Forks Small-Group Hike

Olympic Full Day Small Group Tour & Hike runs through Good Trip Adventures. Rated 4.5 across 11 reviews. Runs 6 to 8 hours. From $396.

Mora Road sits closed at the campground under a park service closure, blocking drives to Rialto Beach, and the operator confirms the route at booking.

Overview

This full day outing from Forks packs several of Olympic National Park's coastal and forest stops into one loop, starting at 07:30 from the Park and Ride beside the Forks Transit Center on East E Street. You travel in the operator's van with a naturalist guide and no more than 8 travelers in the group. Stops on the route include Rialto Beach, the Hoh Rain Forest, Sol Duc Falls, the Big Cedar Tree at Kalaloch, and Lake Crescent, and you are back at your car by roughly 3 to 4 PM.

The shape of the day depends partly on what the group wants. Everyone can stick to shorter stops such as tidepool viewing or the Hall of Mosses, or the group can opt for a longer hike on the Hoh River Trail through old growth Douglas Fir, Sitka Spruce, and Western Hemlock. Either way, the guide layers in stories about the Hoh tribe, the logging era, and the plants and animals around you.

It suits reasonably active travelers. Participants should be comfortable walking 4 to 6 miles over the course of the day with moderate elevation changes. Snacks, drinks, transport, park entry fees, and a medically trained guide are covered; lunch is not, so you pack your own and the guide picks a picnic spot.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet in ForksMeet at 07:30 at the Park and Ride by the Forks Transit Center, 161 East E Street. Leave your car there and board the tour van.
2. Rialto BeachTwo hours at Rialto Beach, with free admission.
3. Hoh Rain ForestThree hours in the Hoh Rain Forest. The group can choose short stops like the Hall of Mosses or a longer hike along the Hoh River Trail. Admission is free.
4. Sol Duc FallsTwo hours at Sol Duc Falls, with free admission.
5. Big Cedar Tree, KalalochA 30 minute stop at the Big Cedar Tree at Kalaloch, free admission.
6. Lake CrescentA 30 minute stop at Lake Crescent, free admission.
7. Return to ForksThe tour ends back at the meeting point, with return to your car by about 3 to 4 PM.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points worth knowing before booking this day trip.

• Fitness needed. The listing asks that participants comfortably handle a moderate walk of 4 to 6 miles across the day, with moderate elevation changes. Most travellers can participate, but this is not a sit-in-the-van tour.
• Pack a lunch. Snacks and a selection of beverages are provided, but lunch is not included. Bring your own, and the guide will choose a scenic picnic spot. One vegan reviewer said the guide accommodated her diet with snacks and lunch.
• Getting there. There is no hotel pickup. You meet the van at the Forks Transit Center Park and Ride and leave your vehicle there for the day.
• Small group. Groups are capped at 8 hikers. The guide confirms details by message 1 to 2 days in advance.
• Weather. The experience requires good weather. If it is cancelled for poor conditions, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
• Tipping. Gratuity for guides is not included. The listing suggests a 10 to 20 percent tip if you had a good day.

Common issues. The tour can be cancelled if the minimum number of bookings is not met; in that case you are offered the option to make the tour private for an extra charge, a different date or experience, or a full refund. It is not wheelchair accessible, though service animals are allowed. Lunch and guide gratuities are extra, and there is no hotel pickup, so you must get yourself to Forks for the 07:30 start. Poor weather can also end the day, with a reschedule or refund offered.

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