DAY ONE - Hoh River Trailhead to Lewis Meadows, 10.4 miles 

Husband and I left Seattle at 5:30AM and arrived at the trailhead by 10:30AM. We were on the trail by 11:00AM and were graced with beautiful sunny weather the entire day (albeit quite humid - it is a rain forest after all!) LOTS of hikers for the first 5 miles and then it cleared out after 5 Mile Island. Mostly flat and easy river access along the way EXCEPT for the 4ish miles between 5 Mile Island and Olympus Guard Station. Definitely fill up at 5 Mile if you are running low, especially if it is hot and you are sweating a lot like us! Also, the river water in the Hoh is pretty silty so make sure you have a filter that can catch sediment (I brought an OG steripen which does NOT filter out detritus and did not particularly enjoy drinking sandy water for the first day and a half!) We also found the water at the lower elevations had a bit of a funky aftertaste so some flavored drink mixes (lemonade powder, electrolyte powder) really came in handy. Water access from Lewis Meadows campground is not immediately visible but rest assured that if you walk across the gravel bar you will reach the water easily :) 

DAY TWO: Lewis Meadows to Elk Lake Campground (4.5 miles), Elk Lake to Blue Glacier and back (6 miles)

Sunny again this day! We woke up at 6:00AM, ate, packed up camp, and were on the trail by 8:30AM headed to Elk Lake Campground, 4.5 miles away. We knew that there was about 1600 feet of elevation gain between Lewis Meadows and Elk Lake but did NOT realize that all of that 1600 would be crammed into 2 miles. It's definitely a steep climb with lots of switchbacks! Once we reached Elk Lake we set down our stuff, set up our tent, stored our food, and then headed up toward Blue Glacier with day packs. We left Elk Lake at 12:30, climbed another 2,000 feet or so to Glacier Meadows by 2:45, and then climbed ANOTHER 1,000 feet in about a mile to follow the Lateral Moraine trail and reach the glacier (about 0.3 miles from Glacier Meadows camp you have to choose if you will take the Lateral Moraine or the Terminal Moraine trail - I didn't realize this and thought that both the Lateral Moraine and Terminal Moraine were on the same trail. They are not! Glacier newbie here!) Would ABSOLUTELY recommend the Lateral Moraine - it took our breath away and brought us both to tears. There is a large boulder field near the top with no discernible footpath; look for the cairns to find your way through. We reached the top of the Lateral Moraine trail around 3:30 and hung out until about 4:00 before starting our descent back to Elk Lake. Mosquitoes were definitely an annoyance at Elk Lake. Also, you can't refill water from the lake itself - too swampy. There are a couple of murky looking streams near the campsite but we found that the best water was 0.3 miles back down the trail, where there's a large waterfall just beside the Martin Creek campground. Again, be prepared that this means each trip for water is a little over half a mile from your campsite! 

So, what about the washout? To be honest, I thought the washout would be exciting and fun because I really enjoy rock climbing but found it pretty scary. On your way in to the glacier you will go DOWN the ladder, and on the way back from the glacier you will go UP the ladder. The way down is definitely harder. It is super exposed so you never forget just how high up you are or how big of a fall there is beneath you! That being said, my husband and I had no trouble navigating it (and my husband has a weird center of balance from a spinal fusion a few years back). Be prepared to hold on to the rope tightly and know that some rungs on the ladder are missing. You don't HAVE to use the rungs on the ladder on the way down but they are helpful for bracing your feet against. On the way up, my husband used a combination of the rope and the ladder while I just used the ladder. When you are coming down (heading into the glacier) the trail is a little tricky to spot from the bottom of the ladder. Look for the cairns. 

DAY THREE: Elk Lake to Hoh River Trailhead, 15.1 miles

We were supposed to split up the mileage on this day and stay one extra night at 5 Mile Island but it was raining and my husband was ready for our bed so we pushed all the way through to the car. We are both relatively new to backpacking so 15 miles in a day was definitely at our upper limit of ability. Reached the car by 6:00PM and were home in Seattle by 11:00PM! One of the most amazing things I've ever done or seen. This trail has been on my bucket list for 14 years and I'm SO proud to have finally done it! 

The payoff of seeing the transcendent Blue Glacier after 18+ miles (one way!) of hiking is something to behold. There are few experiences like it. We found the trick to this backpack adventure is planning the evening camps appropriately in terms of distance traveled in between and number of nights. (Unless you are like the absolute rock-star 2 women we saw who hiked the entire trail in less than 24 hours straight, no camping!)

Context - Who We Are. 3 50-something guys and 2 of our 20-something sons. We backpack 2-3 times a year at most. We're runners, cyclists and in decent cardio shape. We stick together, so we do get passed by other younger hikers regularly; our pace is not rapid.

The Trail Overall. The trail is in excellent condition the entire way. Water is plentiful - every few miles is a lovely creek to ford or cross or access to the river. You are in shade perhaps 85% of the trip. Trees are massive; not many wildflowers. You are in forest cover most of the time, but the creeks make for very interesting sights and crossing adventures - most are very simple; a few take your attention. All are pristine. The washout rope/ladder is as promised by other reports - it is No Joke, but it is doable if you’re in condition. We found going down more challenging technically, and going back up more physically challenging. It is very steep; the rope is a game-changing help. The ladder "rungs" are about 3' apart; some are broken. But the combination rope with ladder makes it achievable with patience and persistence. Gloves helped a few of us; the younger ones opted for bare hands. 

The Glacier. I see no point in trying to describe the view of the Glacier. It is just simply stunning. Obviously, no photos on this site or anywhere can do justice to the expansiveness and majesty of the real thing. It is as awesome (perhaps more in some ways) as being on the glacier at Mt. Rainier, trekking toward Camp Muir. The size and scale - and proximity - of Blue Glacier all play tricks on your visual senses; we just don’t see things like this very often. 

Trip Planning. We found for us, 2 nights/3 hiking days was a bit too rushed and high-intensity for 38+ miles. In this scenario, you’re left with two 11-mile days and one 16-miler up and downhill. Doable, but a 16-mile day back and forth from Lewis Meadows was difficult up and down hill, then up and down the washout rope/ladder. 

Next time, we’d plan 3 nights/4 days, which would allow more time at the really peaceful and wonderful campgrounds along the way and more time at the Glacier. And less time with 25-30 lbs on your back each day. We agreed that next time our plan would be:

Day/Night 1 - hike 11 miles to Lewis Meadows (again, camp on the river bed sand bar was exceptional)

Day/Night 2 - hike 5-6 miles (all steep uphill) to Elk Lake or Glacier Meadows. The decision here: if you camp at Elk Lake, you can handle the washout rope/ladder with lighter packs. If you camp at GM, you get a couple more miles in on Day 2, but you have to do the ladder both ways with full packs. We’d opt for Elk Lake. 

Day/Night 3 - Hike 10-12 miles. Leave Elk Lake camp set up, hike to the Glacier and back. Have a restful lunch, pack up camp and head down a few more miles either to 13.3, 12.4 or back to Lewis Meadows.

Day 4 - Hike either 13.3, 12.4 or 11 miles out, all flat/gradual downhill. 

In Summary. This is a seriously long hike for the occasional backpacker, with an unbelievable payoff at Blue Glacier. Because 2/3’s of the trail is flat, you certainly can rip through the hike in a couple days, but if you are into enjoying the journey, take a couple more. The trail portion from Lewis Meadows to the Glacier is more interesting than the trip from the Visitor’s Center to Lewis - less crowded, and varied terrain, hilly and very lovely creeks/waterfalls. It is also challenging in elevation gain, but very doable. The High Bridge just past 13.3 is a terrific highlight as well. The Hoh River itself is ever-present, dynamic and beautiful. 

Starting at the Hoh River Trail which is well maintained and well traveled by families and back packers alike, take in the epic rain forest views on your way to the many campsite areas.

There are a couple of river crossings, however most are easily crossed using balance and the fallen logs.

Great camp sites right on the river, including on the sandbar itself at about 9.57 miles in.

There are plenty of campsites either permitted or first come first serve basis. If you're planning to make it to Olympus, I would suggest pressing further on.

You will find some fallen trees over the trail as you make your way up towards Elk Lake, this portion of the hike is steep. If you're thinking about just doing a day hike to the glacier it may be more worth your while to camp at one of the lower camps and take your day pack up, save yourself the effort of hauling a pack up this steep section.

Between Elk Lake and Glacier Meadows is the ladder of doom. This ladder is high, and long. You will need to edge your way out onto the exposed washout and lower yourself with the rope down to the ladder itself. You go down the ladder first. You can either climb the ladder with hands and feet, or remain hanging onto the rope and step down the ladder rungs. The ladder is missing some holds, either fallen away or splintered and sticking out, so hang in there. It is worth saying, going down is worse, but get it over with knowing that you get to go up later and it is WAY easier.

You will shortly arrive in Glacier Meadows then up you go to the Glacier. This hike is often described as "character building" which is a nice way of saying it is brutal. It is steep climbing on boulders, some steady and some not so steady, it can feel like it will never end. But it will! You will arrive at the ridge line to get the epic view of that Glacier. This last steep section of the hike and the ridge line itself is very exposed and offers no shade, bring a hat and your motivation.

In total from Hoh River to Blue Glacier and back:

37.55 miles
5745 elevation gain

We wanted to camp at Olympus Guard Station, but the limited permits available due to Covid-19 made that impossible for this day, so we stayed at Happy Four instead. It was a very pleasant hike, but lots of people until we got past Mt. Tom Creek. A lot of people had masks on, but moving aside for folks really slowed the hike to camp down. We were able to snag the campsite just bast the trail to the bear wires, up on a grassed plateau. Two of the three bear wires were working properly, requiring us as the late to bed folks to attach ours onto others, but it worked out fine. There were quite a few mosquitos, but it’s not too bad after being able to get a fire started.

We walked over to the riverbed that night and were able to get a wonderful glimpse of the meteor shower, which was amazing to see.

We had never stayed on the Hoh River before. The woods are beyond dark and quiet, which feels so strange. There is an obvious sign of bears in the area, so utilize those bear wires. Don’t be too freaked out at night by the sound of the coyote howls from Five Mile Island. Overall it was a terrific hike and stay at Happy Four.

My brother and I backpacked for 3 days (2 nights), camping both nights at Olympus Guard Station, 9.1 miles in from the Hoh River trailhead. On the second day, we day-hiked to the Blue Glacier. Overall, our trip was about 40 miles round trip.

Day 1, Wednesday: We arrived in the parking lot at 10:30am, and it was packed. About 60% of people were wearing masks on the trail. The trail was in very good condition. There was only one tricky stream crossing due to a bunch of logs that had piled up; poles helped with our heavy packs, but with a day pack it would be easy. We found a very nice campsite at Olympus Guard Station next to the river, protected by some alders. The privy was recently rebuilt and was very pleasant to use. Thankfully, there were no bugs! 

Day 2, Thursday: We had a bit of a late start, beginning our day-hike to Blue Glacier at 10:20am. The trail was in very good condition, and we were surprised to see many more camping areas than my Olympic National Park map showed. In an emergency, there are shelters with wooden bunks at many camping areas, including Elk Lake and Glacier Meadows. Going uphill starting at 12.4 miles was very grueling, and we were very pleased with our decision to leave our heavy packs behind. The bridge across the gorge is brand new and makes for an excellent break spot. When we reached Elk Lake, there were some mosquitoes but they were not terrible; it was the middle of the day though, so they probably got worse at night. There wasn't much access to the lake that we could find. The perimeter is pretty swampy. 

The Infamous Ladder/Land Slide: Contrary to what I thought, you go down the ladder first, and go up it when you return. It is steeper than any picture can portray. When descending, make sure both hands have a firm grasp on the rope before moving your feet, and go one person at a time. Rocks fall very easily, and I was almost hit in the head by one when my brother started coming down behind me too soon. We did not use the ladder when going down, but used both the rope and ladder when ascending. Some of the rungs are broken, so be conscious of the loose soil in those spots. After the ladder, you have to scramble back up the other side of the landslide without ropes, but the rocks are more secure on that side. I would not want to do this with a backpacking pack on. It was quite difficult and you need decent arm strength to climb both directions. After the landslide the trail was in good condition.

I wish there was better signage about how far it truly is to the glacier itself before setting out. When we arrived at Glacier Meadows camp, there was still another 1.3 miles to go, and maybe a little more up to the lateral moraine. My phone said we hiked 10.2 miles from Olympus Guard Station to the lateral moraine at the Blue Glacier, making for a long 20.4-mile day. We didn't go to the terminal moraine, but the lateral moraine view is much better according to other hikers, so we recommend that route. 

We got back to our campsite at 8:30pm and enjoyed our well-deserved pesto tortellini. 

Day 3, Friday: Hiking out from Olympus Guard Station was very pleasant, until we reached a few miles out from the trailhead. People were terrible about wearing masks and getting off the trail, and it was very disappointing and irritating. Please remember to wear masks and be considerate of others on the trail.

Overall, this trip was incredible and I would love to do it again. We had no bugs except for our brief time at Elk Lake, and had perfect weather.