The Hoh Rainforest: Where Time Slows Down
One TikTok and I was hooked but wary. Of course my next step was heading to Google images, I needed to make sure what I was seeing was accurate. When researching the ancient forest I came across an interesting piece of information...It's famous for harboring the infamous "One Square Inch of Silence". I started to picture myself standing in the middle of the forest with no noise pollution, imagining what that sense of peace and calm felt like. Hook, Line and Sinker! I booked a flight and hotel for Forks, WA to visit the Hoh Rainforest in the Olympic National Forest.
Photos truly do not do the forest justice, yes I know - I am offering prints for sale, but the actual experience is one that I will never forget. Imagine starting the trail early before the crowds. The only company you have is your presence, the trees, moss and soft morning light filtering through the canopy. While exploring I felt...held. Held by the trees. The trees appeared to be more akin to guardians to me. They offered guidance, protection, peace and safety. I was physically alone but I felt the presence of the ancient trees with me, guiding me. This experience prompted me to look up. We've heard of the expression "keep your head down", except if you did that here, you'd miss the beauty of trees reaching hands out to guide and protect you. These trees have been present for thousands of years, they will continue to be a nurturing presence, even after I'm gone.
In this forest, I found myself slowing down, not rushing. The reward is in slowing down. In slowing down I found interwoven canopies, intricate root systems that felt alive, nurse logs that foster new growth within the forest, and I found a sense of awe and wonder. A forest is more than "just trees." It's a beautiful symbiotic relationship where everything depends on something else. This forest deepened the relationship with myself. This was an intentional solo birthday trip to be present and enjoy life.
Held by Giants
Where Giants Gather
I previously mentioned that the photos, the photos do not do this forest justice, but... my goal in these prints is to recreate the sense of awe, magnitude and presence that the forest offers. In Ancient Witness, the grand scale of the trees cause me to slow down, to appreciate my presence on Earth. Where Giants Gather allowed my child-like imagination to come alive again, I see two ancient Giants embracing each other. Mother Nature provides us with the guide, it's up to us to follow it. The Hoh Rainforest wasn't "just a forest". It was a place where I allowed myself to slow down, nurture my soul, and it changed me just a little — in a good way. If you'd like to bring a little of that feeling home, you can explore the Hoh Rainforest collection below.
May you always find something worth noticing.
—Elizabeth | Edge of Clarity Photo
