Raccoons douse food in water before consumption, an unexplained behavior

Bigleaf maple are highly tolerant of floods, and often found along alluvial river bottoms

The Queets rainforest receives 140-160" of rain per year

The trail begins just above the Sam's River - Queets River confluence

Burls form when cells that grow new buds deviate and divide in many directions to form a large bump instead of a branch

In summer months, the leaves and twigs of Vine Maple are the preferred food of deer and elk

Roosevelt Elk are the largest elk species in North America; these cows range 400-600 lbs

Western hemlock are found in a variety of soil types but thrive in rainforest bottomlands

Temperate rainforests produce more biomass (matter living or once living) than tropical rainforests

As chlorophyll production slows in October, less dominant pigments become visible

The Queets River corridor was added to Olympic National Park in 1953

The Sam's River Trail is highlighted by notably large Sitka spruce, which can reach 150-190' tall

A treacherous ford to the north bank leads to the Queets River Trail (orange symbol)

Old homestead meadows along the trail are manicured by browsing elk

Non-migratory herds of elk are found in the Queets rainforest