Forks Washington on the Olympic Peninsula

Spring time in the Hoh Rain Forest means new life. Not only the sprouting of native plants but the birth of a new generation of wildlife. Forks resident and National Park employee Patt Doyle, got to witness these events close up last week.

When a calf elk was born just off the back steps of the Visitors Center she was able to behold the wobbly baby taking its first steps, later during a walk she observed baby ducks and a mother deer with twins!

On her drive home a chance sighting of a bull elk, its antlers in velvet, and she gets paid for this?

The good news is, we can all enjoy the beauty of the Hoh Rain Forest, and its mosses, ferns, trees and even the baby boom.

The Olympic Peninsula Community Museum never ceases to amaze us. This colorful photograph of beautiful fall foliage in the Olympics, which is part of the Olympic National Park Flora collection, is just one small example of what you’ll find there. The online museum is organized into fascinating exhibits — each representing a different aspect of our richly diverse West End culture and history. While there are just too many worthwhile exhibits to mention, we particularly enjoyed learning more about the Mountaineers’ 1920 Outing to Mt. Olympus (what hardcores!); Fannie Taylor, Postmistress of Mora; and the Great Forks Fire of 1951. The archived images of Hoh Tribe Baskets and Artifacts also caught our eye. And that’s barely scratching the surface of what’s available at this interesting resource!