Tatoosh
Tatoosh Trail is a 9-mile trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and motorcycle. It enters Tatoosh Wilderness.
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 | 46.7115° N, 121.7158° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.6670° N, 121.6381° 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 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 9 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 161 |
| 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 year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 06/01 to 09/30 (month/day) |
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.
Wilderness
- Tatoosh WildernessFS · about 91% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
Trailhead: Tatoosh North No season published Wilderness Regulations apply. Camping and campfires are prohibited within Tatoosh Lakes Basin. Pack and Saddle stock are prohibited on the Tatoosh Lakes Trail #161B due to the steep grades and poor condition of the trail. Stock are also prohibited within Tatoosh Lakes Basin. | under 0.1 mi |
Trailhead: Tatoosh South No season published Wilderness Regulations Apply. Camping and campfires are prohibited within Tatoosh Lakes Basin. Pack and Saddle stock are prohibited on the Tatoosh Lakes Trail #161B due to the steep grades and poor condition of the trail. Stock are prohibited within Tatoosh Lakes Basin. | 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
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedPackwood Lake Piles Rx - North
8 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedHorse Piles Rx - North
10 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedLynx Pile Rx - North
14 mi from the trail midpoint · 16 acres
- WildfireGarda Falls
16 mi from the trail midpoint · 308 acres · 0% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Park units nearby
Historic places nearby
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Tatoosh Trail?
The Forest Service records 9 miles under this name in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the sum of 3 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Tatoosh Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and motorcycle are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Tatoosh Trail start?
The line begins at 46.7115° N, 121.7158° W and ends at 46.6670° N, 121.6381° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Trailhead: Tatoosh North, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Tatoosh Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Tatoosh Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Tatoosh Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Tatoosh Trail?
La Wis Wis Campground (2.4 mi), Campground: Coho Group Camp (3 mi) and Ohanapecosh Group Campground (5 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 4 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Tatoosh Trail?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 Tatoosh Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Tatoosh Trail?
Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Forest Service unit 0603. The trail is in Washington.
Is there a fire near the Tatoosh Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Packwood Lake Piles Rx - North at 8 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named Tatoosh 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.