Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Sunnyside, Washington

Double Track is a very easy trail with views of the Tri-Cities, Washington. There are some small hill climbs along the way. This is a good trail for beginners. During the winter, you will encounter mud and snow, and it's very dry and dusty in the summer.
Learn more about Double Track

The trail features hard-packed dirt combined with fractured basalt gravel and runs along the ridge of the Saddle Mountains. It offers 360-degree views of the Columbia River to the west and the Hanford site to the east. The route consists of easy gravel roads with occasional whooped-out sections. Th...
Learn more about West Saddle Mountains Ridge

The Saddle Mountains Rim Tour trail offers a scenic off-road adventure with sweeping views of the Columbia Basin. This route features a mix of sandy washes, rocky climbs, and ridgeline trails, making it a fun challenge for high-clearance 4x4s. Spring brings vibrant wildflowers, while fall offers coo...
Learn more about Saddle Mountain Rim Tour

This is an out-and-back trail featuring a mix of dirt roads and fractured basalt gravel. In some areas, the road is narrow with no pullouts available. Below the cliffs, the Columbia River flows, while apple orchards and wineries are scattered throughout the valley of Columbia River and Crab Creek wa...
Learn more about Saddle Mountain Northwest Trail

This trail is mostly dirt with some rock garden sections and minor wash/ruts. The trail steadily climbs to the top of a ridge with a 14 percent pitch at one point, but once you make it to the top of the ridge, the views are stunning. This trail ends at a fence row, and becomes the Skyline Trail, whi...
Learn more about Buffalo Ridge Road

Jump Off Joe is a butte in the Horse Heaven Hills south of Kennewick, Washington, and is visible throughout much of the region. The roads leading up are public roads, but are primitive with no warning signs, and can be steep with sudden, sharp turns. It's a rather scenic drive through a portion of t...
Learn more about Jump Off Joe - North

This trail is on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife-owned land, and a Discover Pass is required to travel in the area. This is a dirt trail that is extremely dusty when dry and a muddy slog when wet. There are ruts approximately 12-18 inches deep that you must straddle, and there are areas w...
Learn more about Roza Creek Road

Jump Off Joe is a butte in the Horse Heaven Hills south of Kennewick, Washington, and is visible throughout much of the region. The roads leading up are public roads, but are primitive with no warning signs, and can be steep with sudden, sharp turns. It's a rather scenic drive through a portion of t...
Learn more about Jump Off Joe - South

Jackknife Ridge Road is a 13.9-mile point-to-point dirt and rock route that winds through Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park and the Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area, offering views of the Columbia River and multiple pull-offs along the way. Starting from the southern end, a locked gate requires a free pe...
Learn more about Jacknife Ridge Road

This is a relatively easy trail that takes you beyond the Wild Horse Monument and into BLM land. Overall, this is a GREAT trail to learn the basics of off-roading in a fun and safe environment. The beginning of the trail undulates through a narrow desert canyon, with a few twists and turns. At about...
Learn more about Wild Horse Monument

Although this trail is a fairly short drive from Ellensburg, you will soon feel like you've been transported to the old west. Once you leave the paved Umtanum Road and get onto Durr Road you will find that it is unmaintained dirt with loose rock. You will have some great views of the snow-capped mou...
Learn more about Durr Road to Umtanum Creek Camp

This trail begins off the pavement of North Wenas Road, where you’ll find signage, a map, and posted rules. It climbs steadily into the hills, passing through a gate that must be closed behind you. Wildflowers are often abundant along the route. The trail eventually meets and follows a canyon for a ...
Learn more about Kelley Hollow Road

From Washington State Highway 12, approximately 2.25 miles from the SR 410/Highway 12 junction, Oak Creek Road (FR 1400) begins traveling west. The road is primarily gravel with patches of larger rocks, potholes, and washboards. Travel speed ascending is slow-going due to the rough nature of the roa...
Learn more about Oak Creek FR 1400 to Bear Lake

Slow going over a rough road of basalt rock. This road rises steeply from roughly 1700' at the Oak Creek Wildlife office off of Highway 12 to over 4000'. There is a seasonal gate at the access point at the bottom. Bethel Ridge itself is snowbound from December to late June or early July. Check Fores...
Learn more about Bethel Ridge Tie Road

Hartman Creek Road is a 4.6-mile point-to-point route that connects Skookumchuck Crossover Road and the Wildhorse Windfarm. The route can be difficult to follow in places due to overgrowth, with grass obscuring sections of the trail and making rutted and rocky areas harder to see. Conditions improve...
Learn more about Hartman Creek Road

Jackknife Ridge Road takes you from the Columbia River at Whiskey Dick Creek, up and over Jackknife Ridge. This recorded route ends at Skookumchuck Creek, which may or may not be passible depending on the time of year. This route has beautiful views along the way, and a variety of terrain to navig...
Learn more about Jackknife Ridge Road

The south trail through the Colockum Wildlife Area, just west of Vantage, WA, is a great introduction to off-road driving with rewarding views throughout. The route is mostly dirt and gravel, with sections of loose rock on the hill climbs that keep things interesting without being overly technical. ...
Learn more about Green Gate Access - South Road

Newlands Road is a dusty roads with loose rocks. There are some uphill spots where loose rocks could be a problem, however for the most part it is just a dirt road. There are a few rutted areas that can be easily navigated.
Learn more about Newlands Road

The North Cross Trail in the Colockum Wildlife Area offers an approachable and scenic introduction to off-road driving just west of Vantage, WA. The route connects West Road to Bitterroot Road, following a mix of packed dirt, loose rock, and occasional rutted sections that keep things interesting wi...
Learn more about Green Gate Access - North Road

Most travelers explore the south side of Frenchman Coulee and completely overlook the solitude of the north side. The spur trails lead you to various vantage points along the coulee rim. Each of those spurs lead to potential dispersed campsites right on the cliff edge. The far west side of the route...
Learn more about Frenchman Coulee Tour

Double Track is a very easy trail with views of the Tri-Cities, Washington. There are some small hill climbs along the way. This is a good trail for beginners. During the winter, you will encounter mud and snow, and it's very dry and dusty in the summer.
Learn more about Double Track

The trail features hard-packed dirt combined with fractured basalt gravel and runs along the ridge of the Saddle Mountains. It offers 360-degree views of the Columbia River to the west and the Hanford site to the east. The route consists of easy gravel roads with occasional whooped-out sections. Th...
Learn more about West Saddle Mountains Ridge

The Saddle Mountains Rim Tour trail offers a scenic off-road adventure with sweeping views of the Columbia Basin. This route features a mix of sandy washes, rocky climbs, and ridgeline trails, making it a fun challenge for high-clearance 4x4s. Spring brings vibrant wildflowers, while fall offers coo...
Learn more about Saddle Mountain Rim Tour

This is an out-and-back trail featuring a mix of dirt roads and fractured basalt gravel. In some areas, the road is narrow with no pullouts available. Below the cliffs, the Columbia River flows, while apple orchards and wineries are scattered throughout the valley of Columbia River and Crab Creek wa...
Learn more about Saddle Mountain Northwest Trail

Double Track is a very easy trail with views of the Tri-Cities, Washington. There are some small hill climbs along the way. This is a good trail for beginners. During the winter, you will encounter mud and snow, and it's very dry and dusty in the summer.
Learn more about Double Track

The trail features hard-packed dirt combined with fractured basalt gravel and runs along the ridge of the Saddle Mountains. It offers 360-degree views of the Columbia River to the west and the Hanford site to the east. The route consists of easy gravel roads with occasional whooped-out sections. Th...
Learn more about West Saddle Mountains Ridge

The Saddle Mountains Rim Tour trail offers a scenic off-road adventure with sweeping views of the Columbia Basin. This route features a mix of sandy washes, rocky climbs, and ridgeline trails, making it a fun challenge for high-clearance 4x4s. Spring brings vibrant wildflowers, while fall offers coo...
Learn more about Saddle Mountain Rim Tour

This is an out-and-back trail featuring a mix of dirt roads and fractured basalt gravel. In some areas, the road is narrow with no pullouts available. Below the cliffs, the Columbia River flows, while apple orchards and wineries are scattered throughout the valley of Columbia River and Crab Creek wa...
Learn more about Saddle Mountain Northwest Trail