Tahuya State Forest ORV area is a great 4x4 destination for beginners up to seasoned veterans. While this forest trail system does have challenging man-made rock gardens, for the most part, the only hindrance to stock vehicles would be the depth of the standing water in the fall, spring, and winter months and, of course, the Rock Gardens that were put in for more modified rigs. Tahuya has been nick-named "2-wheel Tahuya" as most of the trails are fairly easy. This makes it the perfect place for beginners to gain skills before attempting more difficult trails. There is not really a good map of the trails in this park, as some are 4x4, some are for motorcycles/ATVs, and others are just for walking/mountain biking.
JBX is just one of the many routes to explore in this Tahuya ORV area. JBX is a connector trail that can be run in either direction. The trail has large mud pits in the spring and fall months and the Twin Ponds Play Area, where parking on the rocks and taking pictures is a must. There are also stunning views of the surrounding Olympic Mountains.
As a reminder, always tread lightly, stay on the trails, and follow the purple 4x4 triangles for other trails in the park.
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Take State Highway 3 towards Belfair. Turn right onto NE Clifton Road. Continue straight and the road becomes NE North Shore Road / WA 300. Drive about 3.5 miles and turn right onto NE Belfair Tahuya Road. Continue about 1.5 miles and turn right on NE Elfendahl Pass Road. Drive about 2 miles and there will be a large swamp on your right-hand side. Continue past the entrance to the Elfendahl Pass 4x4 Trailhead on your right. Take your next left onto Goat Ranch Road West. The entrance to the 4x4 staging area is 1/4 mile on your left.
A good trail. I'd say the difficult is pretty spot on at 3. There's some off camber stuff and some tight corners, but nothing crazy. Of course, if you want to go down to The Lake at waypoint 3 and pretend your Jeep is a submarine, that's gonna be harder than a 3. But as far as the trail goes, it was a good one for any stock rig with some factory skids.
This trail guide's difficulty was changed on
11/04/2022
This is a connector trail but it has a lot of tight turns and fun. You would use this trail to get to the twin lakes play area.
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My name is Michael Graham, and I'm retired from the U.S. Army as an Infantry First Sergeant with 23 years of service. I did one tour in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. I presently own a Process Service Company in Tacoma. I am originally from Upstate New York, but after being stationed in Washington, I knew immediately that this part of the country felt like home. Back in the 1980s, I owned a Jeep CJ5, my first 4x4, but back in the '80s, there wasn't the hype and add-on parts as there are today. Building my rig has been half the fun. Everyone has their style, and I have made my Jeep in my style, more for function. I have found it to be an addiction. I live in the Pacific Northwest, in the Tacoma / Puyallup area, and love the sport of "wheeling," which allows access to so much more than a hiking trailhead. I enjoy organized rides and poker runs and love the freedom and exploration this sport allows. Finding this website and authoring trail write-ups has dramatically enhanced this sport I have grown to love. I would love to hear from you if you are new to the sport or looking for someone to show you the trails. I wheel every weekend and sometimes during the week and run with other writers in the area. If you'd like to tag along, you can email me directly at "mike.trailsoffroad@gmail.com"
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