Quinault Rain Forest Trailhead — Attraction in Hoquiam

This is a great trail, well maintained and a lot of great highlights. You can stick to the nature trail loop and you will find several informative panels talking about the unique characteristics of the Quinault rain forest. There is one huge, cedar tree that is really cool that you walk up too on a raised platform. But nothing to challenging. The best part is walking down the other connector trails that branch off the loop. One goes down crossing a bridge over a little river and ends up at the Quinault boat launch/picnic area for a nice view of the lake. The other takes you over additional bridges/streams and passes through a cedar big that you walk in a wood platform to explore. And if you continue you'll even arrive at a little water fall. It was raining when we hiked so being prepared with rain gear is important and good shoes. We used gaitors in boots to minimize mud and rain getting into shoes and they worked great, along with Pancho's and rain hats. Definitely a beautiful hike, not very strenuous and great for kids, but can be...

If you're planning to visit Olympic National Park and are debating between the Hoh Rain Forest and the Quinault Rain Forest, save yourself the hassle and head to Quinault. On busy days, the Hoh Rain Forest can have wait times of up to two hours just to get in—time that could be much better spent actually exploring.

Quinault Rain Forest truly surpassed Hoh by miles for us. It has that same lush, green, moss-draped old-growth magic, but without the crowds or the frustration. The trails are gorgeous, well-maintained, and far less crowded, making it easier to soak in the atmosphere and take photos without tons of people in the way.

The Quinault area also has a beautiful scenic loop drive, waterfalls, and Lake Quinault Lodge nearby if you want to make a day (or even a weekend) of it. Overall, it was a much more relaxing, rewarding experience—and we didn't waste half the day waiting in line. Highly recommend choosing Quinault over Hoh if you want the classic Olympic rainforest feel with...

This is a trail that runs through a rainforest. There are also trails that run through a resort type area called the quinalt lodge, located on the lake. The southern shore of Lake Quinault has around 15 miles of public trails that you can roam. At times, the thickness of the brush and trees can blot out the sun, making it look like dusk in the middle of the day. As you walk there will be trees 12 feet wide along the pathway, and the stumps of their remnants remain in eyesight at all times, creating what seem like walls along trails. There are several waterfalls and bridges that cross the creeks that allow you to view them. The lake is beautiful, although there are better views of it from the mountainous area at its northwestern end. The world's largest sutka spruce tree sits at the end of one of the trail heads, although a map located at the parking area shows it on the northwestern side...