miles one way to Glacier Meadows (34.8 miles as an out-and-back). Camping is spaced along the corridor on established sites such as Tom Creek, Five Mile Island, Happy Four, Olympus Guard Station, Lewis Meadow, Elk Lake, and Glacier Meadows.

First portion character (through the Hoh Rain Forest): the early miles follow the Hoh River corridor with rainforest and montane forest along the way, plus multiple small stream crossings. Hikers often plan around day-use turnarounds like Five Mile Island, with additional camping options further along.

Upper portion character (toward Glacier Meadows/Blue Glacier): after the initial river-following stretch, the route becomes steep for the final ascent. The last approaches include an avalanche chute area and a washed-out section that requires using a rope ladder to get down a steep, loose rock slope.

Elevation and difficulty trend: the overall elevation change is about 600 feet to 4,300 feet, with an easy-to-moderate feel for roughly the first 13 miles and a steep/strenuous finish into Glacier Meadows. Expect at least one braided-river crossing near 8 miles and a few small stream crossings.

Seasons, permits, and food storage: the best season is late June through September. Wilderness camping reservations are required, and for wilderness camping all food, garbage, and scented items must be stored in bear canisters. Drinking water should be treated (boil/filter/chemical) to prevent Giardia.

More information: Visitor information, Wikipedia, Hike of the Week: Olympic National Park - Hoh River to Sol ...