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WHERE TO WHEEL (THE TRAILS)
NWJeepn.com has
an EXCELLENT trail index with more detailed info on specific trails. They also have directions on how to get to the various trails. Below are some overviews with google links to the approximate trailheads.
Walker Valley ORV Park (DNR)
1 Hr north of Seattle. ~15 miles of 4x4 trail or so.
Day-use, no camping.
Restroom facilities, staging area / parking lot
Open year-round.
Map to Walker Valley Staging Area.
Located in a working forest that is periodically logged, the trails run through some wooded areas and some recently clear cut areas in the foothills of the western Cascade mountains. Trails are a mix of easy to moderately difficult. The trail bed tends to be damp throughout most of the year. Puddles and mud are shallow but may make the trail slick. Decent amount of elevation gain with the upper trails topping out at 1500 ft and a few glimpses of decent views out over the Puget Sound area. Because of the lower elevation of this trail network it's open year round, though there may be snow on the upper reaches. This would be an area I'd recommend for beginners, provided you take it easy and back off of things if you're not comfortable with the trail. The easy parts are truly easy, however. It's also an easy day-run from the Seattle metro area. From the Seattle region heading northbound on I-5 the gas station at Exit 221 makes for a convenient place to top off fuel tanks on the way to the trail.
Reiter Foothills (DNR)
1 Hr NE of Seattle. ~15 miles of 4x4 trail.
Day-use, no camping
Temporarily closed.
Temporarily (hopefully) closed while the DNR converts this formerly no-mans-land into an official ORV park. Unfortunately it got tripped up in the budget crisis which will probably delay things for a good long time. But keep an eye and ear out for happenings with the DNR and Reiter Foothills.
Evan's Creek ORV (Nat'l Forest Service)
1.5 Hr South and SE of Seattle. 20 miles of 4x4 trails.
Camp sites available and dispersed camping permitted.
Restroom facilities in the campground, two staging areas
Open seasonally April - December
Map To Evan's Creek Staging Area
Trails run up and down the sides of the Cascade foothills ranging in elevation from ~3600 ft to 5,000 ft of elevation. They wind their way through tall stands of fir trees and a lush woodsy understory. The trails will be very wet and slick spring and fall and tend to dry out and become dusty in parts during the height of summer. Trail bed is a dirt, rock, log mix for the most part with some deep trenching that can pin the trails in where they cut into the ground. Watch for roots and stumps that stick out from the side and could cause body damage. At one of the outlooks you get a million dollar view right into the side of Mt. Rainier. There is camping here if you want to over-night (need NW Forest Pass). The trails are on the more technical side but are passable with caution. Because of the higher elevation snow sticks around longer in the shadows of the forest and well into late spring or early summer. It is a challenging trail system for beginners and yet still very fun for those with built rigs. Located just outside the very NW corner of the Mt. Rainier National Park boundaries. Drive south to Bonney Lake, then out towards Buckley, then Wilkeson and out State Route 165 and head up to Mowich Lake.
The gas station in Burnette, WA is a good place to fill up on gas. They also have a good supply of munchies and also sell the NW Forest Pass. The NW Forest Pass can also be purchased at the Enumclaw Ranger Station.
Forest Service - Enumclaw Ranger Station
450 Roosevelt Ave E
Enumclaw, WA 98022
360-825-6585
Elbe Hills ORV Park (DNR)
2 Hrs from Seattle. 12 miles of 4x4 trails.
Camp sites available, gazebo shelter with stone fireplace, restroom facilities, staging area
Open year round but may be buried under snow in winter
Map to Elbe Hills Staging Area.
This network is located down near the town of Elbe, WA in another working forest in Cascade foothill territory. Trails wind over hilly terrain and weave in and out of forest and clear cut areas. Trails are usually pretty slick and wet and the mud holes can be substantial. This is a favorite area for buggies to play and they tend to chew up the trails to something gnarly. Still, there are some moderate trails. Body damage and general mechanical damage are not uncommon here. The toughest trail is the Busywild and is best run by the more experienced drivers with substantially modified rigs and armor.
There is a gas station in the town of Elbe, about 12 miles from the staging area. It's a small town so it may not be open late. Can't miss the gas station as you pass through it on the only road through town.
Tahuya (DNR)
2 Hrs from Seattle. Maybe 4 miles of 4x4 trail.
Open year round.
Map to Tahuya.
Half of the limited trail miles are relatively easy and smooth rolling forest hills. The other half are a newly built technical section that looks much tougher. Elevation gains can be measured in the 10's of feet instead of hundreds or thousands of feet of other systems. Lots of big puddles that are more or less easily avoidable. Watch the depth on the water. Given the limited trails and that half of them are very easy i've only been here once. Not a bad beginner spot but, boy, lots of driving for limited trails.
Nearest gas station is in the town of Belfair, WA near by.
Naches Pass Trail (Nat'l Forest Service)
2 Hrs from Seattle. Maybe 15 miles total length.
Dispersed camping permitted on the trail, first-come-first-serve cabin at Government Meadows
Required NW Forest Pass for western part of trail if camping, stopping, or parking a tow vehicle
Restroom facilities about a mile from the trailhead.
Open mid-July to mid-November, verify w/ Enumclaw Ranger Station.
Map to Western Trailhead.
The Naches Trail has two distinct characters for the western and eastern sides. The western end of the Naches Trail has several steep climbs to get up to Government Meadows and the Naches Pass at its eastern end. The trail tends to be damp dirt with the occasional mud puddle and slimy logs as obstacles. It is crossed several times by gravel roads and toward the top the trail breaks through and skirts a few meadows. The eastern side of the trail is longer, drier, and dustier. The forest transitions from fir to pine as the trail works it's way back down off the mountain into the valley below. The trail here has very few puddles but many roots and the rocky bed make it very bouncy and slow going.
This trail "can" be traveled in 3-5 hrs non-stop. But it usually takes us half a day because of the things to stop and look at. I would say it is a very good beginner trail. It crosses the Cascades entirely on a continuous 4x4 route that follows the 1853 wagon train route of the Longmire wagon train. Near the pass it crosses the Pacific Crest Trail at Government Meadows where the wagon party camped before lowering their wagons over the 700 ft cliffs. A few years ago it was honored by BFGoodrich tires as one of the great American trails. This trail makes for a great multi-day entry to Manastash Ridge in the east which it almost connects to (5 miles of pavement driving to more trails). The trail head starts about a mile past the end of the pavement. There will be a "Y". Take the left route, it button hooks around , then go another 100 yrs, the start of the trail will be on the left (uphill side).
The western half of the trail is controlled and managed by the Enumclaw Ranger Station. The eastern half of the trail is managed by the Naches Ranger Station.
There is a gas station in Greenwater, WA, about 10 miles from the trailhead but it's hours are spotty. Second closest are the gas stations in Enumclaw, about 26+ miles from Greenwater, WA. There is also the Whistling Jacks gas station in Cliffdell, WA at the eastern end of the trail.
Forest Service - Enumclaw Ranger Station
450 Roosevelt Ave E
Enumclaw, WA 98022
360-825-6585
Forest Service - Naches Ranger Station
10237 US Hwy 12
Naches, WA 98937
509-653-1410
Manastash Ridge ORV Area (Nat'l Forest Service)
2.5 Hrs from Seattle. 100+ miles of 4x4 trails.
LOTS of Camping, both improved and at dispersed sites
Restrooms in the improved campsites, no restrooms on the trail, outhouse at Tripod Flats
Open year-round but trails get buried under snow between November - April/May
From I-90, Map Here.
Point A = Exit 101 off I-5
Point B = Tripot Flats trailhead in the camp ground
From Hwy 410, Map Here.
Point A = Town of Cliffdell, incl gas station
Point B = Where the Naches Trail terminates
Point C = One route into the trail network
Manastash Ridge is a huge area and encompasses 100+ miles of 4x4 trail spread out over 115 square miles of territory. Trails traverse stunningly gorgeous scenery and criss cross ridge tops through the drier Eastern Cascade forests. Trails beds tend to be dry dirt packed over a rocky crumbled basalt rock base and become very dusty in summer. Most trails wander through the woods but some break out into meadows, sureal alien-like rock fields, some mud spots, hill climbs, and the popular Moab-slick-rock-like Funnyrocks and Moonrocks. Great views of Mt. Rainier and the other areas from multiple high points.
There are camping opportunities galore. Trails range from maybe 3500-ish to 6000+ ft of elevation. Established campgrounds will require the NW Forest Pass but you can camp for free on the trails. There are a couple ways into the trail system as it's so huge. One nice one is to run the Naches trail, drive the few miles on pavement, then head up the trails to Manastash Ridge.
There is a gas station in Cliffdell, WA and also in Cle Elum, WA and Ellensburg, WA. The closest will be Cliffdell for most of the trails.
North Cle Elum Area (Nat'l Forest Service)
2-ish Hrs from Seattle. 10-12 miles of 4x4 trail.
Camping available, restrooms at Salmon la Sac (end of pavement)
Open seasonally mid-June to mid-October
Map to N. Cle Elum Trail Area.
While not quite a network there are 3-4 small trails in this area. These trails are a very good place to get your feet wet offroad as the trails aren't difficult given they are abandoned mining roads. The trails climb the rugged mountains north of the town of Cle Elum. Camping is all over the place here, too, with trails topping out at 6,000 ft of elevation. It's cold at the upper reaches late into the summer. Try July-September for snow-free wheel'n.
Cle Elum Ranger Station
803 W 2nd St
Cle Elum, WA 98922
509-852-1100
Liberty / Table Mountain (Nat'l Forest Service)
2.5 Hrs from Seattle. 20-35+ miles of 4x4 trails
Dispersed and imiproved campsites available
Open seasonally, verify with Cle Elum Ranger Station
Map To Liberty Area.
These trails are located in this foot hills surrounding the Liberty, WA area on either side of Hwy 97. They can get somewhat steep and gain a thousand feed in elevation. The mostly smooth trailbed is combrised of a clay-like dirt which gets a little dusty and dry in summer. But at the least hint of moisture it becomes a snot slick surface. Coupled with the steep and off-camber trails conditions it can prove surprisingly challenging in the wet.
The nearest gas stations will be in Cle Elum, WA.
Cle Elum Ranger Station
803 W 2nd St
Cle Elum, WA 98922
509-852-1100
Rimrock (Nat'l Forest Service)
3.5-4 hrs from Seattle. 100+ miles of 4x4 area.
Many campsites and dispersed trail camping
Seasonal Use, Verify with Naches Ranger Station
Map to Rimrock Area.
Like Manastash Ridge this is a huge area. . . but it's MUCH steeper with trails running from 3,000 ft to 7,000 ft of elevation gain. . . sometime all that gain happens on a single trail in a few miles. Make sure your brakes and cooling system is in top notch condition. In the summer the trails are dry and dusty with a rocky base but snow can linger into July. Due to the severe steepness of the terrain this is not a place to play in the snow. Consult the NWJeepn.com website for their trail difficulty ratings. Because of the big Rimrock Lake there are lots of opportunities for boating, river rafting, and camping. Trailheads to the Jeep Trails can be found along FS Rd 1000. Also, due to the remote nature of this trail network it is best to plan for a few days of camping in the area.
Gas stations are far from the trails with the nearest one a 45+ minute drive away. Look for fuel in Naches, WA or Packwood, WA. Bring spare fuel jugs to the campsite, I usually bring three 5-gal. jugs for a 3-4 day stay.
Campsites require a daily fee regardless of NW Forest Pass, verify with Naches Ranger Station.
Forest Service - Naches Ranger Station
10237 US Hwy 12
Naches, WA 98937
509-653-1410
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