Washington Off-Road Trails

Trail #519 is in the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest within the Evans Creek ORV park area. It is one of a dozen trails in this park designated for 4x4 use, forming over 45 miles of trail riding. Trails are well marked and rated from Easy to Most Difficult. Trail #519 climbs to the highest point in the park and is a must-ride on sunny days for stunning vistas of Mount Rainier and the surrounding peaks and valleys. Combining those views with hill climbs, off-camber sections, and an unforgiving stump obstacle makes this a trail to remember. 

Trail #520 within the Evans Creek ORV area is one of a dozen trails designated for 4x4 use for over 45 miles of trail riding. Evans Creek is an excellent destination for a weekend getaway. Trail #519 is one of the more exciting trails, with steep elevation climbs, nail-biting narrow turns, and snow at higher elevations, depending on the time of year. There are also many views of nearby Mt. Rainier and other alpine vistas. Trails are well marked and rated from Easy to Most Difficult. This trail is one of the park's most difficult due to its hill climbs, switchbacks, nail-biting off-camber sections, and tight and twisting turns through 4-6 foot deep root walls. You will remember this trail, whether with reverence or because of the body damage. 

If you are looking for an out-of-the-way place to wheel, explore mountainous terrain, and test your driving skills, this is the trail for you. The trail starts on a Forest Service road and steadily climbs through an old-growth forest. At the time of this writing, deadfall trees were blocking the trail. A chainsaw would be a good idea early in the season, as you might be the first one here. There are off-camber areas that can cause white knuckles and rocky hill climbs that may require ground guide assistance. Two more trails in the area are equally challenging, making this area a great way to spend a day.

If you are down for some "Nail-Biting" hill climbs that will have your passengers looking for hand-holds and some "Oh-Sh#t" moments, this trail is right up your alley. Once at the top, the views of Mt. Rainier in the distance and the surrounding valleys are spectacular. Guard Station is one of many trails located in the Liberty OHV area. Along with a few others, this trail is located on the west side of US Highway 97. These trails are significantly harder than those in the rest of the Liberty OHV on the east side of US Highway 97.

The Hawkins Mountain Trail, a rugged spur branching off the Fortune Creek route near Gallagher Head Lake, follows the remnants of early-1900s mining roads originally carved into the mountainside by prospectors searching for gold, silver, and chromium. You can still see pilings along this trail, leftover from the mining operations. The trail is short but very steep and might present some challenges to vehicles with stock tires. For those brave enough, there is a reward with some of the most spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. The Wind Turbines on I-90 can be seen 60 miles away on a clear day. The trail winds up the mountain with some twists and turns and gut-wrenching hill climbs, not for the faint of heart. There are some high mountain meadows that are alive with spring flowers. Please stay on the trail and out of the meadows.

Mowich Lake Road, Highway 165, is located in the Snoqualmie Mt. Baker National Forest, five miles south of Wilkeson, WA. This gravel 17-mile dirt road climbs to just over 5000 feet and ends at Mowich Lake in the Mt. Rainier National Park. On your way to the lake, there are fantastic views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding hills and valleys.

Along this road is Evans Creek ORV, a dedicated 4x4 park with marked trails for 4x4 vehicles, quads, and motorcycles. This park has a fantastic campground with over 40 campsites and vault toilets.

Set in a glacial basin surrounded by beautiful wildflower meadows, Mowich Lake is the largest and deepest lake in the Mount Rainier National Park. There is non-motorized boating and fishing at the lake. The Mowich Lake campground is located near the parking area and supports tent camping only. There is access to many hiking trails, including the Pacific Crest trail which traverses the U.S. from Mexico to Canada. This campground is one of the many overnight stops the distance hikers use.

Because this road travels into the Mt. Rainier National Park, there is a fee to travel to the lake when you enter the park at about the nine-mile mark. The fee is paid using cards at a kiosk as you enter the park. The fee for traveling to the lake is $30 per vehicle and is good for seven days. You can also pay online before you visit. Because of the easy access, the lake is very crowded on weekends.

This road is only open seasonally from mid-July to mid-October, depending on snowfall.

Reiter Foothills Forest is a 4x4 Recreation area with trails designated for 4x4's, ATV's and motorcycles. There are 8.6 miles of trails for 4x4 use with about twice that amount in the planning stages. Reiter is noted for its quality rock crawling trails rated up to the 9-10 range. Lover's Lane is a trail that is a lot of fun with a small qualifier to get over to get started. This trail has some very interesting boulders that have to be negotiated, but there are bypasses for those that are not feeling it. The trail wanders through a mature forest with many twists and turns that might be difficult for some longer wheel-based vehicles. This is the most interesting trail for most not looking for rock-crawling.

Liberty-Beehive Road is a 30-mile forest service road that starts in Liberty, WA, and travels north and west along the upper reaches of the Liberty ORV. The first 10 miles are in excellent condition. After passing the intersection of FS 9716, the road gets progressively more narrow and difficult until, at mile 22.4, there is a landslide. The local jeep clubs repaired the trail up the slide. Beyond the slide, the trail becomes more difficult. 

The beautiful views looking north into the Wenatchee Wilderness area are stunning. The sunsets and sunrises are something to behold. There are many places to pull over and camp, with many elk camps along the road. After the 30-mile drive, the route exits onto Squilchuck Road, where you can visit Squilchuck State Park and the Mission Ridge Winter Sports Area. The only exit back to civilization is to travel north on Squilchuck Road 25 miles to Wenatchee.