Some of the most lush and beautiful rain forests in the world are outside of Seattle, Washington. These rain forests are found on the coast, at lower elevations, on the western side of the Olympic Peninsula. Animals and plant life thrive in these moderate temperatures and abundant rain. In the summer, fog is common, which adds to the humid conditions that support the ecosystems of the Quinault, Hoh, Bogachiel and Queets rain forests.
The Quinault rain forest begins in the Mount Anderson drainage area and continues to the east and to the Low Divide drainage to the Northwest. This rain forest follows the north and east forks of the Quinault River to Lake Quinault. Moisture from fog, drizzle and rain and a valley exposed to the southwesterly winds provide the climate responsible for the temperate rain forest. Rainfall measures an average of 10 to 15 feet each year. Clouds, fog and forest growth keep temperatures moderate in the summer and winter and supports the rainfall and plant growth that has created this temperate rain forest.
The Hoh forest is 170 miles west of Seattle and is one of the last surviving areas of west-facing temperate zones in the Quinault Valley. The Hoh is popular because of the three nature trails, including the Hall of Mosses trail. These trails follow the Hoh River, which gets its water from the Olympic Mountains immediately east of the rain forest. These mountains trap moisture from the Pacific Ocean and make this rain forest the wettest place on mainland North America.
Often called Washington's forgotten rain forest because of the lack of a main road or visitor center, the Bogachiel rain forest is at the tip of the easily accessed Hoh rain forest. This lush rain forest terrain is formed from 140 to 160 inches of rain per year. The plant life includes cedar, Douglas fir, hemlock, alder, berries, ferns and moss. Wildlife in this area includes deer or elk, crows, eagles and salmon.
The majority of the Queets rain forest is public and tribal land and is considered the Olympic Peninsula's most untouched rain forest. The Queets tribal community is at the mouth of the Queets River. Access to this is on the lower Queets River.
