Washington Off-Road Trails

FS-7065 is a captivating Forest Service road that elegantly links the first two starting points of the western side of the popular Naches Trail. This road can be used to bypass the first uphill section for vehicles or drivers who might consider the start of this trail to be a bit too difficult. As adventurers navigate its mildly steep inclines, they are rewarded with breathtaking views and moments of deep natural beauty, particularly in the enchanting sections that rise dramatically toward the summit. This road carves through pristine virgin forests, with towering trees and vibrant underbrush, teeming with life. Along the way, explorers can discover several awe-inspiring lookouts that showcase the stunning landscapes of the region, providing perfect spots for reflection and photography. Additionally, there’s a cozy campsite nestled along the route, offering weary travelers a chance to pause and immerse themselves in the serene surroundings before continuing their adventure.

This is a short little spur off of NFD7222 that takes you to Forest Lake. It's a nice, quiet drive on forest dirt instead of the gravel you've been on for a while. One section of trail is slightly off-camber, but it is nothing to be concerned about. There's one camping spot at the end near the lake, with a large enough parking area for a few cars.

NF-2329-078 begins at Waypoint 9 of NF-2329 and continues 1.66 miles until arriving at both Horseshoe Lake and Horseshoe Lake Campground. The lake covers 25 acres and is used for camping, fishing, and boating with limitations on electric motors only. There are 12 campsites available and offer amazing views of Mount Adams to the south. Many hiking trails are also located nearby. This trail is part of the Washington Cascade Overland Route. Visit Overlanding Across Washington for more information, including which trails to take next.

C-4000 is a gravel road in Capitol State Forest running primarily north-south, serving as both a recreational access route and a trail connector. In its southern stretch, it parallels the Crestline hiking trail before intersecting with several multi-use and ATV-friendly trails, including Capitol Peak Trail, Slide Trail, Larch Mountain Trail East, and Divide Trail North. The road varies in width and surface quality, with sections ranging from compact gravel to rougher, uneven stretches. It provides important access for hikers, bikers, and ATV riders entering or transitioning between trail systems across the northeastern portion of the forest.

Capitol State Forest can have active logging operations, so be sure to pay attention and watch for heavy machinery and trucks while exploring the forest. There is no dispersed camping allowed in Capitol State Forest; the only camping permitted within the forest is in official campgrounds, so please ensure that you have a plan for that if you need a place to stay for the night.

Capitol State Forest is an 11,000-acre forest packed with roads and trails and specific opportunities for recreational purposes. Please see https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Capitol for up-to-date info and closures relating to this location and any restrictions on activities.

C-4700 is a spur road branching north from C-4000 in Capitol State Forest. It climbs steadily through a mix of second-growth forest and occasional clearings, providing access to higher elevations and possibly connecting to B-8500, which intersects with the Divide Trail North ATV route shortly past the connection. The road is narrow and gravel-surfaced, with the trees getting much narrower near the top. While it doesn't reach all the way to the peak of Rock Candy Mountain, a 1/4 mile spur of C-4730 does. Though not a primary connector, C-4700 offers access to less frequented parts of the forest and connects with recreational trail systems used by offroad vehicles. No views from the peak, but it does offer a large turnaround, and tree surrounds for a little protection from the wind, and you can see the Olympic Mountains as well as Mt Rainier and Mt Adams on the drive up.

Capitol State Forest can have active logging operations, so be sure to pay attention and watch for heavy machinery and trucks while exploring the forest. There is no dispersed camping allowed in Capitol State Forest; the only camping permitted within the forest is in official campgrounds, so please ensure that you have a plan for that if you need a place to stay for the night.

Capitol State Forest is an 11,000-acre forest packed with roads and trails and specific opportunities for recreational purposes. Please see https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Capitol for up-to-date info and closures relating to this location and any restrictions on activities.

Tiger Creek is an easy yet exciting road that winds deep into the northwestern edge of the Umatilla National Forest, just a short drive from Walla Walla. The road itself is not technical, but it deserves respect. It’s a wide shelf road with steep drop-offs, where a moment of complacency could turn serious. There is plenty of washboarding, so airing down your tires is highly recommended, especially if you plan to continue deeper into the forest for more overlanding. Since it’s national forest land, you can generally camp anywhere, but only a few established campsites dot the route. Tiger Creek is the perfect starting point for those wanting an approachable drive with big wilderness payoff, a road that invites both casual explorers and seasoned overlanders into the heart of the Umatilla.

Middle Salmon Boulder, also known as NFDR 37, offers a fun dirt and gravel alternative between Winthrop and Conconully. The western end starts as a nice gravel trail up until Baldy Pass, where it gets a little rough and rocky but is still suitable for any vehicle with decent ground clearance. The views across the pass are amazing, especially during sunset and dusk. The mountain's western side is stunning for an evening drive. You can find a few dispersed sites along the road, some of them tucked back into little offshoots that make them hard to spot.

Winding its way through the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest en route to its namesake, Starvation Mountain Road is a nice, easy path up to the top of the 6,775-foot mountain, where you will encounter the concrete foundation of some sort of previous structure. The road is mostly well-maintained gravel, though you might encounter washed-out and rutted sections in a few places. Due to the fine, silty dirt that makes up much of the road, 4WD would be helpful on adverse weather days. In general, this road is suitable for any vehicle with decent ground clearance.

Along this 11-mile out-and-back road, you will find many campsites and a couple of documented motorcycle trails.

Forest Road 2204-190 branches off from the main 2204 and climbs steadily into the hills of the southern Olympic National Forest. The drive begins easily enough, with sections of gravel and dirt, through a section called Hope Meadow, which is particularly scenic in autumn, with vivid fall foliage standing out in a clear alpine meadow. It then resumes its winding path through denser forest sections.

It becomes progressively rougher as you ascend, and there’s little to no maintenance here, so drivers should expect rocks and downed trees, washouts, and uneven terrain. The road is currently blocked by a landslide just before Burlap Pass, located at approximately coordinates 47.46433, -123.64856. The road narrows considerably as you progress toward the landslide, with few turnouts for passing or turning around.

There are a couple of pullouts wide enough for camping as you ascend, though no official campgrounds

This drive traverses the wrong side of a ridgeline for Rainier views, but there are still very pretty views of the valley and forest. A few pull-off areas along the road had evidence of previous campfires and enough space for camping, but the real experience of George Creek comes from the fact that it traverses a burn scar through the forest, surrounding you with snags and giving a bit of an eerie feeling, even on a bright sunny day. You'll need to be prepared for downed trees and use caution in heavy winds.

The official end of the trail ends at a slightly obscure spot with little room for turning around.

Woodcamp Ridge Road runs between Cleman Mountain Ridge Road and Newlands Road, parallel to the WABDR section of Jones Road. It's a beautiful drive down from Cleman Mountain with several fun, steep sections on loose rock. Going downhill is relatively easy on these sections, but you'll likely want some form of 4WD if you attempt to climb this road.

No campsites are on this road, just the pretty views and some dust to keep you company.

Green Dot Roads are a collaboration between DNR, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and private landowners to provide opportunities for dispersed recreation such as camping, hunting, off-road vehicle riding, and wildlife viewing. Green Dot roads are the legal motorized routes marked with a round green reflector on a white route marker. You can find current mappings that include seasonal and other closures at https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/wdfw-lands/green-dot. A Discover Pass is required for portions of DRN land included in Green Dot road maps.

D-3000 is a dirt connector road in Capitol State Forest, connecting D-Line and D-1000. The road is primarily hard-packed dirt, with some scattered potholes and occasional larger ones. It traverses diverse landscapes, including open clear-cuts and dense forested areas, paired with occasional views of the nearby mountains. During the wetter months, travelers may encounter snow at higher elevations, as well as small creeks and waterfalls. Sherman Valley Campground is close to the southern end of this road for overnight access.

Capitol State Forest can have active logging operations, so be sure to pay attention and watch for heavy machinery and trucks while exploring the forest. There is no dispersed camping allowed in Capitol State Forest; the only camping permitted within the forest is in official campgrounds, so please ensure that you have a plan for that if you need a place to stay for the night.

Capitol State Forest is an 11,000-acre forest packed with roads and trails and specific opportunities for recreational purposes. Please see https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Capitol for up-to-date info and closures relating to this location and any restrictions on activities.

Passing through the Lime Belt burn scar southwest out of Conconully, South Fork Salmon Creek Road is a rough forest road through the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Also called Forest Road 42, it starts nicely graveled but gets rough and rutted near the halfway point just after FR 300. It'll stay rough until it intersects with South Beaver and then becomes a paved road as it continues south to Loup Loup Campground and Highway 20.

Dispersed camping on this road is sparse, with only one or two locations along the whole road, but several offshoots may provide better accommodations. Nearby improved camping can be found at the Loup Loup Campground, a Forest Service campground that charges a nightly fee.

Cedar Mainline (Forest Road 50) is a well-maintained gravel road in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, beginning at its junction with Forest Road 54 (Stampede Pass Road). It travels northwest through dense forest and gently rising terrain before ending at a gated boundary marking the edge of the Cedar River Municipal Watershed. In its final 0.2 miles, the road becomes brushy and overgrown, narrowing very quickly to a point where only single-track vehicles can proceed comfortably. At that point, it transitions seamlessly into Cedar #560 (FS 5060). Along the route, travelers will find a few dispersed campsites and multiple spur roads branching off for further exploration.

Active logging begin in July 2025, resulting in a wide, stable road surface suitable for all vehicle types during dry conditions.

FS-1914-793 is a forest service road that starts on the east side of Pyramid Pass and is an alternate route onto the Naches Trail with quick access to Government Meadows. The road is single-lane and not maintained; there are potholes and some erosion along the way. The views from this road to the north are breathtaking. While there is no obvious camping on the road itself, many spur roads travel out to lookouts with excellent camping opportunities.

Forest Road 40 is a 4.1-mile out-and-back trail tucked deep into the Blue Mountains, offering a mix of rugged terrain and reward for adventurous drivers. It carries a moderate rating, not for technical difficulty, but because of two key factors: narrow stretches that will leave your rig pin-striped and sections where the center of the trail rises high between the tracks, requiring at least 32-inch tires for comfortable clearance.

The route alternates between dense forest corridors, where huckleberry bushes crowd the edges, and wide-open viewpoints that sweep across the Umatilla National Forest. Looking north, you can see the rolling farmland of the Palouse, while to the south, the jagged ridges of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest stretch toward the horizon.

Wildlife sightings are common here. This area is said to be home to the elusive Shira Moose, so don’t be surprised if that “shaking bush” turns out to be something much larger. The trail ends at a stunning overlook, where the views are nothing short of spectacular. Bring binoculars to spot elk, deer, and other wildlife moving across the surrounding mountainsides.

Scattered along the trail are numerous camping spots, perfect for turning a day trip into a quiet overnight in the backcountry. Between the scenery, the wildlife, and the mix of forest and open ridges, Forest Road 40 delivers a quintessential Blue Mountains experience.

Salmon Meadows is a well-maintained gravel connector from Conconully to the Salmon Meadows Upper Campground. It has a couple of designated campgrounds and at least one dispersed campsite along the path.

Salmon Meadows is the first unpaved portion of section 6 (Conconully to Canada Border) of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route (WABDR), a scenic 575-mile mostly offroad route from the Oregon state line to the Canadian border.

Roughly five miles east of Packwood, Forest Service Road 46 branches off toward Clear Fork Trail #61 within the Goat Rocks Wilderness. The route offers several quality dispersed campsites capable of accommodating three to five vehicles. Three of these camps are located near the junction with Purcell Creek Road #4610, one is along the Lava Basin spur, and another is just inside that spur.

The roadway consists of firm, well-packed gravel and follows a steady incline as it winds through open forest, providing views into the trees. A bridge over Dam Creek provides access to a dirt path leading to a refreshing spot where the family can cool off or explore the creek’s banks.

Canyon Spur extends to a broad clearing that, on clear days, reveals views of the valley below and the distant slopes of Mount Rainier. The overgrown continuation of this spur invites adventurous hikers seeking a quiet challenge. In contrast, the Dam Creek spur is narrow and difficult to enter, offering no camping opportunities but a vigorous hike for those willing to attempt it. Stack 7 Spur holds a small campsite tucked just beyond the tree line. Beyond this point, the main road bends sharply left and begins its steepest part of the route.

Peacock Mountain Road is an easy, hard-packed dirt road that travels across the southern slopes of Peacock and Little Peacock Mountain. It doesn't take you up the mountain, but it does connect you from South Fork Salmon Creek Road to Loup Loup Canyon Road. Along the road, you will find one large, open campsite.

South Beaver is a straight-through gravel road connecting Beaver Creek campground and FR 42. The road is suitable for any vehicle and takes users to a couple of hiking trailheads for Middle Beaver Creek Trail and Bear Mountain Trail. This road also offers access to the Beaver Summit Road offshoot. Along the drive, you will find several large open areas suitable for dispersed camping.

This is a short route that leads to the Divide Ridge single-track trail. The trail isn't immediately apparent where it is shown on the map. It traverses a ridgeline before splitting and curving slightly south around the side of the ridge. The southern spur dead-ends into a fairly tricky spot to turn around, so it may be best to check it out on foot unless you're comfortable backing down away. If you take the split to the north, it carries on along the side of the ridge through some relatively loose rock and dirt with a decent campsite at the end.

Hager Lake Road (FS 4830) is a scenic forest route connecting Snyder Road to Hager Creek, winding through dense evergreens and past a string of small alpine lakes tucked into the foothills. Starting from the Packwood side, the trail begins just beyond the Packwood Lake trailhead, which offers facilities and access to the popular 4.5-mile hike into Packwood Lake. The road climbs steadily up a ridge before flattening out into a shaded valley lined with mossy rock formations and ferns. Around the 3.5-mile mark, travelers reach the spur to Art Lake, where several dispersed campsites provide peaceful forest camping right near the water. Continuing toward Hager Lake, the surface remains mostly smooth gravel with a few rutted patches and a short moderate hill climb near the southern end. The approach to Hager Lake narrows through thick vegetation and crosses a few small wet areas, where runoff can leave the surface muddy but manageable. A short spur leads directly to the lakeshore, where limited parking and a handful of quiet campsites make for a serene overnight stop. From here, a brief walk up the main road reveals the exit toward Hager Creek Road, marking the transition to steeper and rougher terrain where a high clearance, 4WD vehicle is highly recommended. Overall, this is an easy forest drive that rewards travelers with solitude, cool mountain air, and a string of hidden lakes perfect for a peaceful weekend escape.

Prairie Creek W Bound Crossover (Forest Road 2140) connects West Boundary Road (FS-21) to FS-2190 as a narrower gravel route winding through dense forest. The road carries a slightly brushier feel than other nearby routes, though vegetation generally stays clear of the travel lane.

Several small creeks and waterfalls cross perpendicular to the road, adding consistent water features along the drive. A few dispersed camping pull-offs are available along the way.

One section crosses a large culvert that appears to have cracked, causing the road surface above it to begin settling; this area is currently marked with a stick and orange flagging to draw attention. The route travels along slopes that would offer attractive views during clear weather, though visibility can often be limited with the weather in the rainforest.

This two-lane wide gravel road is a simple connector from the South Fork Toats Coulee Road to FR 39. It offers a pretty drive with plenty of lovely views to keep you entertained for its short distance.

Toats Coulee Connector is part of section 6 (Conconully to Canada Border) of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route (WABDR), a scenic 575-mile mostly offroad route from the Oregon state line to the Canadian border.