Overlanding the Washington State Backcountry Discovery Route — Section Two

Dec 8

Driving miles and miles into the backcountry to camp and explore may not be for everyone, but it was on our minds long before we purchased my husband’s Jeep Wrangler. As soon as we bought it, we started planning for our first overland adventure.

The Washington Backcountry Discovery Route — 575 miles of mixed-surface driving through the Cascades and intersecting the state – was particularly alluring. The WABDR is split into six sections, and section two caught our eye. It’s close to home, seemed perfect for our skill level, and would give great views.

Zach’s family – Jeep owners themselves – joined us. Between our three Jeeps, we packed more than enough to camp and eat well for three days. Eating well is my favorite part of overlanding! No freeze-dried meals like when we backpack!

Our trip started with a drive over the White Pass scenic byway with views of Rainier and Rimrock Lake. Our goal was to get to Bethel Ridge and find a campsite for the evening. After one wrong turn (it’s a good idea to keep the Butler’s Map with you, not packed in a bag!) we made it to the ridge. The road there was very rough, with large rocks and branches. It was slow going, but driving to the edge of the cliff was so fun!

This was where we planned on turning around to make our way through section two on the lower, easier trail. Of course, that’s not what happened!

Thanks to my free-spirited in-laws, we explored the road that went beyond Bethel Ridge. By the time we consulted the map and realized we were on the harder route, we’d gone much too far to turn around.

Thankfully, everyone was having a blast testing our skills and vehicles on the huge washouts and narrow roads. However, it was also approaching dusk. Time to find a campsite!

We’d seen a few among the trees so far, but none were large enough to host more than one car. Then, suddenly, a large clearing appeared. A side road led us into a beautiful meadow overlooking Mt. Ajix. It was big enough to hold a larger group than our own, so we had plenty of space to spread out. Dinner with a sunset view was so much more than we bargained for!

The next day we made it to the summit of Cleman Mountain, complete with views of Mt. Adams, Rainier, and the Goat Rocks. It was much easier traveling, but getting down Evans Canyon took a lot longer than we anticipated. When we got into town, we gassed up again in Nile, and then spent a while trying to find the unmarked forest road to begin the next leg of the journey.

Although this section began with forests and trees lining the trail, it soon turned to more desert landscape with rolling hills and ranches. Rather than camp in the dust for our last night, when we made it to the highway connecting forest roads, we decided to call it a trip and return home.

Our first overlanding experience was everything we hoped for and more! There will be more to come!