Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Maple Heights-Lake Desire, Washington

This road takes you from Columbia Falls to the Canadian Border. This is a fun drive with lots of great stops, and two entrances to Glacier National Park. The most popular stop is Polebridge, MT, where you can try a huckleberry bear claw from the world famous Polebridge Mercantile. You can also enter...
Learn more about North Fork Road

This road accesses the Palouse to Cascades, or Iron Horse trail, as well as a number of other trailheads and forest service roads. While the main road is relatively tame, there is a small 4x4 area with some fun climbs and obstacles ranging from mild to wild, that are great for beginners to test out ...
Learn more about Garcia Road

Take some time to get away from the city and escape to the hills with this quick, rocky run. Stop for a picnic at Mine Creek or take a shooting break in one of the large pullouts off the road. This road will be covered in snow during early spring and late fall, but is a great place to explore the wo...
Learn more about Mine Creek Rd

This is a forest road leading from Wilkeson up into the mountains. The trail starts off nice and wide (approx 3 car widths) and continues up varying paths that wiggle down to a single lane. There is a variety of terrain in this section from dirt, gravel, loose rock, and mud. At this point in the sea...
Learn more about NF 7720000

Easy trails right off Interstate 90! These trails cut through thick, beautiful forests and end at epic trailheads that take you into the SW corner of the Alpine Lake Wilderness Area. The trail is potholed and rough in some areas, but overall easily accessible to most all vehicles.
Learn more about Mason Lake/Talapus Lake Trailhead

This is a well-maintained new branch of 7720000 that was opened in Spring of 2024. Every fork off this road is valid. These forks are much narrower and might require high-clearance 4x4 in some cases. There are a few spots open for day camping, but nothing worth staying overnight.
Learn more about NF 7720000 Spur

The forks off of NF 7720000 are much narrower and might require high-clearance 4x4 in some cases. There are a few spots open for day camping, but nothing worth staying overnight. This particular spur leads to a nice overlook. Beware that there is a lot of trash at the trailhead--please pack out what...
Learn more about NF7720000 Overlook

Turn off Tinkham Road NF-55 onto Hansen Creek NF5510 and drive ~ 3.5 miles to the Hansen Creek Loop trail head near the rock quarry. The road is gravel. Winter and Spring snow may make it impassable. The shoulders are soft, at the end of the road, there is a large quarry and space to park for the tr...
Learn more about Hanson Creek - 5510

This road follows the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River up to the trailhead for Goldmyer hot springs (reservations are required and can be made online), Dingford Creek, and many more. The first half of the trail ranges from one to two car widths while winding through the trees. There are a number ...
Learn more about Middle Fork/Goldmeyer Rd

Crossing the bridge at the end of North Fork Road opens up several trails and riverside camping spots for the more adventurous. The first right leads to fire road T57, which follows the river on the north side up to a washed-out wooden bridge and waterfall. In the springtime, the river runs high wit...
Learn more about T57

This is a primitive dead-end logging road. There are a few pull-offs for day camping and quite a few spectacular views of Mount Rainier. Where the road dead-ends, it is dug out, so could be accessible by vehicles that have clearance or by ATVs/dirt bikes. The Grass Mountain hiking trail also crosses...
Learn more about Slippery Creek Road

This route used to take you up to Black Hawk Mine, but is since washed out. It may be repaired in the future to take you up to the very top. However, this is still a fun trail to test some easy 4X4 techniques and modifications, with dispersed camping and shooting areas along the way.
Learn more about North Fork Road - FS 573

Illinois (FS 5731) branches off the North Fork Snoqualmie corridor and quickly narrows into a classic, unmaintained Cascade backroad. The surface is mostly compact dirt with embedded rock, loose gravel, and the occasional rut or washout. As you climb, the road winds through dense second-growth and p...
Learn more about Illinois - FS 5731

This road runs parallel to I-90 and can be entered from the East or West. You can hop back onto the interstate at either end making it a great side detour. While any 2 wheel drive vehicle should make it without issue, be warned that there are a lot of decently sized (both round and deep) pot holes a...
Learn more about Tinkham Road (NF-55)

This 8.2-mile point-to-point trail begins as the pavement ends and continues to Evans Creek Campground and Trailhead. This is a well-maintained service road that is 2 vehicles wide. When open, the trail continues to Mowich Lake in Mount Rainier National Park. The campground has multiple primitive ca...
Learn more about Evans Creek Campground/Trailhead

You will find FS70 outside Greenwater, heading east off of SR410. This road is paved for the first 10 miles. There are many camping spots along the way. When you reach the sno-park, the gravel will start. In the winter, the road stops here and is only accessible to snowmobiles. The gravel is easy, w...
Learn more about FS70 Greenwater to Cliffdell

This 3.2-mile out-and-back trail forks off of the Summit Lake trailhead road and gives access to both Coplay and East Lake. There is a campground with pit toilets at Coplay Lake. A portion of this trail takes you into the surrounding forest with dispersed camping spots. There is a small rock outcrop...
Learn more about Coplay & East Lake Trail

This 26-mile out-and-back trail takes you from the Carbon River Valley up to the Summit Lake Trailhead. There will be a left turn onto an expansive paved bridge that will take you across the Carbon River. This road is known as FS 7810, Summit Lake Trailhead Road, and Cayada Creek. After crossing th...
Learn more about Summit Lake Trailhead

Twilight - FS 5480112 is an easy-to-moderate forest road that winds through the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest above Keechelus Lake. The route is primarily packed dirt and gravel with scattered rocks, shallow ruts, and a few rough sections that can become muddy after rain or snowmelt. Most high-...
Learn more about Twilight - FS 5480112

Yakima Pass runs through the Wenatchee National Forest. It is a gravel road with a considerable amount of potholes, both big and small, so be aware that you will get tossed around. There is a 10mph speed limit at the beginning of the road that drives through private property. You will find a lot of ...
Learn more about Yakima Pass

This road takes you from Columbia Falls to the Canadian Border. This is a fun drive with lots of great stops, and two entrances to Glacier National Park. The most popular stop is Polebridge, MT, where you can try a huckleberry bear claw from the world famous Polebridge Mercantile. You can also enter...
Learn more about North Fork Road

This road accesses the Palouse to Cascades, or Iron Horse trail, as well as a number of other trailheads and forest service roads. While the main road is relatively tame, there is a small 4x4 area with some fun climbs and obstacles ranging from mild to wild, that are great for beginners to test out ...
Learn more about Garcia Road

Take some time to get away from the city and escape to the hills with this quick, rocky run. Stop for a picnic at Mine Creek or take a shooting break in one of the large pullouts off the road. This road will be covered in snow during early spring and late fall, but is a great place to explore the wo...
Learn more about Mine Creek Rd

This is a forest road leading from Wilkeson up into the mountains. The trail starts off nice and wide (approx 3 car widths) and continues up varying paths that wiggle down to a single lane. There is a variety of terrain in this section from dirt, gravel, loose rock, and mud. At this point in the sea...
Learn more about NF 7720000

This road accesses the Palouse to Cascades, or Iron Horse trail, as well as a number of other trailheads and forest service roads. While the main road is relatively tame, there is a small 4x4 area with some fun climbs and obstacles ranging from mild to wild, that are great for beginners to test out ...
Learn more about Garcia Road

Take some time to get away from the city and escape to the hills with this quick, rocky run. Stop for a picnic at Mine Creek or take a shooting break in one of the large pullouts off the road. This road will be covered in snow during early spring and late fall, but is a great place to explore the wo...
Learn more about Mine Creek Rd

This is a forest road leading from Wilkeson up into the mountains. The trail starts off nice and wide (approx 3 car widths) and continues up varying paths that wiggle down to a single lane. There is a variety of terrain in this section from dirt, gravel, loose rock, and mud. At this point in the sea...
Learn more about NF 7720000

Easy trails right off Interstate 90! These trails cut through thick, beautiful forests and end at epic trailheads that take you into the SW corner of the Alpine Lake Wilderness Area. The trail is potholed and rough in some areas, but overall easily accessible to most all vehicles.
Learn more about Mason Lake/Talapus Lake Trailhead