If you are an equestrian living within driving distance of Eatonville, WA, you are a lucky rider indeed! You get to enjoy the delightful year-round riding at Pack Forest, home of the University of Washington’s Center for Sustainable Forestry.
This beautiful area is laced with closed roads that provide excellent winter riding. And in summer and fall when the soil dries out, you’ll find additional riding on a very nice network of single-track trails.
While Pack Forest’s primary purpose is the study of sustainable forestry practices, the entire 4,300-acre property is open to non-motorized recreation. Its roads and trails are justifiably popular with equestrians, hikers, joggers, dog walkers, and mountain bike riders alike.
In wet weather you can explore the forest via miles and miles of gravel roads that are never muddy or slick. And in summer and fall you can vary your rides using the forest’s single-track trails, which connect with the forest roads to create additional loop opportunities.
In addition to the forest, meadows, and ponds you’ll find at Pack Forest, you can also visit the summit of Hugo Mountain, a 1,700-foot peak that rewards you with views of the Olympics and the Nisqually River Valley.
Or you can ride the single-track Falls Trail to see the three Little Mashel Falls (the falls are certainly not little, but the water flowing over them comes from the Little Mashel River). The largest is Middle Falls, also known as Bridal Veil Falls. You’ll need to tie your horse and scramble down the steep hillside to get a view of the falls, but use care because the terrain can be treacherous when wet.
Whether you ride the forest’s roads or trails, visit Hugo Mountain or the falls on the Little Mashel River, or simply enjoy a relaxing ride through its pretty forested terrain, Pack Forest will not disappoint.
More Information
The Pack Forest trails are covered in Riding Southwest Washington Horse Trails by Kim McCarrel, available at www.NWHorseTrails.com.