Day 506: Rain Forest Nature Trail in Olympic National Forest

A tree growing over another tree that was chopped down

Day #506 * Hike #578 * New Track #512
Wednesday April 4, 2012
Rain Forest Nature Loop - Olympic National Forest, Washington
My Tripometer: 45 Minutes * 1 Mile * +175 Feet

 Easy Half Mile Loop

Directions:
From Aberdeen, Washington, take the 101 North about 45 minutes to Olympic National Forest.  Turn right toward Lake Quinault and then turn right when you see the Rain Forest sign.  The parking area is immediately on the left.

 Wrap your arms around this

 Detour, let's see whats down here (off the loop trail)

This trail leads to Lake Quinault and you can loop back to the rain forest trail but that route would extend approximately 3 miles.  The kids were not interested in tramping that distance but if you are, I posted a picture of a map which includes this area on my previous post Worlds Largest Sitka Spruce Tree 

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 Back to the Rain Forest Loop

 Crossing the river

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 A switchback, rest if you need to

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 ------- and the Tree

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 Interesting way of life

Leaving Olympic National Forest.  If you turn right up this road, the 101 North, it will take you up the coast to Forks where they filmed the Twilight Movies.  Although most of the film was actually filmed in Canada, the town of Forks thrives off the tourism from this movie.  A bit further you will reach Port Angeles where you can catch a fairy to Victoria Island or Vancouver.  For us, it was back to Aberdeen where we discovered Kurt Cobain and Star Wars...