Hoh Rain Forest

[Tractorat]

If you want to bypass Seattle, my recommendation would be to take I405 North (just south of Seattle) towards Bellevue, and you will go east of Lake Washington and rejoin I-5 north of Seattle (south of Everett)

 

[JThiessen]

Navigating traffic.

Actually, I've been commuting between the south end and north end for quite some time and I-5 actually flows very well, even when its stop and go traffic. You can normally figure on about 45 minutes to go from Renton to Everett - it can definitely be more, sometimes less. Both freeways are usually pretty good between 9am and 3pm. you'll obviously have people with you, so you can use the car pool lanes (the lanes with the diamonds).

With that in mind, if time is important - take 405 and stay in the car pool lane. We also have the express lanes on I-5 that run between downtown Seattle and north Seattle. 3Am to @Noon, they are open going Southbound. 2PM to about 10PM they are open going Northbound. If you do take I-5, and are towing, just south of area where Safeco Field and Seahawk Stadium are you will hit an elevated roadway section that always makes me cringe when towing. You get some bucking due to the up/down condition of the highway. I-5 north bound in the afternoon can get really bad north of Everett since there isnt an alternative. Just try to go through before 3 pm.

I'm going to stop with that - I'd say dont worry about it too much - since you'll be able to use the carpool lanes, you shouldnt have any problem no matter which way you go.

 

[DBCooper]

About the only thing I can add to navigating this area is to bring a bucket load of patience and listen to KOMO AM 1000 if you are going to be driving during rush hour. All it takes is one wreck on either 405 or I-5 and it's all done. Unfortunatlly those are the only two north south routes through Seattle. All our "conservatives" will argue about putting a new road in for 10 years until the costs go up so high they bag the whole idea. If you're not in a hurry the area really isn't that bad for the most part, but don't tell anyone that either.

 

[WMcGuire]

We were in the Hoh late September 2001 and I learned what a rainforest is, every day we were there it rained, there was one thing we enjoyed a lot, the hot springs at Sol Duc, nice NP campground, but there is a small CG at the hot springs resort also with some hookups, the hot pools were great when it was raining, if I remember right the all day fee for the pools was around $12. 00, this is a great place to spend a few days if you are passing through.