Hoh River Valley, Forks
I used to talk a big game about how much I loved backpacking — when in reality, the longest hike I’d been on was maybe 10 miles with a daypack. But I had the gear (I mean, who lives in Seattle and doesn’t own a backpacking backpack and an REI membership?!) and really wanted to venture out for longer trips. So when my now-husband and I wanted to vacation together during our first year of dating (when we were college-poor), we decided to go backpacking in the Olympic National Park.
Our decision for the specific trail we chose was mostly because he had done the hike before and he wanted to be prepared for what to expect because (as he finally confessed to me years later) he was unsure if I’d actually make it in the woods for so long. (To be fair, I am one of those humans that showers at least twice everyday, hates having dirty feet, and loves a warm home-cooked meal.) This trail specifically has several beautiful campsites placed along the way, making it easy to turnaround if necessary while also experiencing the beautiful scenary.
The trail to Blue Glacier in the Hoh Rain Forest is roughly 40 miles roundtrip, with the first 5-10 miles being relatively flat and the last 10 miles having almost all 4800’’ of elevation (or at least, that’s what it feels like). For the flat part of the trail, you hike along the raging Hoh River; once you start gaining elevation, you lose the river and are hiking through tall trees and bright green moss.
Along the way, there are several little places to stop. 5-Mile Island is a popular spot to stop for lunch, or to hike in for a single-night stay. Our first night was spent at the Olympus Guard Station, about 9 miles into the trail; our second night was spent at Glacier Meadows at roughly 17 miles. Both of those campsites had access to water and lean-to bathrooms (which is great for a first-time backpacker).
Disclaimer for those who are afraid of heights: at mile 15, the trail has been washed out, which requires you to hold a large rope and walk down the slick slope for roughly 100 feet, which is terrifying with a huge pack on. There is a wooden ladder to prop your feet on as you go down the mountain, though the rungs’ stability raises questions. Once you get to the bottom of the washout, you then have to climb back up the rocky terrain to meet back up with the trail.
After all that hard work, you can finally see Blue Glacier!! We stayed the night at Glacier Meadows so that the following morning we could day-hike the rest of the 2.5 miles to the glacier without our packs. We went on a beautifully sunny day — and here, my love for glaciers was borne.
We ended up cutting our trip short from three nights to two, and so we booked it down the mountain for all 20 miles (in hindsight, would not recommend). However, each lookout and view point was stunning, and very much worth the hard work —and terror of the sketchy washout ladder. I recommend this hike to anyone who wants a moderately difficult, moderately distanced hike in the Olympic mountains.
The Hoh River Sticker is from the perspective of a smaller part of the Hoh River, on one of the turnoffs from the trail where we stopped for lunch. The blog post’s thumbnail picture is a view of Blue Glacier at the end of the trail.