Spruce Nature Trail
in Washington · centroid 76 mi from Seattle
A short rain forest loop, the Spruce Nature Trail packs incredible variety into just 1.2 miles (1.9 km). This is a great place to look for the fascinating phenomenon known as "nurse logs" - fallen trees which provide a place for new seedlings to grow. You can see them at every stage, from the new-fallen log with brand new baby trees sprouting on it to the rows of centuries-old trees whose "nurse log" has long since rotted away, leaving them standing in a perfectly straight line, called a colonnade.
The trail also winds past the Hoh River, with its unique pale blue glacial waters flowing down from Mount Olympus to the Pacific. Full Accessibility Description Length: 6,645 feet, 1.25 miles; Loop: 6,040 feet, 1.14 miles Surface Type: Compacted gravel Typical Trail Width: First 350 feet: 6 feet; 350-720: 3 feet; 720-6,040 feet: 2-3 feet Typical Running Slope: First 400 feet: under 5%; remainder fluctuating uphill and downhill with numerous steep grades typically less than 50 feet in length ranging from 7-25%, interspersed with gentle stretches Typical Cross Slope: Less than 2% Elevation Gain/Loss: Less than 65 feet Accessible Parking: Van-accessible parking immediately across from park information boards Description: The Hoh parking area has five van-accessible parking spaces. From the parking area, cross the crosswalk and turn right to reach the trailhead where several boards display information about the area.
From the information boards, proceed forward for 310 feet to an intersection. There is a bench on the left at 200 feet. At the intersection, go to the right. At 350 feet cross the 30-foot bridge. The trail narrows from 6 feet to 3 feet after the bridge.
- States
- Washington
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Seattle, WA · 76 mi · ~2.2 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 47.8611°, -123.9337°
About Olympic National Park
This trail is inside Olympic National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/000/spruce-nature-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Spruce Nature Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
Hoh River Trail junction
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Sol Duc Falls Trail
8 miles from this trail's centroid
Aurora Ridge Trail
13 miles from this trail's centroid
Queets River Trail
14 miles from this trail's centroid
Hayden Pass Trail
25 miles from this trail's centroid
Beach Access Trail from Kalaloch Campground
27 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.