Top 5 Places To Off-Road In the Northwest
The Northwest area of the U.S. offers some world-class wheeling. With lots of open land and designated trails, and camping, there’s something for all off-road levels, interests, and styles. Without further ado, here’s our top 5 places to off-road in the Northwest.
1. Tillamook State Forest
A quick 40-minute drive from Portland, Oregon lies Tillamook State Forest. From easy-going tree-lined trails to extreme wheeling in The Crushers area, “TSF” has something for every adventurer. You’ll need an Oregon OHV permit ($10 and good for two years) but that’s it. Then you’ll have access to 250 miles of off-highway vehicle trails. Tracks are rated like ski hills from green circle (easy) to blue square (intermediate) and black diamond (difficult). Some trails are only open to motorcycles and ATVs, so be sure to be on the lookout. The area usually closes due to fire regulations in the summer months. For more info, visit the Tillamook State Forest Blog.
2. Winchester Bay Sand Dunes
If you like your four wheeling in the sand, then you need to check out Winchester Bay. Located off US 101 on the central Oregon coast, Winchester Bay has the tallest dunes in the state. In fact, The Oregon Dunes are 31,000 acres in size! Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (DNRA) has 40% of the total land open to off-roading, too. Camping is available on the dunes but be sure to check availability and regulations as they can be specific. You’ll need to have your Oregon OHV permit here, too, as well as a dune flag. This area is very popular in the summer as people from inland seek cooler weather. Its sheer size can accommodate more people than some of the area’s smaller areas. The Reedsport and Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce has lots of good info on the area, too.
3. Washington Back Country Discovery Route (WABDR)
If you’re looking for a unique Pacific Northwest overlanding trek, check out the Washington Back Country Discovery Route (WABDR). Starting at the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks, Oregon and going all the way to the Canadian border, this route offers incredible scenery, epic vistas, and great camping opportunities. Be sure to bring your camera gear as there are endless photo ops. The trail isn’t overly difficult, but still plan to bring your 4WD rig, recovery gear, and plenty of supplies. According to the WABDR website, it takes most people 5–6 days to complete the route. You’ll likely see lots of rooftop tents and overland style vehicles on the trail as well as scads of motorcycles. Not looking to camp? There are motel/hotel opportunities along the route as well.
4. Southeastern Oregon
The remote areas of southeastern Oregon offer great places for adventurers to get out and explore. From Jordan Crater to the Owyhee River areas, or even the ghost town of Silver City, Idaho, this region takes a while to get to from Portland or Seattle, but has tons of backcountry trails to offer overlanders looking to get away from it all for a while. It can be very hot here in the summer and cold in the winter so pack your supplies accordingly. This is the most dispersed area on our list with much of the area belonging to the BLM. Like many places, it’s more popular around holidays and weekends, midweek visits are often better. But be sure to pack out all your trash and leave no trace when venturing in this stunning area.
5. Naches Trail System
Located in central Washington, Naches offers a host of wheeling opportunities. From very narrow dirt tracks to gnarly rock crawling, this trail system offers variety. You can be greeted by stunning views of Mt. Rainer while tackling some of these rugged tracks. And the actual Naches 4x4 Trail itself is a 13.1-mile trek of uneven and rutted routes with tight turns, trees, stumps, and potential mud. While the Naches Trail route itself isn’t terribly difficult (4 of 10), it’s very historic and runs along the 1853 pioneer wagon trail through Naches Pass. It’s a great place to wheel if you’re a history buff. But the Naches Trail System has numerous tracks that can test you and your vehicle, or simply provide excellent views of the Pacific Northwest.