ATV Adventures in Tahuya State Forest
Experience heart-pumping excitement as you race down trails, climb over boulders, and tour—break away from the ordinary as you travel through the forest on a quad. Get out on an ATV and enjoy the outdoors in a new way.
Washington State DNR provides many of the best motorsports riding areas in the state. One of the most extensive systems is in the 23,000-acre Tahuya State Forest, with 24 miles of motorcycle trails, 50 miles of ATV trails, and 16.5 miles designated for 4x4s. The forest offers several parking areas, including Elfendahl Pass Staging Area, with 50 day-use parking spots and six campsites, that provides access to ATV, 4x4, and motorcycle trails. Several other campgrounds and trailheads provide access to the ATV and motorcycle trails. Don’t forget your Discover Pass, as it is required to park anywhere in the forest.
If you are riding in Tahuya, keep in mind that all trails in the forest are bi-directional, so expect to meet other riders at every turn. When you cross another group, hold up fingers to let them know how many riders are behind you in your group. Each rider should do this until the last rider, who holds up a fist to indicate that there are no more riders coming. If there are more than six riders behind you, hold up five fingers. Riders travelling in groups should also use care at intersections to ensure that all of the riders can see which way the leader went. If you are using the free OHV WA app for Apple or Android, you can download the region for offline navigation in areas without cell coverage, and you can agree as a group ahead of time on which trails you will follow. Another consideration is ATV width. Although DNR officially considers ATV trails as open to vehicles up to 48 inches wide, some of the bridges in Tahuya, specifically one on the Howell Lake Trail, are too narrow for a 48-inch-wide ATV.
ATVing in Tahuya. Photo by Paul Sterley
How Does Washington Define ATV and UTV?
Washington refers to ATVs as wheeled all-terrain vehicles, or WATV. A WATV is a motorized, non-highway vehicle with handle bars that meets the following criteria:
Is 50 inches or less in width
Has a seat height of at least 20 inches
Weighs less than 1,500 pounds
Has 4 tires with diameters of 30 inches or less
Also included as a WATV are UTVs. Washington refers to UTVs as utility-type vehicles designed for, and capable of, travel over designated roads that meet the following criteria:
Has 4 or more low-pressure tires of 20 PSI or less
Is less than 74 inches wide (How big are common UTVs?)
Weighs less than 2,000 pounds (Want to see how much UTVs weigh?)
Has a wheelbase of 110 inches or less
Meets 1 or more of the following:
Is at least 50 inches wide
Weighs at least 900 pounds
Has a wheelbase of over 61 inches
