For as long as I can remember, I have loved trees and wildflowers, camping and exploring among the wildernesses of our country. My mom was an avid camper and we often spent weekends among the trees, so naturally, forests have held a very special and very large place in my heart. I’ve long realized I feel better in the woods, from being much more at peace, and relaxed, but what’s more I feel like I’m being recharged and renewed when I’m in a place surrounded by greenery, and when there are little to no sounds of humanity. No cars, no planes, nothing. That’s where I feel at home.
Ten years ago, I had the chance to visit Sequoia National Park in California and I saw some amazing monsters tower over me and reach high in the sky. These were high elevation trees that preferred the mountains, and weren’t quite the same as the old growth trees in the rainforests of Olympic National Park. I knew trees existed there that could reach 300 feet tall and be anywhere from eight to twenty feet in diameter. For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed the woods of Ohio and along the Appalachian range, but a little voice would taunt me saying “these aren’t that big… these are toddler trees.” I’ve long yearned to experience a natural forest unspoiled by human endeavors, and Washington held the key for me.
Feeling the calling to experience the old growth forests stir within me for so long, I finally felt it was where I was meant to be. Since the pandemic eased up a bit in 2022, I was able to get back to traveling and I looked no further than Washington. I wanted to smell the abundant fresh air, feel the wind on my face, let the spiritual experience wash over me, and see if any particular guidance, direction, insight or inspiration hit me from the old wise trees. After a few days spent touring the northern regions of Olympic National Park from the base of the town of Port Angeles, I traveled down to Aberdeen, where I stayed at the lovely Best Western Plus hotel.
Feeling the calling to experience the old growth forests stir within me for so long, I finally felt it was where I was meant to be. Since the pandemic eased up a bit in 2022, I was able to get back to traveling and I looked no further than Washington. I wanted to smell the abundant fresh air, feel the wind on my face, let the spiritual experience wash over me, and see if any particular guidance, direction, insight or inspiration hit me from the old wise trees. After a few days spent touring the northern regions of Olympic National Park from the base of the town of Port Angeles, I traveled down to Aberdeen, where I stayed at the lovely Best Western Plus hotel.
As I wrote in my journal, I detailed my first old growth forest experience…
I woke up at the Best Western in Aberdeen, showered and gathered my things, and after a quick breakfast in the lobby, I hit the road. Nearly 2.5 hours of driving in gorgeous forests with towering trees and along coastal byways, I arrived at the renowned Hoh Rainforest. After fighting for a parking spot, I made my way over the bridge, up and along the trail. I walked slow until the people near me were well on their way speed walking through the astounding forest. The trees rose like out of the ground like skyscrapers with some trees ranging upwards of 200-300 feet tall, and immediately I was struck by the wisdom of the place. That was the word that kept coming to mind. The wisdom of the trees.
As I wandered on, the old growth forest impressed upon me the power and age, and ecosystem of the natural world, and how every piece worked together in the circle of life. I felt a wide range of emotions, from jaw-dropping awe to mystical and magical wonder, as well as sadness for this place was so rare and fragile, a museum of what was, a last bastion of hope for the natural world, forever altered and in most cases destroyed by humanity and civilization. I eventually just stopped, feeling like someone stopping in the middle of New York City, while the world buzzes on in a blur, while people walked on every 10-seconds. I meditated and asked the forest to guide me as it wills, and those were the things that struck me. I spent a few hours in the Hoh before taking the Spruce Nature trail for another couple hours, and I was in a place of great peace, yet great sorrow. I couldn’t help but think that in many ways, Ohio’s old growth would have held such wonder, once upon a time, long ago.
I woke up at the Best Western in Aberdeen, showered and gathered my things, and after a quick breakfast in the lobby, I hit the road. Nearly 2.5 hours of driving in gorgeous forests with towering trees and along coastal byways, I arrived at the renowned Hoh Rainforest. After fighting for a parking spot, I made my way over the bridge, up and along the trail. I walked slow until the people near me were well on their way speed walking through the astounding forest. The trees rose like out of the ground like skyscrapers with some trees ranging upwards of 200-300 feet tall, and immediately I was struck by the wisdom of the place. That was the word that kept coming to mind. The wisdom of the trees.
As I wandered on, the old growth forest impressed upon me the power and age, and ecosystem of the natural world, and how every piece worked together in the circle of life. I felt a wide range of emotions, from jaw-dropping awe to mystical and magical wonder, as well as sadness for this place was so rare and fragile, a museum of what was, a last bastion of hope for the natural world, forever altered and in most cases destroyed by humanity and civilization. I eventually just stopped, feeling like someone stopping in the middle of New York City, while the world buzzes on in a blur, while people walked on every 10-seconds. I meditated and asked the forest to guide me as it wills, and those were the things that struck me. I spent a few hours in the Hoh before taking the Spruce Nature trail for another couple hours, and I was in a place of great peace, yet great sorrow. I couldn’t help but think that in many ways, Ohio’s old growth would have held such wonder, once upon a time, long ago.
I left, thinking I’d be back another day, but in the end I didn’t make it back, because there’s so much to see, and Aberdeen is situated in a perfect place in-between Olympic National Park and Portland, Oregon. I ended up going north again to Quinault for a day, visiting the coast as well, before wandering around Portland and Mt. Hood the next day.
The night after visiting Hoh Rainforest, I sent photos to my family and jumped on FaceTime with my son Rowan, and he wanted to see the mountains. I told him I’d send him mountain photos after I head to Mt. Rainier in a few days. After seeing the forest photos, he told me he wanted to come there right now, in his cute yet rather demanding toddler voice. I told them how magical it felt, and how beautiful, and how obscenely huge the trees were.
The Best Western provided a nice starting point to experience the southern half of the Olympic National Park, while also giving me the opportunity to easily access the coastal areas. While Cape Flattery was 3.5 hours away, other very cool attractions like the Tree of Life, Quinault, and La Push were quicker to get to. I found staying in Port Angeles and Aberdeen to be a solid experience, as it gave me access to both sides of the park and kept the daily drives within reason, so I could see it all.
The hotel had all the amenities, a breakfast, a pool, and a nice quiet room with features like a fridge, a private bath, TV, and microwave, which allowed me the ability to sleep well, be comfortable, and eat affordably while staying damn near consistently on the road, seeing beautiful places, taking amazing photos (not that it’s hard to take a good photo in a place like Olympic), and to just get away from my normal life awhile.
(Photos by © Brandon Scott / www.WoodlandHerbal.com)
The night after visiting Hoh Rainforest, I sent photos to my family and jumped on FaceTime with my son Rowan, and he wanted to see the mountains. I told him I’d send him mountain photos after I head to Mt. Rainier in a few days. After seeing the forest photos, he told me he wanted to come there right now, in his cute yet rather demanding toddler voice. I told them how magical it felt, and how beautiful, and how obscenely huge the trees were.
The Best Western provided a nice starting point to experience the southern half of the Olympic National Park, while also giving me the opportunity to easily access the coastal areas. While Cape Flattery was 3.5 hours away, other very cool attractions like the Tree of Life, Quinault, and La Push were quicker to get to. I found staying in Port Angeles and Aberdeen to be a solid experience, as it gave me access to both sides of the park and kept the daily drives within reason, so I could see it all.
The hotel had all the amenities, a breakfast, a pool, and a nice quiet room with features like a fridge, a private bath, TV, and microwave, which allowed me the ability to sleep well, be comfortable, and eat affordably while staying damn near consistently on the road, seeing beautiful places, taking amazing photos (not that it’s hard to take a good photo in a place like Olympic), and to just get away from my normal life awhile.
(Photos by © Brandon Scott / www.WoodlandHerbal.com)
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