Elbe Hills ORV Area
Location: |
6.3 miles East of Elbe, WA off SR 706 |
Description: |
This trail
system has about 8 miles of trails and was built by volunteers. |
Trails |
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The
Busywild Trail
is the most well known trail. Named after the Busy Wild
Creek that runs through part of it, this trail lives up to its name
also. People say it’s the most difficult trail in the area, and it’s
mostly true. From where it starts off of Mainline it rolls through a
clear cut area, mostly just avoiding or driving on stumps, but with
some little challenges here and there if you look for them. If you
don't pay attention you might miss the left turn into the trees to
take you up the trail, if you find yourself at a service
road(92Road), turn around and take the first right. Some people just
skip the lower section through the clear cut and come in from 92
Road anyway. The section of Busy Wild from where it first cuts into
the trees until you get down past the bridge is the part of the
trail where many stories are made. Lots of mud and water, lots of
deep ruts that make you wish you had bigger tires. Not many bypasses
because it doesn't take long for a bypass to get just as bad and the
trail in spots, and some bypasses just dump into another hole.
Lockers, winches, and big tires are needed when it’s wet and tore up
down there. Coming up from the bridge can be difficult, it’s a tight
area not real friendly to a longer wheelbase rig. Once you get to
where the end of the service road is, the real difficult part is
done, and the rest of the Busy Wild becomes a little more like the
rest of the area, but still a little more difficult. Eventually it
crosses the service road again, and then dumps onto 931 Road.
In the summer this trail is passable by most 4x4 vehicles with 33"
tires or larger, but the trail favors narrow, short-wheel base
vehicles. Expect some body damage if you have a larger vehicle or
don't have some body armor. In the winter the trail is run downhill
only to reduce resource damage. With LOTS of mud in the winter tires
of 35" or larger with aggressive off road tires are recommended with
at least one locker and a winch. Body and mechanical damage is much
more likely in the winter and full size vehicles are not
recommended. This is a long and challenging trail with very few
exits. Expect to spend up to a full day on this trail and during the
winter, be sure to carry cold weather emergency gear.
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The
Sunrise Trail
was recently adopted by the Timber Tamers 4x4 club.
This has traditionally been a very easy trail that can be negotiated
by a stock 4x4. Currently the trail is being revitalized with
technical obstacles to make it more difficult. As this trail
progresses, expect to seem more rock crawl sections that require
large tires and lockers. Contact
Karl if you have any
comments or suggestions for this trail.
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The
Mainline Trail
is a short section of trail that is negotiable by
most 4x4 vehicles. Mainline is about the same difficulty running in either direction
and crosses a bunch of roads and trails. Starting from the south end
on 9 Road, it goes up through a clear cut on rocky ground, passes
the north end of Sunrise, then jumps into the trees where its wet,
watery and muddy. You can't get stuck in there though because the
trail bed is hard and lined with logs to stem erosion. After a
couple of bridges you come to another clear cut and a series of
intersections. The first intersection is a right turn going up the
hill, and is the mapped beginning of the Busy Wild. The next
intersection is a "T" . Going left is the trail, going right takes
you to the south end of the 931 Road. After you make the left the
trail starts to look more like what Elbe is known for. When its wet
there is some mud, and its always a little bit of a squeeze, and the
bypasses are sometimes just as bad as the trail was. This is the
point on the trail where you actually have to start paying attention
and picking your lines to either make it a little harder or a little
easier. The next road you cross is 931 Road, and it continues on
about the same. At the end of this leg of the trail you will come
across a right turn, but you can't go that way because that's the
Busy Wild exit (one way). Just past that you come out onto the north
end of 931 Road and cross it again. Shortly down that it intersects
with Alder Loop and if you stay left it goes straight down to 9
Road. For the most part this trail is doable by all 4wd vehicles in
the summer. Rocker panel protection may be useful. In the winter,
the muddier spot will require aggressive offroad tires with a locker
and winch recommended.
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The
Alder Loop Trail
starts on the south end and goes up from 9 Road then goes up a rocky section to a nice mud hole
and an intersection, stay to the right and it goes up a small v-cut,
then go left to stay on the trail and it winds around and ties into
Mainline extension. Go left to head back down to 9 Road. This trail
can be negotiated by most 4x4 vehicles year round.
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The
Mainline Extension Trail
starts on the south end from 9 Road it looks like a paved road, but its gets a little
better as you go along. At the intersection with Alder Loop stay
left. This trail is just a fairly easy and fun ride. Got to watch
the tires a little in places, and with good rain and lots of use
there can be some muddy spots. Eventually it links back up with 9
Road where Gotcha starts. This trail can be negotiated by most 4x4
vehicles year round.
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The
Swamp Trail
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The
Gotcha Trail
is one of the longer ones, and crosses more types of areas like Mainline does.
There are some tight squeezes between trees and some stump mazes, a
long bridge in a low spot, and a great view of Mt Rainier from a
clear cut on a ridge. Long wheel base and full size vehicles can
expect some body damage on sections of this trail and aggressive off
road tires a winch and locker are highly recommended for the wet
season.
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The
Rainier Vista Trail
lives up to its name. Its southern tip intersects with Gotcha and 9 Road, but
this one doesn't have as many challenges as most of the other
trails. It winds around for long enough to make you wonder where the
mountain is, and then you come to a section that goes up hill with a
bunch of loose rock on the trail. At the top don't forget to turn
around and look or you will miss the mountain as you drive back into
the trees for an easy ride out to 9 Road. This trail can be
negotiated by most 4-4 vehicles year round.
|
| |
Season: |
Open year round
with some trail restrictions in the winter. |
Map |
Elbe Hills 4x4 trails Compliments DNR
Elbe Hills ORV park
Elbe Hills location |
Fee: |
None |
Amenities: |
There is a FREE campground but reservations
are required.
The campground has outhouse facilities, a
large shared shelter with 2 fire pits, room for 10-15 RVs and 10 tent
only campsites. There is no running water or other RV facilities. |
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Restrictions: |
Check with the Department of Wildlife. |
Contact: |
DNR - South Puget Sound Region
950 Farman Ave. N.
Enumclaw, WA 98022-9282 |
Phone: |
360-825-1631 |
Trail Reports Want your trip report added? Email
me.
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