5-Day Olympic Backpacking - Hoh Rainforest and the Blue Glacier

5-Day Olympic Backpacking - Hoh Rainforest and the Blue Glacier

By Lasting Adventures

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Overview

This hike is an Olympic National Park favourite! Explore a beautiful old-growth temperate rainforest, view pristine high alpine lakes and meadows, and climb to the breathtaking overlook of the Blue Glacier. On this hike you will have the opportunity to hike through different ecosystems within the park and see the variety of plants and wildlife that inhabit them. You may see deer, elk, and bears. Your hiking efforts will be awarded with spectacular views of Mt. Olympus and the Blue Glacier.

Travel with a top-rated guide service (over 1200 5-star reviews online & #1 operator in Yosemite National Park) which is also a non-profit. Your participation helps us provide scholarships for disadvantaged youth to participate in our summer backpacking series.

2024 Dates:
6/15-6/19
6/27-7/1
7/13-7/17
8/10-8/14
8/24-8/28
9/7-9/11

Activity location

Hoh Rain Forest
- 18113 Upper Hoh Road
- 98331, Forks, Washington, United States

Meeting/Redemption Point

Hoh Rain Forest
- 18113 Upper Hoh Road
- 98331, Forks, Washington, United States

Check availability

Sorry this activity isn't available on Sun, 27 July

Please choose a different date

What's included, what's not

Permits and campsites
Memories to Last a Lifetime!
Souvenir T-Shirt
Use of Backpacking Equipment as requested
Guide Service charge
Olympic National Park Entrance Pass ($30)

Know before you book

Not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travellers
Not recommended for travellers with poor cardiovascular health
Travellers should have a high level of physical fitness
2025 Dates: 6/20-6/24, 7/18-7/22, 8/4-8/8, 8/28-9/1, 9/15-9/19

Activity itinerary

Day 1: Meet Guide/Hoh River

1 stop
Meals: lunch, snacks
Accommodation: Backcountry Camping at a wilderness campsite

Hoh Rain Forest

6h
Admission ticket not included

Meet your guides at 2pm at the Hoh Rainforest Visitor Centre (look for elk on the drive in!) Get acquainted with gear and your trip-mates and you’re off! Hike an easygoing, flat five miles into the depths of the lush Hoh rainforest and spend the evening relaxing by the fire next to the great Hoh River.

Day 2: Lewis Meadows

1 stop
Meals: breakfast, lunch, snacks
Accommodation: Backcountry Camping at a wilderness campsite

Hoh Rain Forest

1d
Admission ticket included

Day two will consist of another leisurely stroll through the rainforest, as we hike another five miles deeper into the valley. Spend time admiring the lush mosses and taking in the quiet of the forest. Arrive at Lewis Meadows and explore the expanding valley around you before settling in for another hearty dinner and a relaxing night.

Day 3: The Blue Glacier

1 stop
Meals: breakfast, lunch, snacks
Accommodation: Backcountry Camping at a wilderness campsite

Mount Olympus

1d
Admission ticket included

Today we hike from the Olympus Guard Station to Elk Lake Campground. From here we have a decision to make: hike to the glacier (another 6 miles return with 2,800 feet of elevation gain) in the afternoon, or opt to hike the glacier on the morning of Day 4 before moving camp. We will savour the views upon arrival at the Blue Glacier with Mount Olympus towering overhead. The pictures taken here will be aplenty while we eat and replenish the calories we lost on the final uphill stretch of our adventure.

Day 4: Return to the Rainforest

1 stop
Meals: breakfast, lunch, snacks
Accommodation: Backcountry Camping at a wilderness campsite

Hoh Rain Forest

1d
Admission ticket included

Descend the ten miles back down into the river valley to Five Mile Island, reminiscing about the amazing glacier views along the way, and noticing new flora and fauna that you may have missed the first time around! Relax by the fire and the river that night.

Day 5: Final Walk Through the Rainforest

1 stop
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Not included

Hoh Rain Forest

15h
Admission ticket included

A flat, leisurely five miles takes you back to where you started, at the Hoh Visitor Centre. If time allows, take the 1 mile loop through the Hall of Mosses before exiting to the trailhead and amaze yourself with the quietude and lush green.

Location

Activity location

Hoh Rain Forest
- 18113 Upper Hoh Road
- 98331, Forks, Washington, United States

Meeting/Redemption Point

Hoh Rain Forest
- 18113 Upper Hoh Road
- 98331, Forks, Washington, United States

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