Dirt Bike Trails
Near Cougar, Washington

This short spur skirts the eastern edge of the 2022 Kalama Fire. You will encounter some narrow spots and may have to move a branch or rock due to slide activity post-fire, but overall, the gravel one-lane track is easily drivable. The treescape and terrain change from the start to the end due to th...
Learn more about Goon - FS 8122161

This is an unmaintained Forest Service road. It is gravel but has very deep potholes and deep ruts. A high-clearance rig is advised with a good approach and departure angle. In the winter months, it will most likely be covered with deep snow. The views from the top are amazing. It's one vehicle wide...
Learn more about Fossil Creek

This is a fun side trail to explore near the base of Mt. St. Helens for an easy drive through varied terrain, over the Kalama River (very narrow and close to its headwaters), past ski trails, and lots of potential dispersed camping. Enjoy views of Mt. St. Helens and rocky peaks at nearly every curve...
Learn more about Cougar Creek Road - FS 812200-802200

This is a fun trail leading into the Gifford National Forest area. It has minor ruts and washouts that I assume fill with mud in the rainy season. The trail leads you through some dense forest areas. Being a dense forest area, this trail has few spectacular mountain views. You might encounter some d...
Learn more about S-1000 Loop

This 2.5-mile section of National Forest Road 81 features pullouts, old overgrown roads, and smaller spur trails for exploring. The unpaved road passes through forest south of Mount St. Helens, transitioning into the post-blast landscape with moss-covered rocks and unique stands of trees. While most...
Learn more about Merrill Lake Road - FS 81

Overgrowth is abundant on this trail. Pinstriping and possible body damage are all but assured. The trail is very narrow and has an abundance of overgrowth on both sides. The trail has limited ability to turn around or pass other vehicles. The trail changes from loose gravel to hard-pack dirt, to ve...
Learn more about Forest Rd 5400000

The starting and end points of this route, no matter where you enter from, are accessible, with some fun washouts, ruts, mud, and some downed tree limbs and branches. The middle section, which comprises about half of the trail, becomes more challenging. This middle section has deep ruts and deep was...
Learn more about Forest Road 5300000

Easy scenic route through the woods that can be done in a 2WD with good clearance. There are wonderful views and plenty of side roads to check out and explore. There are also a few dispersed camping spots along the way. Be careful at blind corners, this road sees a decent amount of traffic and loggi...
Learn more about Powder Horn

This trail is not for the weak-hearted. It is a very tight squeeze for a full-sized 4x4, it has massive overgrowth, and some very technical portions of the trail are seriously eroded. The trail has several extremely rocky areas that require 4 low and a locker. There is one particularly challenging s...
Learn more about Bare Mountain Road

Take the forest-covered path on your right. Deep woods become beautiful cliff sides, camping spots, and an overhang to a small creek where local wildlife comes to sip water. Large scat tracks litter this trail in Gifford Forest, as well as cliffsides, rough rocky patches, and fantastic views.
Learn more about Hunters Bluff

This is an easy trail that is mainly dirt with gravel. The trail has a few washouts and ruts but nothing that is overly challenging. There is one area of the trail where low-clearance vehicles might scrape their underbody. The trail leads to Fredrickson Road which can be used as a connecting point f...
Learn more about PH-4000

This is an easy gravel road that connects you with other trails in the area. The trail is mostly gravel with some washouts and ruts that are filled with water and mud. There are plenty of places to stop and admire the mountain ranges. Passing is possible and there are several turnaround spots. This ...
Learn more about Saturday Rock Connection Trail

Gumboot Mountain Trail will lead you deep into the forest. The trail is narrow--very narrow in some areas--and it has several areas where overgrowth is abundant, making for a tight squeeze with a full-sized 4x4. The trail has deep washouts, some of which are extremely off-camber. There are also plen...
Learn more about Gumboot Mountain Trail

This is a very old, not very well-maintained forest service road that is best driven just before you plan to get a new paint job. The road is a narrow two-track shelf road that, for the most part, is steep. Many times, there is zero-foot sight distance ahead as you plow through the tree branches at ...
Learn more about Pelvyer Road

This road is an out-and-back, but worth exploring as there are great views of the S. Fork of the Toutle River Valley. Mostly a gravel road that is narrow in spots and winds in and out of the trees into large clearings that provide the views. Some sections are cut into steep hillside with no shoulde...
Learn more about 5625

This is a narrow gravel road that is, at the west end, either the start or the finish of the 5600, depending on which way you run it. This route connects the 5100 (west) to the "5600 to 5605" trail (east). Most vehicles can travel this route. Along the way, there are many drainages that in springtim...
Learn more about 5600

Branching off Forest Road 4250, this straightforward spur winds down the hillside through Washington State Department of Natural Resources land. The drive alternates between sections of shaded forest and open ridgelines that provide a clear, rewarding look at the South Fork Toutle River valley and M...
Learn more about 5631

Pepper Creek is an easy gravel road that runs through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. It offers a couple of small camp spots, but the main attraction is the hikes, both Curly Creek Falls and Lewis River. A little fun fact: Curly Creek Falls themselves are exceptionally unique because two natura...
Learn more about Pepper Creek

This route will lead you from the Canyon Creek Campground to the Soda Peaks Trailhead or vice versa. A deep forest route sometimes becomes narrow with plenty of overgrowth. Pin-striping is possible on this trail. The trail has many mud ruts and washouts that can put you at slight off-camber angles. ...
Learn more about Canyon Cr - Forest Road 3700000

This beautiful trail takes you deep into Gifford Forest. Trees line your path as you cross pothole after pothole through gravel and mud. Following this path, you will find yourself with an option to go towards the mountain or deep into hunting areas. Shaded for most of the way, it is a beautiful cas...
Learn more about Deep Forest Connection Road

This short spur skirts the eastern edge of the 2022 Kalama Fire. You will encounter some narrow spots and may have to move a branch or rock due to slide activity post-fire, but overall, the gravel one-lane track is easily drivable. The treescape and terrain change from the start to the end due to th...
Learn more about Goon - FS 8122161

This is an unmaintained Forest Service road. It is gravel but has very deep potholes and deep ruts. A high-clearance rig is advised with a good approach and departure angle. In the winter months, it will most likely be covered with deep snow. The views from the top are amazing. It's one vehicle wide...
Learn more about Fossil Creek

This is a fun side trail to explore near the base of Mt. St. Helens for an easy drive through varied terrain, over the Kalama River (very narrow and close to its headwaters), past ski trails, and lots of potential dispersed camping. Enjoy views of Mt. St. Helens and rocky peaks at nearly every curve...
Learn more about Cougar Creek Road - FS 812200-802200

This is a fun trail leading into the Gifford National Forest area. It has minor ruts and washouts that I assume fill with mud in the rainy season. The trail leads you through some dense forest areas. Being a dense forest area, this trail has few spectacular mountain views. You might encounter some d...
Learn more about S-1000 Loop

This short spur skirts the eastern edge of the 2022 Kalama Fire. You will encounter some narrow spots and may have to move a branch or rock due to slide activity post-fire, but overall, the gravel one-lane track is easily drivable. The treescape and terrain change from the start to the end due to th...
Learn more about Goon - FS 8122161

This is a fun side trail to explore near the base of Mt. St. Helens for an easy drive through varied terrain, over the Kalama River (very narrow and close to its headwaters), past ski trails, and lots of potential dispersed camping. Enjoy views of Mt. St. Helens and rocky peaks at nearly every curve...
Learn more about Cougar Creek Road - FS 812200-802200

This is a fun trail leading into the Gifford National Forest area. It has minor ruts and washouts that I assume fill with mud in the rainy season. The trail leads you through some dense forest areas. Being a dense forest area, this trail has few spectacular mountain views. You might encounter some d...
Learn more about S-1000 Loop

This 2.5-mile section of National Forest Road 81 features pullouts, old overgrown roads, and smaller spur trails for exploring. The unpaved road passes through forest south of Mount St. Helens, transitioning into the post-blast landscape with moss-covered rocks and unique stands of trees. While most...
Learn more about Merrill Lake Road - FS 81