NWRB GPNF-South Roadbook Tour Collection

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market, Carson, WA

Total distance: 2169 km

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel, 2 Track, Overgrown 2 Track, Rough 2 Track, Single Track

General description:

The collection includes 8 great Roadbook Tours. The roads and trails in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest are some of the most scenic and fun routes in Washington. You will find yourself stopping to take pictures many times along these Roadbook Tours. The routes offer a great mix and variety of terrain, road types, elevations, views and even temperatures. You will be riding from the valleys up and over the passes with views of the surrounding mountains and valleys including Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood.

The roadbook tours include helpful information to help you stay on the route including WPMs and GPS for many of the notes. You will be able to use these tools to get yourself back on track if you get lost. Notes with WPM and GPS are spread along the route every 15-20 km. All fuel stops are WPMs and have GPS available. Many of the snow-parks, trailheads and campgrounds along the route have GPS. Not only do the WPMs give you extra confidence in your location, they also keep your tripmeter adjusted for you since they set your tripmeter correctly whenever you validate one. Be sure to review WPM and GPS functionality in the NWRB Blog Posts before you head out.

Most of the road types in the routes are Pavement, Gravel and/or 2 Track. The Adventure Roadbook Tours are mostly tarmac, graded gravel, and 2 track. The Dual Sport Roadbook Tours step it up adding rutted 2 track, more rocks, more challenging grades and single track. The single track is very narrow and overgrown. Please do not attempt to ride the Dual Sport Roadbook Tours with single track in them on a large adventure bike. Definitely no panniers and no boxers on the singletrack.

The Roadbook Tours all start and finish at the Wind River Market in Carson, WA where there is fuel available. You can pay-at-the-pump for gasoline 24-7. The store is generally open during the day. Camping is available nearby at public and private campgrounds (including the Dog Mountain RV Park) and many dispersed camp sites. At Dog Mountain, they have some cabins available.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.

Includes the following Roadbook Tours:

NWRB GPNF-S1 Carson Newbie Adventure Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 18 km

Fuel range required: 18 km

Highest Elevation: 190 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement

General description:

If you have never done a roadbook before or are feeling a little rusty, start with this one. It is a basic, short loop with easy navigation and comfortable roads to get you started. The roadbook has a WPE (Waypoint Eclipsed) at the first note, DSS (Depart Special Stage), WPMs (Waypoint Masked) and an ASS (Arrival Special Stage) just like the longer Roadbook Tours do. Every note has GPS available so it will be easy to get yourself back on track when you get lost.

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

Remember, you can always run it again to make sure you understand the basics before trying one of the more advanced Roadbook Tours.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.

GPNF-S2 Southside Adventure Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 231 km

Fuel range required: 231 km

Highest Elevation: 1250 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel, 2 Track

General description:

Be sure to fill up with gas at Wind River Market. This route has smooth pavement, bumpy FS pavement, wide graded gravel roads and 2 track roads. You will make your way north past Curly Creek Falls and up into the mountains. After going up, you will return back south passing Hungry Peak. You will explore more of the forest as you pass by Panther Falls and over another hill before returning to the starting point.

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.

GPNF-S3 Southern Exposure Adventure Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 291 km

Fuel range required: 180 km

Highest Elevation: 1300 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel, 2 Track

General description:

Be sure to fill up with gas at Wind River Market and at the gas stops along the way. This route has smooth pavement, bumpy FS pavement, wide graded gravel roads and 2 track roads. It begins heading up toward Lookout Mountain before looping around the Trapper Creek Wilderness area. You will then make your way up to the base of Mt. Adams before the gas stop. From there it takes you back down south past the lava fields before crossing over the last range and dropping back down to the starting point.

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.

NWRB GPNF-S4 Savage South Half Adventure Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 203 km

Fuel range required: 143 km

Highest Elevation: 1350 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel, 2 track, rutted 2 track

General description:

We took our big Savage Full Dual Sport loop and cut it in half for you to enjoy a shorter portion. The Savage South Half Adventure Loop begins at Wind River Market and heads up into the foothills.

On your ride northbound, you will find the paved road getting smaller and smaller as you get into the forest. Stop at Panther Creek Falls to see the sight. More of those bumpy curvy paved FS roads are there for you to enjoy as you make your way north. After a viewpoint, you will arrive at the Eagle Cliff General Store where you can get fuel if they are open. Call them to find out their hours. More great gravel and 2 track as you head south before looping around Indian Heaven Wilderness. Eventually you will find yourself returning back to the start location in Carson.

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.

GPNF-S5 Number 5 Adventure Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 325 km

Fuel range required: 137 km

Highest Elevation: 1300 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel, 2 Track

General description:

Be sure to fill up with gas at Wind River Market and at other gas stops along the way. This route has smooth pavement, bumpy FS pavement, wide graded gravel roads and 2-track roads. This roadbook has more challenging navigation than the others. You will find yourself in some familiar locations as you make your way along the route. It will take you right up to the foot of Mt. Adams and on many of the best roads in the southern part of GPNF. It is a long one so make sure you are well prepared.

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.

NWRB GPNF-S6 Big One Adventure Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 486 km

Fuel range required: 118 km

Highest Elevation: 1450 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel

General description:

Start with a full tank and don’t pass a gas station. Fuel stops are far apart in this area. This loop will take you from one side of the forest to the other over some of the highest passes around. On your way, you will get up close to 3 volcanos. Leaving Carson, you will cross the forest over a fun curvy hill before dropping into Trout Lake. The fuel station at Trout Lake is only open during the day. Be sure to contact them if you plan to fuel up there. We hear there is some tasty food at the café next door. Let us know how it is. The route then takes you back up north on several great FS roads getting closer to the base of Mt. Adams along the way. Be sure to stop at the Takhlakh Lake Campground boat launch for a perfect postcard view of Mt. Adams reflected in the lake. Next the route drops down to the highway before hitting Packwood for a gas stop. Both fuel stations in Packwood have 24-7 pay-at-the-pump gas available. The next leg takes you up into the scenic hills north of Highway 12. This is your chance to get closer to Mount Rainier. Enjoy more epic views from the lookout. You will have one last pass to climb over before dropping back down to Randle. Next you will travel south over scenic FS roads before stopping into the seasonal Eagle Cliff General Store. Call ahead to check their hours if you plan to fill up there. Enjoy the scenic viewpoint among the twisties in the paved climb. Next you will get off the main track and enjoy some views of the south side of Mt. St. Helens before returning back to Carson.

Wow! What a loop!

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.

GPNF-S7 Twister Dual Sport Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 204 km

Fuel range required: 204 km

Highest Elevation: 1250 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel, 2 Track, Rutted 2 Track, Single Track Trail

General description:

Be sure to fill up with gas at Wind River Market. This route has smooth pavement, bumpy FS pavement, broken up barely-there pavement, wide graded gravel roads, 2-track roads and single track. There are some ruts and rocks. Knobbies along with a smaller, more nimble bike are the hot ticket for this one. Big adventure bikes may be a handful on some of the tighter single-track trails and rockier or rutted out sections. Panniers and boxers are a no go. This route explores the area between Silver Star Mountain and Swift Reservoir. You will find yourself on ridges and in valleys as you follow the notes. There are so many great views. Enjoy!

This route contains single track sections. Some of them are very narrow and are not recommended for larger adventure bikes or bikes with pannier boxes on the sides. The obstacles along the sides of the trail are often hidden in brush and could cause a larger bike to crash and/or get thrown off the trail. On these trails, that could be a very big problem. Please do not attempt this Roadbook Tour on wide bikes with a boxer engine or on bikes with panniers or large luggage on them.

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked

NWRB GPNF-S8 Savage Full Dual Sport Loop

Start (DZ) and Finish (FZ) at Wind River Market

Overall distance: 411 km

Fuel range required: 242 km

Highest Elevation: 1450 m

Road/terrain types in roadbook: Pavement, Graded gravel, 2 track, rutted 2 track, single track

General description:

This one is Savage. At least in its length. Start early. Be sure to fill up with gas in Carson. It is a long way before you get to gas! Much of this route is fun bumpy lumpy curvy paved forest roads. Watch for oncoming traffic that can appear out of nowhere around a corner. You will also encounter graded gravel, 2 track roads, rutted 2 track roads and some of the easier single-track trails in the area along this route. All the trails are passable by a rider of average skill on a Dual Sport Motorcycle. If you are planning to take this route on with a larger Adventure bike, gather your group up and tackle the single-track sections together. Do not attempt with panniers and/or a bike with a boxer engine.

On your ride northbound, you will find the paved road getting smaller and smaller as you get into the forest. Stop at Panther Creek Falls to see the sight. More of those bumpy curvy paved FS roads are there for you to enjoy as you make your way north. Eventually they turn into gravel and then suddenly a note tells you to drop onto some more singletrack. Once you complete the section, you will continue on some more paved FS roads.  Up you go again on gravel to another viewpoint. The road will degrade with ruts that get bigger and bigger before it shrinks down to single track. This downhill single track section is the start of your descent back down to Randle. Of course, there are plenty of great gravel and paved roads left to get you there. Fill your tank to the top before heading back south. This isn’t just a pit stop for your bike. Take care of your needs too by getting something in your fuel tank too. Maybe a snack and drink for the road too?

You will leave Randle and head up into the foothills. It won’t be long before you find yourself on a fun flowing section of single track. Once you are all warmed up, you will make your way back onto more fun paved FS roads. After a fantastic gravel climb, enjoy the beautiful view at one of the lookouts in the area. More great gravel and 2 track as you head south before looping around Indian Heaven Wilderness. Eventually you will find yourself returning back to the start location in Carson.

This route contains single track sections. Some of them are very narrow and are not recommended for larger adventure bikes or bikes with pannier boxes on the sides. The obstacles along the sides of the trail are often hidden in brush and could cause a larger bike to crash and/or get thrown off the trail. On these trails, that could be a very big problem. Please do not attempt this Roadbook Tour on wide bikes with a boxer engine or on bikes with panniers or large luggage on them.

Consult the Blog Posts at www.NWRoadbooks.com for help with basic navigation and understanding waypoints.

You will be riding thru curvy mountain roads. There will be oncoming traffic. Be careful.

Try to concentrate on making a clean run, not going fast.

This is NOT a race! No hazards are marked.