These are both taken in the rain forest up the East Fork of the Quinault River valley at Graves Creek Campground in Olympic National Park. I am always impressed with the way the trees get covered with moss.
Early Spring in the Rain Forest
Rainforest Moss
These were all taken in the Graves Creek campground in the Olympic National Forest, at the end of the South Shore Quinault Road, where the East Fork Quinault trail begins. There was still a little bit of snow here and there along the road, but it was definitely starting to look like spring. It’s pretty amazing how the moss covers so much of the trees and ground… but that’s what happens in a rain forest.
Ira Spring Wetlands Trail
During the recent stay at Kalaloch, we took a day hike on the Ira Spring Wetlands Loop Trail. Ira Spring was one of my photo idols growing up as a kid. He and his brother Bob were famous local photographers, and with Harvey Manning, put out a pile of hiking guide books: the 100 Hikes in Western Washington series. Ira was also one of the co-founders of the Washington Trails Association. So I was pleased to be able to hike this trail that was named in his honor. It is located at the beginning of the Bogachiel River trail … just before it enters the Olympic National Park. It is a wild, seldom visited rain forest valley.
Maidenhair Fern
The Olympic National Park is fern country. These were growing alongside the North Fork Skokomish trail.
Madeline Creek
Madeline Creek is a tributary of the North Fork Skokomish river in the Olympic National Park. It’s pretty typical of small creeks in this area… clogged with logs and such. The shadows and hiding areas provided by the logs and such are great for providing hiding areas for small fish and other water critters.
Also notice the ferns growing on the face of the rock on the right stream bank. That’s also typical of the area.
I took this from a nice bridge only a couple years old … and only one tree had crashed into it, so far. (see below)
