Port Angeles: Hoh Rain Forest & Rialto Beach Full Day

Two hours in a van, then you're walking under moss-draped Sitka spruces older than the country.

You ride two hours to the Hoh Rain Forest, hike under ancient Sitka spruces with a naturalist guide through the Hall of Mosses and Spruce trails, stop in Forks for supplies, then spend the afternoon at Rialto Beach watching the Pacific and seastacks. Roundtrip van transport, park entry, and guide are included. Bring layers and expect rain.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hoh Rain Forest and Rialto Beach Tour

• Shuttle from Port Angeles
• Guided hike Hall of Mosses trail
• Guided hike Spruce Nature Trail
• Visit Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center
• Stop at Forks Outfitters store
• Walk or relax at Rialto Beach

The experience

You're rolling out of Port Angeles in a 12-passenger van before the morning settles, heading west toward the Hoh Rain Forest. The drive takes two hours through the Olympic Peninsula: Douglas firs, then the landscape opens up, then closes in again. Your naturalist guide is already pointing things out, talking about what you're about to see. The road itself is part of it. You're moving toward something that doesn't feel like the rest of the Pacific Northwest.

Once you're at the trailhead, the Hall of Mosses loop is 0.75 miles and it hits different than photos suggest. The trees are massive, hung with moss so thick it muffles sound. Your guide walks you through the micro-plants, the old growth ecology, the way the forest breathes moisture. If you want more, the Spruce Nature Trail branches off: another 1.25 miles, same forest, different angle. Some people do both loops. Some spend time at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center instead. The guide lets you set the pace, and you're not rushed. This is the kind of hike where you stop and look up a lot.

After that, you stop in Forks for 20 minutes at Forks Outfitters: a real local landmark, not a tourist shop. Coffee, lunch snacks, a fleece if you didn't bring enough layers. Then the afternoon opens up at Rialto Beach. You can walk the shoreline if the tide's right, or just find a driftwood log and sit with the Pacific in front of you and the seastacks rising out of the water. The beach is forested right up to the sand line, which sounds odd until you're there. You've got time to actually be there, not just pass through.

The whole day is rain-or-shine: the tour runs regardless of weather, so pack extra layers and expect the forest to be wet. Cancellations due to weather aren't permitted, which means you're committed, but it also means the guide knows how to move through this place in any condition. Kids have to be 10 or older and with an adult. If you're coming from Seattle, budget three hours one-way just to get to Port Angeles, so this is a full day from the moment you leave your hotel.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip van transport from Port Angeles in a 12–15 passenger vehicle, Olympic National Park entrance fees, and a naturalist guide leading you through the Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail hikes at the Hoh Rain Forest. You'll have a 20-minute stop in Forks to pick up lunch snacks or coffee, then the afternoon at Rialto Beach to walk the shoreline or rest on the sand.

Information

Lasts 9h, from US$ 195 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 12 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 29 Mar 2027

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (10 to 80 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Olympic Hiking Co.

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the temperate rain forest and the Olympic coast without arranging your own transport, park entry, or figuring out the timing: the fixed schedule and small van mean you move through both places with a guide who knows what to point out, and you're not managing logistics yourself.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I do both hiking loops or just one?

You can do the Hall of Mosses (0.75 mi), the Spruce Nature Trail (1.25 mi), or both: your guide adjusts to the group's pace.

Is there time to eat lunch?

You stop in Forks for 20 minutes to grab snacks and coffee at Forks Outfitters. Bring your own lunch or eat there.

What's included in the price?

Roundtrip van transport, Olympic National Park entrance fees, and a naturalist guide for the hike.

How many people travel in the van?

Groups are 12–15 passengers per van.

Is this suitable for kids?

Yes, children 10 and older can join if accompanied by an adult.

How far is Port Angeles from Seattle?

About three hours one-way, so plan for a full day from your Seattle hotel.