Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The forest is also alive with animals, and every now and then they make their presence
known to visitors, piercing the eerie stillness with some startling sight or sound—the un-
mistakableshriekofabaldeagle,perhaps,orthesuddenleapofaDouglassquirrel.Count-
less deer, elk, cougars, and black bears inhabit the Hoh, and you may even catch a glimpse
of one of these critters along the two short trails that loop from the visitor center, located at
the end of Hoh River Road. For a more ambitious hike, obtain a free backpacking permit
fortheHohRiverTrail,whichmeanderssome17milesthroughtherivervalleytothebase
of Mt. Olympus.
16.
Ruby Beach
Afterleavingthemisty,mysticalrainforest,thedriveheadstowardRubyBeach,partofthe
Kalaloch Strip, which is accessible over short paths from the highway. Though vastly dif-
ferentfromtherainforest,this11-mile-longcoastalstrip—partofOlympicNationalPark's
73milesofwildseashore—isequallyuntouchedbytime.Oneofthefewchangesthathave
occurred can be seen from Ruby Beach, which is named for the glistening garnet crystals
thatgivethesanditspinkishhue.Offshoreseastacksbearwitnesstoatimelongagowhen
these massive blocks of basalt and volcanic rock were still a part of the mainland.
Did you know…
Olympic National Park protects the largest unmanaged herd of Roosevelt elk in
theworld.Olympicwasalmostnamed“ElkNationalPark”andwasestablished
in part to protect these stately animals.
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