The drive in from the 101 to the HOH Rainforest visitor center is about 18 miles. It is a remarkable drive and you will be amazed at how many shades of green exist. When we got there we decided to hike the Hall of Mosses Trail. It is about .8 miles long, it has a few steep places along it but overall it is easily conquered. While it is not wheelchair accessible I was able to manage the hike without much difficulty.

As I stated before we were lucky enough to go there at one of the few times it was not raining, however it was still WET! Everything is moist here. The trails, the railings, the trees, everything. As a result there is moss growing everywhere and it was amazing to see how many different types of moss there actually are.

Before we left on this trip, Miss Lynn made it very clear that she was nervous about running into bears. They are coming out of hibernation around this time of the year and we were going into the wilderness.

As I was standing along the trail taking a couple of pictures I hear a panicked Miss Lynn saying she could see a bear on the other side of a fallen tree. I at first thought she was kidding but then I heard the snapping of twigs.

I told her to get behind me and I stepped forward to peer over the tree to see what was up. Sure enough as I stuck my head up I could plainly see brown fur off in the trees. I have to admit I got a great shot of adrenalin and started looking around for a way out in the opposite direction in case we needed it. But as I looked closer I was able to relax because it turned out to be an Elk. So now instead of walking the opposite direction I was looking for a way to get a good picture. As I walked down the trail looking for a descent vantage point I noticed we were in the middle of a small herd. It turned out to be one of the coolest interactions I have ever had with creatures in the wild.

After finishing the hike we headed off for the 101 and Ruby Beach.

Up close and personal with an Elk

Tremendous varieties of vegetation

Water, Water, everywhere

Not wheelchair accessible but overall and easy hike.

A well maintained trail

Everywhere you look beauty.

Moss grows everywhere.

Many trees have shallow root systems and are prone to falling over.

Miss Lynn along the trail.

A lovely morning hike with my girl.

Many shades of green.

I am from L.A. and will admit I get a little nervous when I can't see what I am breathing.

Good place for critters to hide.

The amount of decaying wood in an old growth forest is remarkable.

Even the Maple trees are not immune from the moss. Here the new leaves are just starting to come out. 2 weeks from now this will be a much different picture.

Some of the cleanest water I have ever seen.