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Friends of Olympic National Park is the adopt-a-trail crew for the Heart O’ the Forest Trail, a quiet path through old forest that starts in Heart O’ the Hills Campground, just up the road from Port Angeles. If you have looked for a way to adopt a trail in Olympic National Park, this is ours. Our volunteers give the trail regular care, help keep it pleasant for everyone who walks it, and share what we see.
Adopt-a-Trail: Heart O’ the Forest Trail is one of the seven projects FONP supports. Here is what the crew does, what you should know about the trail, and how to lend a hand.
What our adopt-a-trail crew does
Adopting a trail means looking after the same stretch of path season after season. In the park’s Adopt-a-Trail model, volunteers handle steady, hands-on upkeep and report trail conditions to the park’s trail crew, who take on the larger jobs. The aim is simple: catch small problems before they become big ones.
The National Park Service describes typical volunteer trail tasks like these:
- picking up litter on the trail and at the trailhead
- cleaning out water bars, steps and drainage so rain runs off instead of down the tread
- trimming back overgrown brush and unsafe limbs
- keeping an eye on signs and reporting vandalism, washouts or downed trees
Volunteers in the park’s program are trained in basic trail maintenance, trail etiquette and the safe use of hand tools. Nobody is expected to arrive knowing how to clear a drain.
Funded by an Extreme Terrain Clean Trail grant
On February 20, 2025, FONP was awarded a $250 Clean Trail Program Grant from Extreme Terrain. The funds go to trail maintenance, as needed and directed by the trail crews actively working in the park, and our board decides how best to use them.
Read the full announcement on our Extreme Terrain clean trail grant page, or see every award on our grants page.
About the Heart O’ the Forest Trail
The Heart O’ the Forest Trail is a gentle walk through big trees on the lower slopes below Hurricane Ridge. The park calls it a lovely, level trek through the forest. Damp ground means many stretches of tread ride on puncheon (raised wooden walkways) and turnpikes (raised beds of earth edged with logs).
The first stretch is wide and easy, which makes it a good choice for families and for anyone who wants forest quiet without a big climb. The final mile drops toward a creek valley, where the maintained trail ends; turn around there.
Heart O’ the Forest Trail at a glance
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Start | Loop E, Heart O’ the Hills Campground |
| Length | 2.3 miles one way (park figure); about 4.8 miles round trip |
| Elevation | About 500 feet, mostly in the last mile |
| Surface | Forest tread with puncheon, turnpikes and a small bridge |
| Dogs | Not allowed |
| Pass | Park entrance pass required |
Getting there from Heart O’ the Hills Campground
From Port Angeles, follow Race Street south to Hurricane Ridge Road and continue up the road past the park Visitor Center to the Heart O’ the Hills camping area, about five miles from Port Angeles. The Heart O’ the Hills campground trail begins at Loop E. There is no trailhead parking, so day hikers should use the larger lot just south of the trailhead.
Cell service and app directions can be unreliable here, so save a copy of the route before you leave town. The Washington Trails Association guide to the Heart O’ the Forest hike has detailed directions and recent trip reports.
Heart O’ the Forest Trail conditions
Hikers often ask us what the trail is like right now. Our plan is to answer from the ground: after each work day, the crew will post a short, dated update in this section, covering things like downed trees, drainage, muddy spots and anything reported to the park.
Our notes describe the day we were there, and conditions in a lowland forest can change after a single winter storm. For current official information on closures, roads and campgrounds, always check the park’s Olympic National Park alerts and conditions page before you go.
What each update will include
- the date of the work day
- how far along the trail the crew worked
- what we cleared or fixed, and what we reported for the park’s trail crew
- anything hikers should watch for, such as slick puncheon or standing water
How to volunteer for trail maintenance
Trail maintenance volunteers in Olympic National Park register through Volunteer.gov, and our crew is no different. The easiest way in is to let us know you are interested.
- Check our upcoming events for a listed work day.
- Contact Friends of Olympic National Park and tell us you would like to join the trail crew.
- Register for the work day on Volunteer.gov when we send the listing.
- Bring boots, rain gear, gloves, water and lunch, and come ready to learn.
Adopt-a-trail options near Port Angeles compared
Search for “adopt a trail” around here and you will find three different programs. They are easy to mix up.
| Program | Who it’s for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| FONP adopt-a-trail crew | Adults and families who want to help with a friends group | Heart O’ the Forest Trail |
| NPS Adopt-A-Trail Youth Crew | High school groups, at least 3 work days a year | Trails across the park |
| Olympic Discovery Trail adopt-a-section | Run by the Peninsula Trails Coalition | Outside the park |
Not ready for tools? Our beach cleanups in Olympic National Park and Visitor Center garden days are good first steps.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Heart O’ the Forest Trail?
The park lists it as 2.3 miles one way. Most hikers walk out and back, about 4.8 miles round trip, with most of the roughly 500 feet of elevation change in the last mile.
Where does the Heart O’ the Forest Trail start?
It starts at Loop E of Heart O’ the Hills Campground on Hurricane Ridge Road, south of Port Angeles. There is no trailhead parking, so day hikers use the larger lot just south of the trailhead.
Are dogs allowed on the Heart O’ the Forest Trail?
No. Pets are not allowed on this trail.
How can I adopt a trail in Olympic National Park?
You can join our adopt-a-trail crew on the Heart O’ the Forest Trail. Contact us to say you are interested, then register for work days on Volunteer.gov. High school groups can also apply to the park’s own Adopt-A-Trail Youth Crew.
Do I need trail maintenance experience?
No. The park’s Adopt-a-Trail program trains volunteers in basic trail maintenance and the safe use of hand tools. Bring boots, gloves, rain gear and water.
Help care for the Heart O’ the Forest
A trail stays open because people keep showing up for it. Explore more volunteer opportunities at Olympic National Park, read about Friends of Olympic National Park, or make a gift toward trail tools and supplies. You can also see all of our projects.
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