Trail Overview
Situated within a lush, densely timbered conifer forest, Parish Ridge Road - FS 2266350 serves as a scenic 2.0-mile out-and-back spur that provides access to several intersecting secondary woodland routes. Outdoor enthusiasts and sightseers utilize this pathway to explore the deep National Forest landscape and reach remote areas before the track dead-ends. The driving surface consists of a wide, recently regraded gravel and dirt road. Because the corridor was recently cleared of encroaching brush and trees, the pathway is remarkably broad and well-defined, though travelers will encounter scattered organic debris, small branches, and wood chips left behind on the surface. The route descends steadily along its entire length and weaves through the trees with several blind corners that require a cautious watch for oncoming forest traffic. The journey ultimately concludes at a hard stop where multiple large downed trees completely block the roadway, forcing a simple turnaround to head back up the gentle incline.
Difficulty
This out-and-back forest spur features a recently graded, hard-packed gravel and dirt foundation completely devoid of technical off-road challenges. Thanks to recent forestry maintenance, the corridor is exceptionally wide and free of brush, though drivers will experience a mildly bumpy ride due to the leftover organic debris and wood chips scattered across the track. Non-technical considerations are limited to managing a consistent braking speed on the steady downhill grade, navigating around the loose surface material, and taking wide, cautious lines around several blind corners to avoid unexpected oncoming traffic. The exceptionally smooth terrain allows for a relaxed cruising speed averaging around 13 miles per hour until the absolute endpoint of the trail, where a large barrier of fallen timber makes further travel impossible.
