Driving directions

Fall BEAST -- Sunday, November 23, 2008 -- Tahoma State Forest, Ashford, WA

Allow 2-2.5 hours from Seattle or the Eastside or longer in poor driving conditions.

For those who wish to travel on Saturday and stay overnight in the area, there are lodging establishments in Elbe and Ashford, and there is a DNR-operated campground called Sahara Creek, just East of mile marker 5, between Elbe and Ashford. You can also camp on Saturday night in the Sno-Park lot at the start/finish; there is a pit toilet but no running water, so bring your own. There may be National Forest campgrounds open, too, but we haven't checked those out.

Since there is no snow, the area manager has said that you do not need a Sno-Park permit.

From Ashford, WA, go a couple of miles East on Highway 706
Turn right onto Skate Creek Rd (also called Kernahan Road), and go about 1.5 miles
Where the road bends left, turn right onto Osborn Rd, at the sign that says "Paradise Estates"
Turn immediately left (after just a few meters) onto the National Forest Rd (NFD 85 Rd), and go about 1.5 miles
Turn right (the first right) onto a gravel road, and go about 2.1 miles, across a couple of bridges
Turn left onto another gravel road (1 Road), and go about 2.9 miles to the Sno-Park lot