Lava Canyon
Lava Canyon Trail is a 1.4-mile trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3 to 5, developed to fully developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 46.1657° N, 122.0883° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.1793° N, 122.0751° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 1.4 miles, of which 0.7 miles evaluated accessible |
| Trail class | 3, developed; 5, fully developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | asphalt, native material (paved) |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 36-48 inches |
| Minimum width | 36 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | At least one segment meets Forest Service accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 184 |
| Forest | Gifford Pinchot National Forest (unit 0603) |
| States | Washington |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 06/01 to 09/30 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 05/10 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
Trailhead: Ape Canyon No season published | 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedCrazy Piles Rx - South
13 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedMoe Pile Rx - North
18 mi from the trail midpoint · 32 acres
- PrescribedSpud Piles Rx - North
20 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedOpal Piles Rx -South
21 mi from the trail midpoint · 73 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Lava Canyon Trail?
The Forest Service records 1.4 miles under this name in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the sum of 2 segments. The Forest Service evaluates 0.7 miles of that as accessible.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Lava Canyon Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Lava Canyon Trail start?
The line begins at 46.1657° N, 122.0883° W and ends at 46.1793° N, 122.0751° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Trailhead: Ape Canyon, 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Lava Canyon Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Lava Canyon Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the Lava Canyon Trail?
Trail class 3 to 5, which the Forest Service describes as developed to fully developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Lava Canyon Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 36-48 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Lava Canyon Trail accessible?
The Forest Service has evaluated 0.7 miles of this trail as meeting its accessibility guidelines. The surface is asphalt and native material.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Lava Canyon Trail?
Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Forest Service unit 0603. The trail is in Washington.
Is there a fire near the Lava Canyon Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Crazy Piles Rx - South at 13 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Lava Canyon in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0603. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.