The Olympic National Park Rain Forest

The rugged Olympic Mountains dominate the central part of the Washington State's Olympic Peninsula. Their western slopes face the prevailing westerly winds and, consequently, get up to 200 inches of rain per year. By contrast, the eastern side of the mountains averages less than 20 inches of annual rainfall. The Peninsula is not only a national park but has also been designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.

On the day of our visit, we went from 5400 feet and winter on Hurricane Ridge to this tropical rain forest, which is near sea level. The key difference is elevation.

The temperate rain forest is dominated by Sitka spruce. Tom is standing beside one of the largest Sitka spruces in the U. S. It is approximately 270 feet tall, 12 1/2 feet in diameter, and over 500 years old. It was a sapling when Columbus discovered America! High rainfall, fog, and ocean-moderated temperatures create optimal growing conditions for these Monarchs. The second picture shows the floor of the forest. In the third picture, you can see the eerie effect of moss which grows everywhere. 

The final picture is a pond near the Park visitor center. If you look carefully, there is a great blue heron sitting on a log at the base of a large tree on the far side. Because of a mirror effect on the pond, the heron appears to be sitting in a hollow between two trees.