In the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, just off of main east-west Interstate, lies a cluster of cute towns, cold, clear mountain lakes and timber laden elevations to see it all. Access to the highest vistas are via rugged dirt and gravel 4 x 4 Forest Service roads.
The area just east of the Snoqualmie Pass and ski resort features a wide variety of housing. Within a 20 mile radius one can find multi million dollar homes in the ultra manicured, golf course community of Suncadia to the tiny shack-like cabins dotted around the recreation areas. Five star dining experiences are offset with old taverns, buck-a-beer specials and mud parking lots. The roads are diverse as well. Driving includes the just completed super freeway of I-90 to the barely drivable, stream and rock pocked forest service roads at the top of the hills.
Forests and woodlands have become increasingly accessible to people. The country’s road network has grown so that any person can travel to within one mile of over 88 percent of forest land.
Sonja Oswalt, US Forest Service
The web of treacherous dirt roads was our destination. This was the best nearby place to exercise the Fox Racing Shox on our new Ford Raptor. In our truck we commanded a bit of luxury and a lot of power on some the most scenic old school 4×4 roads in the area, aptly named “Road Not Maintained for Passenger Cars” on the map legends. Perfect! The Raptor was made for hard road trips: 450 horsepower moves through different driving modes like Sport, Mud & Sand or Baja. But for this trip we would not be doing any high-speed desert running. We were in the Pacific Northwest and would probably need to turn on the ventilated heated seats to take off the chill. While the shocks soften up most of the hard motion, it helps to turn up a little extra lumbar support with a button.
Look at all those forest service roads, like veins coursing through the trees.
Passing through the quaint towns of Cle Elum, Roslyn and Ronald, the long waterfront road along Cle Elum Lake stretches out into stunning postcard scenes. The end of the pavement turns to gravel roads dotted with campgrounds and trailheads idyllically named things like Wish Poosh, Red Mountain and French Cabin Creek. In town, several entrepreneurs rent snowmobiles in winter to get around the sno-parks of Crystal Springs, Salmon La Sac and Cabin Creek. In the summer, most also offer ATVs. Each season has its own loyal fans who partake in the beauty of the evergreen and water valley views.
The machinery around this wilderness area may be what sets it apart most. The hills are alive with fast quads, 4×4 vehicles and screaming snow machines. While the trails are plentiful and peaceful, this is not a place where you’re guaranteed quiet solitude on your hike. It could happen. We had picnicking moments on a beach where the only sounds were the bubbling wash of water over Fortune Creek rocks a few feet away.
The Ford Raptor features shocks with electronically controlled variables. Nice for major dirt potholes.
The adventurous who make it to the tip tops of the hills are rewarded with stunning lake vistas and rolling carpets of old growth forest. But it can come at price if you’re the anxious type. It’s one thing to be 4x4ing on somewhat level terrain. It’s another to be hanging off the side of a sheer hillside threading through a sliver of a road with a deep washout. Of course, you’re not too terribly far out. Cell service is a surprise every once in while. While contemplating the meaning of life deep in the Alpine Lakes wilderness at the top of a “mountain”, my phone rang. What? That wasn’t a bald eagle speaking to me, that was my most irritating ring tone.
The area accommodations are casual and laid back with choices for cabin luxury or camping-like motels and a few of the standard fare in between. Most are clean. Many happily accept pets and have roomy parking lots for toy trailers and trucks. (Note the earlier comment about clean…a challenge with big happy pets and dirt adventures.)
Fortune Creek 
July Whitewater 
Raptor Nav 
Waterfront Dining
Dirt roads meet water.
It’s a perfect area for a long weekend of outdoor fun, and especially so with a motorized toy. Unless your goal is to see nearly every mile of road and trail, a long weekend should entertain you just fine. One thing’s for sure ~ it will remind you of the finer things in life: playing in the dirt of God’s greatest and most beautiful country.