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76-653: In 1984, the U.S. Congress established five wilderness areas within Olympic National Forest: Mount Skokomish Wilderness sits along the southeast flank of the Olympic Wilderness , which was created in 1988. Mount Skokomish Wilderness is located in the southeast corner of Olympic National Forest, just north of Lake Cushman . It consists of two long rocky ridges running roughly northeast to southwest. Elevations range from about 2,000 feet (609.6 m) to 6,434 feet (1,961.1 m) at

152-497: A Rocky Mountain conifer forest ( 3 ) vegetation form; and a spruce/cedar/hemlock ( 1 ) vegetation type with a Pacific Northwest conifer forest ( 1 ) vegetation form. Because the park sits on an isolated peninsula , with a high mountain range dividing it from the land to the south, it developed many endemic plant and animal species (like the Olympic Marmot , Piper's bellflower and Flett's violet ). The southwestern coastline of

228-540: A broad and flat coastal floodplain. In its final miles the Hoh River collects the tributaries Braden Creek , Fletcher Creek and Fossil Creek. Highway 101 leaves the river at this point and continues south. About two miles from its mouth the Hoh River forms the boundary between the Hoh Indian Reservation on the south bank, and the coastal portion of Olympic National Park to the north. The former settlement of Oil City

304-452: A combination of muddy steep trails and fixed ropes. During winter, the viewpoint known as Hurricane Ridge offers numerous winter sports activities. The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club operates Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area , a not-for-profit alpine ski area that offers ski lessons, rentals, and inexpensive lift tickets. The small alpine area is serviced by two rope tows and one poma lift . A large amount of backcountry terrain

380-586: A considerable distance; the Columbia River formerly contributed huge amounts to the Northwest Pacific coasts. The smaller coastal portion of the park is separated from the larger, inland portion. President Franklin D. Roosevelt originally had supported connecting them with a continuous strip of parkland. The park is known for its unique turbidites . It has very exposed turbidities with white calcite veins. Turbidites are rocks or sediments that travel into

456-1497: A designated wilderness area , was established by the federal government in 1988 that contained 877,000 acres (355,000 ha) within Olympic National Park. It was renamed the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness in 2017 to honor Governor and U.S. Senator Daniel J. Evans , who had co-sponsored the 1988 legislation. A proposed expansion of the wilderness area by 125,000 acres (51,000 ha) in 2022 was not successful. Animals that inhabit this national park include chipmunks , squirrels , skunks , six species of bats , weasels , coyotes , muskrats , fishers , river otters , beavers , red foxes , mountain goats , martens , bobcats , black bears , Canadian lynxes , moles , snowshoe hares , shrews , and cougars . Whales , dolphins , sea lions , seals , and sea otters swim near this park offshore. Birds that fly in this park including raptors are Winter wrens , Canada jays , Hammond's flycatchers , Wilson's warblers , Blue Grouses , Pine siskins , ravens , spotted owls , Red-breasted nuthatches , Golden-crowned kinglets , Chestnut-backed chickadees , Swainson's thrushes , Red crossbills , Hermit thrushes , Olive-sided flycatchers , bald eagles , Western tanagers , Northern pygmy owls , Townsend's warblers , Townsend's solitaires , Vaux's swifts , band-tailed pigeons , and evening grosbeaks . There are several roads in

532-520: A house. Within the center of Olympic National Park rise the Olympic Mountains whose sides and ridgelines are topped with massive, ancient glaciers . The mountains themselves are products of accretionary wedge uplifting related to the Juan De Fuca Plate subduction zone . The geologic composition is a curious mélange of basaltic and oceanic sedimentary rock. The number of glaciers within

608-482: A mile below the South Fork confluence the Hoh River leaves Olympic National Park. It continues to flow west through a widening valley surrounded by low mountains and foothills. Ranches occupy parts of the valley and land ownership is generally private. Owl Creek and Maple Creek join from the south. The Hoh makes a small northward bend, skirting the edge of, and briefly entering Olympic National Forest . Elk Creek joins from

684-529: A rare rainforest fire in the summer of 2015. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Olympic National Park encompasses two classifications: a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ) in the western half, and a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csb ) in the eastern half. According to the United States Department of Agriculture , the plant hardiness zone at Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center

760-612: A treaty was signed by representatives of the Quinault , Queets , Quileute , and Hoh. The negotiations were done in the trade pidgin language Chinook Jargon . The treaty, known as the Treaty of Olympia (or the Quinault River Treaty ), was ratified by Congress in 1859. Its terms included the cession of most of the western Olympic Peninsula to the U.S. federal government with a reserve to be determined later. The Quinault Indian Reservation

836-481: Is 8a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 14.5 °F (−9.7 °C). Before the influx of European settlers, Olympic's human population consisted of Native Americans , whose use of the peninsula was thought to have consisted mainly of fishing and hunting. However, recent reviews of the record, coupled with systematic archaeological surveys of the mountains (Olympic and other Northwest ranges) are pointing to much more extensive tribal use of especially

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912-472: Is accessible for skiers, snowboarders, and other backcountry travelers when Hurricane Ridge Road is open. Winter access to Hurricane Ridge Road is currently limited to Friday through Sunday weather permitting. The Hurricane Ridge Winter Access Coalition is a community effort to restore seven-day-a-week access via the Hurricane Ridge Road (the only park road accessing alpine terrain in winter). Rafting

988-661: Is also very steep. Olympic Wilderness Olympic National Park is a national park of the United States located in Washington , on the Olympic Peninsula . The park has four regions: the Pacific coastline , alpine areas, the west-side temperate rainforest , and the forests of the drier east side. Within the park there are three distinct ecosystems , including subalpine forest and wildflower meadow, temperate forest, and

1064-508: Is available on both the Elwha and Hoh Rivers. Boating is common on Ozette Lake , Lake Crescent , and Lake Quinault . Fishing is allowed in the Ozette River, Queets River (below Tshletshy Creek), Hoh River, Quinault River (below North Shore Quinault River Bridge), Quillayute River and Dickey River. A fishing license is not required to fish in the park. Fishing for bull trout and Dolly Varden trout

1140-493: Is generally broad and relatively flat, causing the glacial sediments to settle out, creating extensive gravel bars, river meanders, and the many side channels characteristic of a braided river . One of the road entrances to Olympic National Park exits from Olympic Highway 101 twelve miles south of Forks, WA and follows the north bank of Hoh River upstream to the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, campground, and

1216-500: Is located along the river trail a few miles downstream. Below that the tributary Cougar Creek joins from the north, then Mount Tom Creek from the south. Jackson Creek joins from the south at approximately river mile 37 near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center and campground. The Visitor Center is located at the end of Upper Hoh Road and the beginning of the Hoh River Trail. The Upper Hoh Road runs east from U.S. Highway 101 , paralleling

1292-407: Is located just west of the horseshoe bend near where U.S. Highway 101 crosses the river. Highway 101 follows the river on the south side. The small Oil City Road follows the Hoh River on the north side to the river's mouth. Cottonwood Campground, another DNR site, is on the north side of the Hoh River, accessed by Oil City Road. Below the horseshoe bend the Hoh River begins to meander widely through

1368-588: Is located on the South Fork. The road to the campground continues up the South Fork Hoh River to the South Fork Hoh Trailhead, just west of the national park boundary. The indigenous people of the Hoh River are known as the Hoh but they call themselves chalat' . Their name for the Hoh River is chalak'ac'it . The earliest documented encounter between Europeans and the Hoh people occurred in 1787 when

1444-463: Is located on the north side of the Hoh River about a half mile from its mouth. A large headland peninsula called Hoh Head is located on the Pacific coast a few miles north of the river's mouth. The South Fork Hoh River originates at 47°46′53″N 123°43′2″W  /  47.78139°N 123.71722°W  / 47.78139; -123.71722 , flowing from Hubert Glacier and other small glaciers on

1520-464: Is more readily accessible than the interior of the Olympics; due to the difficult terrain, very few backpackers venture beyond casual day-hiking distances. The most popular piece of the coastal strip is the 9-mile (14 km) Ozette Loop. The Park Service runs a registration and reservation program to control the usage levels of this area. From the trailhead at Ozette Lake , a 3-mile (4.8 km) leg of

1596-520: Is not allowed and must be released if incidentally caught. Views of the Olympic National Park can be seen from the Hurricane Ridge viewpoint. The road leading west from the Hurricane Ridge visitor center has several picnic areas and trailheads. A paved trail called the Hurricane Hill trail is about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) long each way, with an elevation gain of about 700 feet (210 m). It

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1672-462: Is not uncommon to find snow on the trails even as late as July. Several other dirt trails of varying distances and difficulty levels branch off of the Hurricane hill trail. The picnic areas are open only in the summer and have restrooms, water, and paved access to picnic tables. The Hurricane Ridge visitor center burned down on May 7, 2023. Constructed in the 1950s, it contained a 3D topographical map of

1748-461: Is the opportunity for backpacking along the beach. The length of the coastline in the park is sufficient for multi-day trips, with the entire day spent walking along the beach. Although idyllic compared to toiling up a mountainside ( Seven Lakes Basin is a notable example), one must be aware of the tide; at the narrowest parts of the beaches, the high tide washes up to the cliffs behind, blocking passage. Several promontories must be struggled over, using

1824-410: Is to preserve for the benefit, use, and enjoyment of the people, a large wilderness park containing the finest sample of primeval forest of Sitka spruce, western hemlock, Douglas fir, and western red cedar in the entire United States; to provide suitable winter range and permanent protection for the herds of native Roosevelt elk and other wildlife indigenous to the area; to conserve and render available to

1900-549: Is to restore anadromous stocks of Pacific Salmon and steelhead to the Elwha River , which have been denied access to the upper 65 miles (105 km) of river habitat for more than 95 years by these dams. Removal of the dams was completed in 2014. Hoh River The Hoh River is a river of the Pacific Northwest , located on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington . About 56 miles (90 km) long,

1976-498: The A. W. Kuchler U.S. Potential natural vegetation Types, the park encompasses five classifications: Alpine Meadows & Barren, aka Alpine tundra ( 52 ) potential vegetation type with an Alpine Meadow ( 11 ) potential vegetation form; a Fir/Hemlock ( 4 ) vegetation type with a Pacific Northwest conifer forest ( 1 ) vegetation form; a cedar/hemlock/Douglas fir vegetation type with a Pacific Northwest conifer forest ( 1 ) vegetation form; Western spruce/fir vegetation type ( 15 ) with

2052-901: The Hamma Hamma River , which gathers its waters from Mildred Lakes and tributary streams in the western portion to flow east across the Wilderness. Common vegetation in Mount Skokomish Wilderness include old-growth western hemlock , western red cedar , and Douglas fir in the lower elevations. Higher elevations display various species of firs , pines , and dwarf juniper . Common wildlife found in Mount Skokomish Wilderness include elk , black-tailed deer , black bear , mountain lion , marmot , and mountain goat . Common recreational activities in Mount Skokomish Wilderness include backpacking, mountain climbing, fishing, and camping. There are over 13 miles (20.9 km) of trail inside

2128-463: The Hoh Rain Forest , a temperate rain forest , and, closer to Mount Olympus, montane forests and subalpine meadows. There are a number of backcountry campsites along the trail. Mountaineers wishing to climb Mount Olympus typically use the Hoh River Trail to reach the mountain. The climb requires experience with glacier travel and crevasse rescue skills. The Hoh Lake Trail branches off from

2204-512: The Hoh Rainforest and Quinault Rainforest , which receive annual precipitation of over 12 feet (370 cm), making this perhaps the wettest area in the continental United States . As opposed to tropical rainforests and most other temperate rainforest regions, the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest are dominated by coniferous trees, including Sitka Spruce , Western Hemlock , Coast Douglas-fir and Western redcedar . Mosses coat

2280-522: The Hoh Rainforest , a relatively rare example of a temperate rain forest . Abundant winter rainfall results in a lush green canopy of coniferous and deciduous trees, often covered with mosses and ferns. Annual precipitation is 140 to 170 inches (3,600 to 4,300 mm). According to the National Park Service the Hoh Rain Forest is one of the finest remaining examples of temperate rain forest in

2356-736: The Lydia , commanded by Captain T. Brown, an American working for the Russian American Company, sailed into Neah Bay. The thirteen surviving captives being held by the Makah were ransomed by Captain Brown, who then returned them to Sitka . In the 1850s Isaac Stevens , the first governor of Washington Territory , began negotiations with the tribes of the Olympic Peninsula with the goal of obtaining land cessions and creating Indian reservations. In 1855

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2432-637: The Roosevelt elk herds native to the Olympics. Public desire for preservation of some of the area grew until President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill creating a national park in 1938. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed a headquarters in 1939 with funds from the Public Works Administration . It is now on the National Register of Historic Places . The national park was expanded by 47,753 acres (19,325 ha) in 1953 to include

2508-509: The British fur trader Charles William Barkley , captain of the Imperial Eagle , dispatched a boat up the Hoh River to trade with the natives. The boat's crew of six were killed by the Hoh people, according to European histories. The incident led to the naming of Destruction Island . Barkley named the river Destruction River, but the name became attached to the island instead. The Hoh people deny

2584-493: The Hoh Indian Reservation. The Hoh's drainage basin is 299 square miles (770 km ). Its discharge , or streamflow , has considerable seasonal variation, with summer flow averaging about one-third that of winter flows. The Hoh is a glacial river fed by glaciers on Mount Olympus, such as the Blue Glacier . The glaciers grind rock into a fine glacial flour which turns the Hoh River a milky slate blue color. The river valley

2660-462: The Hoh Reservation on the south side of the mouth of the Hoh River. Early pioneers wishing to settle in the Hoh River valley faced numerous challenges including the dense forest and enormous trees, regular large-scale flooding, isolation from markets, and the impracticality of navigating the Hoh River due to its swift current, floods, and frequent logjams. Nevertheless, land relatively far upriver

2736-600: The Hoh River Valley are entirely gone today. On the north side of the mouth of the Hoh River, across from the Hoh Indian Reservation, the town of Oil City was established in 1911 by Frank W. Johnson and the Olympic Oil Company. Natives had already discovered the oil, which seeps to the surface. This was to be a deep water oil port. Many of the lots were bought on the hopes of oil prosperity, but some were used for vacation homes. Oil drilling operations were conducted by

2812-427: The Hoh River from Willoughby Creek Campground to the national park. In the region near the national park boundary the Hoh River occupies a U-shaped valley with a flat bottom about one mile across. Mountain slopes rise steeply on either side. The Hoh River continues flowing west, collecting numerous tributary streams, the most important being the South Fork Hoh River, which joins the main Hoh at about river mile 31. About

2888-536: The Hoh River originates at the snout of Hoh Glacier on Mount Olympus and flows westward through the Olympic Mountains of Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest , then through foothills in a broad valley, emptying into the Pacific Ocean at the Hoh Indian Reservation . The final portion of the Hoh River's course marks the boundary between the south coastal segment of Olympic National Park and

2964-637: The Ice River, which flows from the nearby Ice River Glacier on Mount Mercury. Mount Tom Creek, a tributary which joins the Hoh farther downstream, has its source in a western arm of the White Glacier as well. Other headwater tributaries include Elkhorn Creek and Cream Lake Creek, both of which originate from the Bailey Range . About a mile below the Glacier Creek confluence, at approximately Hoh river mile 48,

3040-649: The Milwaukee Oil Co., the Washington Oil Co., the Jefferson Oil Co. and others in the surrounding areas. No significant commercial oil reserves were found. Later, two-thirds of the platted city were returned to the state which now forms part of the Olympic Wilderness Park. http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7446 A significant part of the Hoh River flows through

3116-660: The National Park Service, begins at the national park's Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center at the end of the Upper Hoh Road. The trail follows the Hoh River east into the heart of the park. After 17.5 mi (28.2 km) it reaches Glacier Meadows near Mount Olympus's Blue Glacier . The Hoh River Trail begins at an altitude of about 600 ft (180 m) and the trail is mostly flat for about 13 mi (21 km), after which it ascends steeply to Glacier Meadows, altitude 4,300 ft (1,300 m). The trail passes through

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3192-487: The Olympic Peninsula is also the northernmost non-glaciated region on the Pacific coast of North America, with the result that – aided by the distance from peaks to the coast at the Last Glacial Maximum being about twice what it is today – it served as a refuge from which plants colonized glaciated regions to the north. The park also provides habitat for many species (like the Roosevelt elk ) that are native only to

3268-512: The Olympic mountains, and important artifacts have been found. When settlers began to appear, extractive industry in the Pacific Northwest was on the rise, particularly in regards to the harvesting of timber , which began heavily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Public dissent against logging began to take hold in the 1920s, when people got their first glimpses of the clear-cut hillsides. This period saw an explosion of people's interest in

3344-441: The Olympics, a media center which showed nature documentaries of the area as well as other interpretive exhibits, and a gift shop. There is currently no timeline for when the center will be replaced; the project to rebuild the lodge and establish a temporary visitors' center was allocated $ 80 million in federal funding in late 2023. The Elwha Ecosystem Restoration Project is the second-largest ecosystem restoration project in

3420-497: The Pacific Northwest coast. As a result, scientists have declared it a biological reserve and studied its unique species to better understand how plants and animals evolve. The park is home to sizable populations of black bears and black-tailed deer . The park also has a noteworthy cougar population, numbering about 150. Mountain goats were accidentally introduced into the park in the 1920s and have caused much damage on

3496-456: The Pacific coastline between the Queets and Hoh rivers, as well as portions of the Queets and Bogachiel valleys. Even after ONP was declared a park, though, illegal logging continued in the park, and political battles continue to this day over the incredibly valuable timber contained within its boundaries. Logging continues on the Olympic Peninsula, but not within the park. The Olympic Wilderness,

3572-406: The United States. It is one of the most popular destinations of Olympic National Park. Giant Western Hemlock , Douglas-fir , Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar), and Sitka Spruce trees dominate the landscape, while ferns and mosses cloak the trees and forest floor. Fallen trees often become nurse logs . When Olympic National Park was created in 1938 one of its primary objectives was to protect

3648-540: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife [1] . Land administration within the Hoh River's watershed, approximately, is 57.6% National Park Service (171.7 sq mi (445 km )), 24.4% state (72.6 sq mi (188 km )), 17.6% private (52.5 sq mi (136 km )), 0.22% National Forest (0.64 sq mi (1.7 km )), and 0.21% Hoh Indian Reservation (0.63 sq mi (1.6 km )). The Hoh River Trail, managed by

3724-579: The area placed within some protected status. On February 22, 1897, President Grover Cleveland created the Olympic Forest Reserve, which became Olympic National Forest in 1907. Following unsuccessful efforts in the Washington State Legislature to further protect the area in the early 1900s, President Theodore Roosevelt created Mount Olympus National Monument in 1909, primarily to protect the subalpine calving grounds and summer range of

3800-464: The bark of these trees and even drip down from their branches in green, moist tendrils. Valleys on the eastern side of the park also have notable old-growth forest , but the climate is notably drier. Sitka Spruce is absent, trees on average are somewhat smaller, and undergrowth is generally less dense and different in character. Immediately northeast of the park is a rainshadow area where annual precipitation averages about 17 inches. According to

3876-406: The beach. The mostly unaltered Hoh River, toward the south end of the park, discharges large amounts of naturally eroded timber and other drift, which moves north, enriching the beaches. Even today driftwood deposits form a commanding presence, biologically as well as visually, giving a taste of the original condition of the beach viewable to some extent in early photos. Drift material often comes from

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3952-517: The coast to the mouth of the Hoh River where many were captured and taken captive by the Hoh people. Those who evaded capture fled up the Hoh River. They built a small blockhouse and survived into the winter. In February they surrendered to the Hoh tribe at the mouth of the Hoh River. The captives were exchanged and traded among the coastal tribes, with most ending up with the Makah in the Neah Bay area. In 1810

4028-417: The herds of Roosevelt elk . Today about 400 of the park's 4,000–5,000 elk live in the Hoh River valley. The Hoh River supports a variety of salmonid fish, including spring and fall chinook , coho salmon, winter and summer steelhead , and sea-run coastal cutthroat trout . There are also smaller numbers of chum and sockeye salmon. The Hoh River fishery is managed by the Hoh tribe in cooperation with

4104-557: The history of the National Park Service after the Everglades . It consisted of removing the 210-foot (64 m) Glines Canyon Dam and draining its reservoir, Lake Mills and removing the 108-foot (33 m) Elwha Dam and its reservoir Lake Aldwell from the Elwha River . Upon removal, the park will revegetate the slopes and river bottoms to prevent erosion and speed up ecological recovery. The primary purpose of this project

4180-412: The largest of which is Hoh Glacier at 3.06 miles (4.93 km) in length. In the east, the range becomes much drier due to the rain shadow of the western mountains; the eastern mountains include numerous high peaks and craggy ridges. The tallest summit in the eastern Olympics is Mount Deception , at 7,788 feet (2,374 m). The western side of the park is mantled by temperate rainforests , including

4256-611: The mouths of two rivers. The Hoh River has the Hoh people and at the town of La Push at the mouth of the Quileute River live the Quileute . The beach has unbroken stretches of wilderness ranging from 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 km). While some beaches are primarily sand, others are covered with heavy rock and very large boulders. Bushy overgrowth, slippery footing, tides, and misty rainforest weather all hinder foot travel. The coastal strip

4332-429: The name of the Hoh tribe both ultimately come from the Quinault placename /húx /. The source of the Hoh River is meltwater from Hoh Glacier on the northeast side of Mount Olympus. The river flows north then west, curving around the entire north side of the mountain. It collects headwater tributaries from other glaciers on Mount Olympus including Glacier Creek, which flows from Blue Glacier and White Glacier , and

4408-482: The national park declined from 266 in 1982 to 184 by 2009 due to the effects of climate change . The western half of the range is dominated by the peak of Mount Olympus , which rises to 7,965 feet (2,428 m). Mount Olympus receives a large amount of snow and consequently has the greatest glaciation of any non-volcanic peak in the contiguous United States outside of the North Cascades. It has several glaciers,

4484-412: The native flora. The NPS has activated management plans to control the goats. The park contains an estimated 366,000 acres (572 sq mi; 1,480 km ) of old-growth forests. Forest fires are infrequent in the rainforests of the park's western side; however, a severe drought after the driest spring in 100 years, coupled with an extremely low snowpack from the preceding winter, resulted in

4560-478: The ocean as suspended particles in the flow of water, causing a sedimentary layering effect on the ocean floor. Over time the sediments and rock compact and the process repeats as a constant cycle. The park also is known for its tectonic mélanges that have been deemed 'smell rocks' by the locals due to their strong petroleum odor. Mélanges are large individual rocks that are large enough that they are accounted for in map drawings. The Olympic mélanges can be as large as

4636-462: The outdoors; with the growing use of the automobile , people took to touring previously remote places like the Olympic Peninsula. The formal record of a proposal for a new national park on the Olympic Peninsula begins with the expeditions of well-known figures Lieutenant Joseph P. O'Neil and Judge James Wickersham , during the 1890s. These notables met in the Olympic wilderness while exploring, and subsequently combined their political efforts to have

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4712-619: The park (1,370 square miles (3,500 km )) as the Olympic Wilderness, which was renamed Daniel J. Evans Wilderness in honor of the former Washington state Governor and U.S. Senator Daniel J. Evans in 2017. During his tenure in the Senate, Evans co-sponsored the 1988 bill that created the state's wilderness areas. It is the largest wilderness area in Washington. As stated in the foundation document: The purpose of Olympic National Park

4788-471: The park, but none penetrate far into the interior. The park features a network of hiking trails , although the size and remoteness mean that it will usually take more than a weekend to get to the high country in the interior. The sights of the rain forest, with plants run riot and dozens of hues of green, are well worth the possibility of rain sometime during the trip, although July, August, and September frequently have long dry spells. An unusual feature of ONP

4864-401: The peak of Mount Skokomish on the northwest boundary. The northern ridge rises to Mounts Skokomish, Lincoln , and Cruiser , with Sawtooth Ridge, a popular rock-climbing location, stretching between Lincoln and Cruiser. The southern ridge includes the summits of Mounts Pershing , Washington , Rose , Ellinor , Jefferson Peak, and Tran Spire. Between the ridges lies the headwaters basin of

4940-427: The people, for recreational use, this outstanding mountainous country, containing numerous glaciers and perpetual snow fields, and a portion of the surrounding verdant forests together with a narrow strip along the beautiful Washington coast. The coastal portion of the park is a rugged, sandy beach along with a strip of adjacent forest. It is 60 miles (97 km) long but just a few miles wide, with native communities at

5016-442: The rugged Pacific coast. President Theodore Roosevelt originally designated the park as Mount Olympus National Monument on March 2, 1909. The monument was re-designated a national park by Congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 29, 1938. In 1976, Olympic National Park was designated by UNESCO as an International Biosphere Reserve , and in 1981 as a World Heritage Site . In 1988, Congress designated 95 percent of

5092-475: The south side of Mount Olympus. It flows generally west through Olympic National Park collecting many tributary streams. At about river mile 11 it enters a broad glacially carved U-shaped valley and becomes braided. The South Fork leaves Olympic National Park at approximately river mile 4, entering Olympic National Forest. It turns slightly northwest and joins the main Hoh River at approximately Hoh river mile 31. South Fork Campground, managed by Washington State DNR,

5168-475: The south, then Alder Creek from the north, then Winfield Creek from the south, after which the Hoh River flows through a large horseshoe bend located at about river mile 15. Hell Roaring Creek joins the horseshoe bend from the north. Three campgrounds are sited along the river upstream from the horseshoe bend, including Minnie Peterson, Willoughby Creek, and Hoh Oxbow. All three are managed by Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Hoh Ox Bow Campground

5244-562: The story, saying they never massacred ship-wrecked sailors. In 1808 the Russian American Company set two vessels south from Russian America as part of an effort to expand Russian control south to the Columbia River and beyond. One of the vessels, the schooner Sv. Nikolai ran aground at Rialto Beach, north of the Quillayute River . Tension between the crew and the local Hohs led to battle. The Russians fled south along

5320-401: The subalpine meadows than seemed formerly to be the case. Most if not all Pacific Northwest indigenous cultures were adversely affected by European diseases (often decimated) and other factors, well before ethnographers, business operations and settlers arrived in the region, so what they saw and recorded was a much-reduced native culture base. Large numbers of cultural sites are now identified in

5396-450: The trail is a boardwalk-enhanced path through near primal coastal cedar swamp. Arriving at the ocean, it is a 3-mile walk supplemented by headland trails for high tides. This area has traditionally been favored by the Makah from Neah Bay . The third 3-mile leg is enabled by a boardwalk which has enhanced the loop's accessibility. There are thick groves of trees adjacent to the sand, which results in chunks of timber from fallen trees on

5472-412: The trailhead for the Hoh River Trail. This hiking trail follows the river 12 miles through the Hoh Rain Forest to the base of Mount Olympus, and then continues to climb steeply another 6 miles to Glacier Meadows campsite, and the start of the primary climbing route for Mount Olympus. Logjams in the river channel are common, resulting in quiet pools and new river braids being formed. The river's name and

5548-483: The valley broadens and the Hoh begins to take on the braided channel characteristic of a bottomland river. Falls Creek joins from the south, then Slate Creek and Hoh Creek from the north. Olympus Ranger Station, a National Park Service cabin, is located on the north side of the river at approximately river mile 45, near the junction of the Hoh River Trail and the Hoh Lake Trail. The Happy Four backcountry camping area

5624-461: The wilderness. The Mildred Lakes Trail is a primitive trail that has extremely steep pitches and is the major access into the Wilderness. The elevation gain on this trail is 2,100 feet and it is 4.5 miles in length. The Mt. Rose Trail, 4.8 miles, provides steep access to the summit of Mt. Rose at the southern end of the Wilderness.The Putvin Trail, 3.0 miles, accesses the north portion of the Wilderness and

5700-537: Was established in 1863 and the treaty signature tribes were expected to move there. The Hoh, however, refused to move. In 1872 the Indian agent R.H. Milroy explained that the Hoh did not believe they had agreed to cede their land and that the treaty signed had been explained to them as being an agreement about keeping peace with U.S. citizens and allowing them to enter the Hoh's territory and trade for furs. In 1893 President Grover Cleveland signed an executive order establishing

5776-418: Was settled. The area now within Olympic National Park was never inhabited by non-indigenous people. By 1900 the population in the Hoh River Valley was enough to warrant two post offices, one established in 1897, the other in 1904. Over time the population dwindled. By 1919 there were few people left. Abandoned structures rapidly deteriorated in the wet environment. The few historic structures that used to exist in

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