In the saturated Quinault rainforest, plant life colonizes virtually every available surface: moss blankets rocks, logs, and structures, while ferns and other plants grow directly from tree trunks and atop fallen wood. The extraordinary moisture leaves few bare surfaces uncolonized, layering vegetation upon vegetation and producing the valley's signature all-encompassing greenness. South Shore Road turns to gravel and closes ahead at a washout.
Look closely at any surface that isn't moving, and you'll see this valley's real signature: everything grows on everything. Moss coats the rocks, the railings, the road signs. Ferns sprout straight out of the sides of living tree trunks. Whole gardens take root on fallen logs and even on the backs of other plants. In a place this soaked, a bare surface doesn't stay bare for long, there's always a spore or a seed ready to claim it. The valley doesn't really have empty space. It just has spots that haven't been taken yet. The pavement's running out just ahead.
Photo: Dog Walking Girl · CC BY-SA 3.0
