Dirt Bike Trails in Washington
There are a number of trails in Washington state dedicated for motorized all-terrain vehicles, including dirt bikes. The state’s beautiful vistas and vast wilderness offers an excellent setting for exploring the outdoors.
As a result of the popularity of riding in the state, many trails are threatened with closure. Overuse may damage the natural environment, including causing landslides when rock and earth are disturbed. Riders should be respectful of the area they are exploring.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
According to the U.S. Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot National Forest has some of the best trails in Washington. It is located east of Longview in southern Washington. Trails reconstructed to dirt bike and ATV standards near Blue Lake are best for those unfamiliar with the area.
The Dark Divide and High Lakes trails offer more challenging rides as most trails are very narrow and have extremely steep slopes. Many of the trails are in high elevation areas, making riding only possible by late summer. Riders must stay on designated trails, wear helmets, and carry a state license, operator’s license and off-road vehicle sticker. Riders must also use spark arrestors, headlights, tail lights, brake lights, horns, two mirrors and turn signals.
Jupiter Dunes
Open year-round, Jupiter Dunes is located northeast of Kennewick. The area includes an off-highway vehicle “open” area where cross-country travel is permitted. Although a section of the Dunes has been set-aside for limited use along assigned path, none have been doled out to date.
The area is also a popular site for picnicking, camping, hiking, horseback riding and hunting. When riding at Jupiter Dunes, helmets and safety flags on whip masts must be used, and riders must have current state registration and OHV/ATV stickers.
Capitol State Forest
The Capitol State Forest is one of the most popular areas for trail biking in western Washington. The northern half of the forest features more than 100 miles for riding. Trails in the southern half are limited to horses and hikers.
The area is located south-west of Olympia, and trails connect to the Thurston Grays Harbor Off-Road Vehicle Sports Parks. Riding is restricted to daylight hours and the area is closed from November to April.
Sadie Creek
Sadie Creek is eight miles west of Joyce, Washington. The area features beautiful vistas with panoramas of Mount Baker, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver Island, and the San Juan Islands.
This 15-mile trail offers both lowland and rugged mountain riding. It starts at an elevation of 600 feet and reaches a top elevation of 2,500 feet before looping back to the trailhead.
Lakeview Ranch
The Lakeview Ranch and Recreation Site is located eight miles north of Odessa, Washington. The area features hiking, picnic and camping sites and the Odessa Craters. The area’s only motorized bike trail is located at the north end of the site.
It is approximately seven miles of linked two-track roads, some of which is along the Odessa to Pacific Lake hiking trail. Motorized bikes are only permitted on designated trails.
Evans Creek
The Evans Creek Natural Area is located northwest of Mount Rainer National Park. The area includes a campground, picnic site, and trails for off-highway vehicles, including 20 miles of trails for dirt bikes. Mount Rainier is visible from several vista points.
Little Pend Oreile & Batey-Bound
Located 25 miles east of Colville, Little Pend Oreille features 75 miles of loop trails maintained by the Colville Ranger District. Trails cater to all skill levels and connects with the Batey-Bould trail system. Batey-Bould features 28 miles of more difficult trails maintained by the Newport Ranger District.
Okanogan National Forest
There are two areas around the Okanogan National Forest with trails for dirt bike riders. The Foggy Dew area southwest of Twisp features a 22-mile loop trail, as well as camping and picnic facilities. Operators must be licensed and carry a OHV/ATV sticker.
In late summer and early autumn, the larch trees in the upper basin of Martin and Foggy Dew brooks have a marvelous showcase of yellows and gold. The Foggy Dew trail connects with the Sawtooth trail, which features 26 miles for motorized bikes, fishing and overnight camping.
Taneum-Manastash
Taneum-Manastash is popular for 4WD vehicles and trail bikes. The area offers numerous loop opportunities with trails of varying difficulty along valley bottoms and ridge tops.
Some trails may experience closures due to logging. Located southwest of Cle Elum, the site features 87 miles of trails accessible to dirt bike riders.
Devil’s Backbone Lake Creek
The main trail, which is available to soil bicycles, crosses the peak of Devil’s Backbone from Crescent Hill to Stormy Mountain. The trail system is divided into three loops in an area of beautiful vistas located 16 miles west of Chelan, Washington. There are 54 miles of trails in Devil’s Backbone.
Entiat River
Entiat River is located in the scenic Central Cascades. The area includes 22 miles of trails for dirt bikes. There is an easy trail to Mytle Lake, with more challenging trails traveling along the Anthem Creek and Shetipo trails leading to high-ridge views from Duncan Hill and the Upper Mad River trails.
The former lookout area on Duncan Hill at an elevation of 7,818 feet provides a panoramic view of the upper Entiat basin, Pyramid Mountain and the South Fork basin.
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is very popular with horseback riders. It also features 100 miles of 4WD routes and 50 miles of trails for motorized bikes. The area is located 16 miles north of Ellensburg, Washington, and experiences seasonal closures for big game hunting. Table Mountain is also a popular site for mountain climbing and hiking.
