The Spruce Nature Trail at Olympic National Park near Forks, Washington is an easy 1.1-mile loop hike that leads through the Hoh Rainforest where visitors will find lush mosses and ferns and views of the Hoh River within an old-growth forest.
The path passes the Hoh River Trail before it splits at a fork where visitors can choose which direction they wish to hike the loop. This guide follows the Spruce Nature Trail in a clockwise direction. As you follow the path through the lush vegetation of the Hoh Rainforest, you'll initially find towering old-growth trees that reach hundreds of feet toward the sky. You'll pass a small cluster of trees on your left-hand side with tall and gnarled roots that once grew down and around a long-dead nurselog. Further ahead, around mile 0.35 is an information kiosk about the age of the forest where, just beyond, are blowdown trees that were cut away for hikers to pass through — as you pass these crosscut trees, you'll find their width is almost 5-feet high.
The trail wraps up back at the trailhead for a 1.1-mile loop hike.
Explore the Hoh Rainforest via Spruce Trail
Hikers will find the trailhead for the Spruce Nature Trail located just off of the Mini Trail that leads in from the main parking lot. While the Spruce Nature Trail is a bit less spectacular than the Hall of Mosses Trail, it's a great way to expand your visit in the Hoh Rainforest and to take-in more scenery that the area has to offer. If you show up early enough, like we did, and had the Hall of Mosses Trail virtually to yourself, then exploring this trail afterward is a great way to continue that seclusion as most hikers visit this trail second.The path passes the Hoh River Trail before it splits at a fork where visitors can choose which direction they wish to hike the loop. This guide follows the Spruce Nature Trail in a clockwise direction. As you follow the path through the lush vegetation of the Hoh Rainforest, you'll initially find towering old-growth trees that reach hundreds of feet toward the sky. You'll pass a small cluster of trees on your left-hand side with tall and gnarled roots that once grew down and around a long-dead nurselog. Further ahead, around mile 0.35 is an information kiosk about the age of the forest where, just beyond, are blowdown trees that were cut away for hikers to pass through — as you pass these crosscut trees, you'll find their width is almost 5-feet high.
Hoh River Viewpoint - Mile 0.48
Close to the half-way point sits a short out-and-back spur trail that leads to a viewpoint of the Hoh River. Here, the forest opens to bright and harsh daylight with the river flowing below and mountains surrounding its banks. This is a great spot to take a short break and to take in different scenery.Arch Tree & Root Wall - Mile 0.63
Just down the trail from the Hoh River viewpoint are two really neat points-of-interest for hikers. First up is the moss-covered arch tree that curves over the pathway. It's a great spot to take photos, especially if you have a hiking companion to show the scale of the forest. Just beyond sits a very-tall root wall that was exposed by a fallen tree. This root wall is approximately 13-feet tall with new growth trees that adorn the top of it. This fallen tree has turned into a nurselog where the top of the root wall is already helping new trees thrive. Do not climb the wall for your own safety and preservation of nature.Nurselog Tree Row - Mile 0.8
After passing the root wall, hikers will meander through the Hoh Rainforest before the path curves around to head westward back to the trailhead. Along the way, at mile 0.8, is another neat point-of-interest where you'll find large old-growth trees that grew in a straight line. This is another example of the result of a nurselog — a tree that fell and its decaying matter allowed for new trees to grow on top and around it. Competition in the forest is fierce, so only the strongest trees will survive on the nurselog, hence there are about 7 old-growth trees that survived thanks to the decaying nurselog.Taft Creek Views - Mile 0.97 to 1
The last POI along the hike are views of Taft Creek as the trail traverses the forest alongside the water's edge. Taft Creek is a crystal-clear stream and makes for interesting, but difficult to shoot, photos.The trail wraps up back at the trailhead for a 1.1-mile loop hike.
