Parking
Park at the South Fork Hoh Trailhead. A Washington Discover Pass is required; the route enters Olympic National Park after about 0.4 mile.
Overview
About South Fork Hoh River Trail
Why go
- A quiet alternative to the main Hoh trails, with old forest and a river view near the end.
Heads up
- Long forest mileage with wet brush, hidden roots, and little river access until late.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Olympic map
Full mapElevation713–854 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
6 active Olympic alerts
- CautionUS 101 Hoh River Bridge reduced to one laneUS 101 at the Hoh River Bridge is restricted to one lane of alternating traffic; obey the signals and 25 mph speed limit.Official details
- ClosureStaircase wilderness trails and campsites remain closedWilderness trails and campsites around Staircase remain closed during recovery from the Bear Gulch Fire; the developed Staircase area, including the Rapids Loop, campground, and ranger station, is…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Olympic Tour Guide
Your drive to South Fork Hoh River Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Olympic National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Olympic audio tourMore stories near here in the app
- Ferns Above Your Head
- A Jay’s Hidden Pantry
- The Wren Behind the Song
- A Squirrel’s Night Glide
- 204 audio storiesacross Olympic’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Olympic Marmot, Humpback Whale, Grey Whale, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 148 trails, 94 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking South Fork Hoh River Trail
A long walk into the rainforestSouth Fork Hoh River Trail is a flat out-and-back through temperate rainforest on the Hoh’s…
South Fork Hoh River Trail is a flat out-and-back through temperate rainforest on the Hoh’s southern branch, ending near the river. Plan on about 9.2 miles round trip and 4 to 5 hours. It suits you if you want a long forest walk and a quieter alternative to the main Hoh trails; skip it if you mainly want a short loop or a string of wide views. The posted 4.2-mile figure doesn’t say where it starts. From the named trailhead, the mapped line is about 4.6 miles each way, including the first 0.4 mile before it crosses into the park.
What the miles feel likeThis is mostly a walk under a closed canopy, not a series of overlooks.
This is mostly a walk under a closed canopy, not a series of overlooks. Moss and lichen cover the trees, with ferns and wet undergrowth along the tread. Roots and stones can hide underfoot, and small creeks cross the path; wet rocks may be slick. The brush can soak your pants even in August. For much of the way you can hear the river without walking right beside it, so save your patience for the river view near the maintained trail’s end.
Access and rulesStart at the South Fork Hoh Trailhead. The route enters Olympic National Park after about 0.
Start at the South Fork Hoh Trailhead. The route enters Olympic National Park after about 0.4 mile, and a Washington Discover Pass is required to park there. There are no toilet facilities. Pets aren’t allowed on this trail. Overnight hikers need a wilderness permit and bear canisters; treat or filter water from the river and streams.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Olympic
710 sightingsOlympic MarmotMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
30 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
42 sightingsGrey WhaleMost seen around noonSighting map
23 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
71 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
306 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Olympic. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
