Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Ritzville, Washington

Palouse Falls Road offers a short but scenic off-road experience that leads you straight to one of Washington’s most iconic natural landmarks, Palouse Falls. The route is primarily gravel and packed dirt, with occasional washboard sections and loose rock, making it accessible to most high-clearance ...
Learn more about Palouse Falls

This route into Seep Lakes area takes you to many possible campsites at the different lakes. A Discover Pass or vehicle pass is required in the area. The road is nicely groomed and easily driven with a 2WD vehicle to the campsites and lakes. There appear to be plenty of spur roads on the map; howev...
Learn more about Seep Lake

This scenic off-road trail through Columbia National Wildlife Refuge offers a mix of packed dirt, loose gravel, and some mildly rutted sections, making it a great route for almost any type of vehicle. While not overly technical, the trail can become muddy after rain, adding a bit of a challenge. Exp...
Learn more about Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Lake Tour

Exploring the Seep Lakes Unit of the Columbia Basin Complex on the route to Heart Lake via Soap Lake Road is a unique off-road experience that blends scenic driving with rich geological and ecological history. This trail runs through the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, a landscape marked by drama...
Learn more about Soap Lake Road to Heart Lake

Pine Creek Auto Tour Route is a casual drive through Turnbull's National Wildlife Refuge. This is a well-maintained road that should be manageable in any vehicle. There is a small amount of pavement-less than 500 yards overall. What it's lacking in off-road challenges, it more than makes up for in b...
Learn more about Turnbull's Pine Creek Auto Route

This is a gravel road to the sand dunes site with some washboard, lots of dust, and dunes with overgrown vegetation. It's a very easy gravel road, with minor elevation, this portion can be done in any season, day or night. No pass is required. Vehicles are not allowed to go off-path, and certain are...
Learn more about Sand Dunes Site

This gravel road runs through a bird reserve. It is only accessible between August and October. The trail is gated, the road turns into a dirt road, and there are some narrower areas, but there is nothing to be concerned about. It would be best if you were careful of upcoming traffic as you might ha...
Learn more about Bird Reserve

This road follows between the Main Canal and Trail Lake. The dirt road is rocky and bumpy but is 2WD capable. There are plenty of spots to park, camp, and fish along Trail Lake, especially when the lake is low. At the end of the levy is where the Main Canal flows out of the mountainside all the way ...
Learn more about Trail Lake Coulee

This road is a mix of hard pack and sandy washes. This road is one of the spurs that lead into the north part of the Juniper Dunes Open OHV Riding area. The road is one lane and has multiple steep blind inclines and declines, as well as multiple offshoots. The further you follow the road, the more s...
Learn more about North Spur Road

This is a one-lane route that takes you to the gate for the Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area. It is a tight, twisty, curvy, and sandy route that is a lot of fun if you have a machine that is designed to run in the desert. The trail has tight off-camber blind corners with some steep inclines and decline...
Learn more about Wilderness Road

This single-lane dirt road is a nice little connector between Patit Road to the north and Eckler Mountain Rd to the south. It is closed seasonally, and there are signs at each end to notify of its status, but it can be traveled by most vehicles mid-year when conditions are dry. When wet, however, th...
Learn more about Range Grade Road

This is a hard-packed, very worn-out road that is the main in and out of the Juniper Dunes OHV area. The road itself is mostly compacted desert hardpan with sandy washes mixed in. There are long stretches of whoops that will take quads, standard 4x4s, and utility-style SXSs much longer to go through...
Learn more about Juniper Dunes Road

Davis Hollow Road is a narrow dirt road that is closed seasonally and is easily accessible by most vehicles during dry conditions. This road follows a small creek drainage for about 4 miles between Eckler Mountain Road and North Touchet Road. There are a few spots wide enough to pass oncoming vehic...
Learn more about Davis Hollow Road

This is a short but rewarding route. This route goes down a farm road between private fields to public lands access that opens up to views that are breathtaking and incredible. The route ends on an overlook that is 1000 feet above the Sun Lakes. The view allows you to look from Banks Lake all the ...
Learn more about Lake Lenore Overlook

This is a very narrow two-track that runs through mostly free-range country. The route runs through mostly public land, but partially through private land. The route also goes through a couple of gates. Please leave these as you found them. This is cattle country, and the gates are to keep animal...
Learn more about Sagebrush Flats Cattle Trail

Barker Canyon Road is a 6-mile point-to-point route beginning at its junction with Washington Route 174 and descending through Barker Canyon to Banks Lake. The first 5.5 miles of the road traverse private property. Please remain on the designated route and respect all posted signage. The trail ends ...
Learn more about Barker Canyon Road

Pomeroy Grouse Trail is a well-maintained forest service road. It is approximately two cars wide and is relatively free of obstacles. If you have time along this trail, make sure to check out the varying natural springs not far off the trail. A few names include Schneckloth Spring, stents spring, an...
Learn more about Pomeroy Grouse (National Forest Development RD 040) #1

The Korth trail is a 50" trail at McCroskey State Park. Both ends start out pretty wide like a logging road, but you'll drop into the timber where the trail narrows. This is where you'll find more winding and flow on the trail. There are a handful of creek crossings that would likely be pretty seaso...
Learn more about Korth Trail

Rimrock Road is a point-to-point gravel road that skirts along the top of the Snake River Canyon. The trail is lined with private farmland on either side, so please be respectful when passing through. The road is well-maintained and two lanes wide for its entire length. Watch out for farm equipment ...
Learn more about Rimrock Road

The trail consists of hard-packed dirt and gravel with no obstacles. It winds up Stevens Ridge through a forest of firs, pine trees, and wildflowers covering the hillside in early summer. You can spot wildlife in the area, such as deer, elk, and yellow-bellied marmots. It offers great views of the c...
Learn more about Stevens Ridge

This route into Seep Lakes area takes you to many possible campsites at the different lakes. A Discover Pass or vehicle pass is required in the area. The road is nicely groomed and easily driven with a 2WD vehicle to the campsites and lakes. There appear to be plenty of spur roads on the map; howev...
Learn more about Seep Lake

This is a gravel road to the sand dunes site with some washboard, lots of dust, and dunes with overgrown vegetation. It's a very easy gravel road, with minor elevation, this portion can be done in any season, day or night. No pass is required. Vehicles are not allowed to go off-path, and certain are...
Learn more about Sand Dunes Site

This gravel road runs through a bird reserve. It is only accessible between August and October. The trail is gated, the road turns into a dirt road, and there are some narrower areas, but there is nothing to be concerned about. It would be best if you were careful of upcoming traffic as you might ha...
Learn more about Bird Reserve

This road is a mix of hard pack and sandy washes. This road is one of the spurs that lead into the north part of the Juniper Dunes Open OHV Riding area. The road is one lane and has multiple steep blind inclines and declines, as well as multiple offshoots. The further you follow the road, the more s...
Learn more about North Spur Road

This route into Seep Lakes area takes you to many possible campsites at the different lakes. A Discover Pass or vehicle pass is required in the area. The road is nicely groomed and easily driven with a 2WD vehicle to the campsites and lakes. There appear to be plenty of spur roads on the map; howev...
Learn more about Seep Lake

This is a gravel road to the sand dunes site with some washboard, lots of dust, and dunes with overgrown vegetation. It's a very easy gravel road, with minor elevation, this portion can be done in any season, day or night. No pass is required. Vehicles are not allowed to go off-path, and certain are...
Learn more about Sand Dunes Site

This gravel road runs through a bird reserve. It is only accessible between August and October. The trail is gated, the road turns into a dirt road, and there are some narrower areas, but there is nothing to be concerned about. It would be best if you were careful of upcoming traffic as you might ha...
Learn more about Bird Reserve

This road is a mix of hard pack and sandy washes. This road is one of the spurs that lead into the north part of the Juniper Dunes Open OHV Riding area. The road is one lane and has multiple steep blind inclines and declines, as well as multiple offshoots. The further you follow the road, the more s...
Learn more about North Spur Road