If you want the single best fall-foliage drive in Lewis County, point your car at Packwood and take the road that climbs over the shoulder of Mount Rainier country toward Ashford. Forest Road 52, better known as Skate Creek Road, is a paved but wonderfully primitive backroad that winds about 23 miles alongside a clear mountain creek, through a tunnel of golden maples and fiery vine maple that peaks right now, in the first weeks of October. It is lightly traveled, full of pullouts, and dotted with camping and fishing spots, and it feels like a secret even though it is one of the county's most scenic drives. Here is how to do it right, with directions, stops, and the conditions that matter this season.
Where is this, and how do I get there?
Skate Creek Road leaves Packwood on the east side of town and climbs west through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to meet State Route 706 near the Nisqually Entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. From Packwood, head west on US 12 and watch for the signed turnoff onto Forest Road 52, then follow the creek as the road climbs. It is roughly 23 miles of pavement from the Packwood side to the Ashford/Elbe side, and because the road is low elevation for mountain country, starting around 1,000 feet at Packwood and topping out near 1,800 feet at the campground, it stays snow-free well into fall. Plan on a relaxed hour and a half or more to savor it, not a quick commute, because you will want to stop constantly.
One honest heads-up: this is a paved but low-maintenance forest road, so expect uneven surfaces, potholes, and a few rough stretches, especially after the summer's traffic. It is perfectly fine in a passenger car in dry weather, just slow and bumpy, and the slower pace is part of the charm. In winter the road is gated closed when the snow gets deep, typically reopening in mid-May, so October is right in the sweet spot before the gate comes down.
Why October is the magic month
The first half of October is the peak window for fall color on western Washington's mountain drives, and Skate Creek Road is the poster child. The low-elevation forest along the creek is lined with bigleaf maples and vine maple, and when they turn they light the whole canyon gold and amber against the dark evergreens. Sunlight filtering through the canopy onto the creek, steam rising off the water on cold mornings, fallen leaves carpeting the shoulders, it is the kind of drive that makes you pull over every quarter mile just to stand in the quiet. Because the road is lightly traveled, you often have whole stretches to yourself, which only makes the color feel more like your own discovery.
Stops worth making along the way
The fun of this drive is that it is less about a single destination and more about the stops. A few to build your day around:
- Skate Creek Sno-Park: about four miles north of Packwood, this is the winter trailhead and a good early pullout in fall, with a sense of the scale of the country before the road narrows into the canyon.
- Big Creek Campground: at about 1,800 feet, this 29-site Forest Service campground is the classic overnight on the road, with creekside sites under big trees. In October it is quiet and cool, and it makes a perfect base for a two-day leaf-peeping weekend.
- Dispersed roadside campsites: beyond the developed campground, the road passes scattered pullout sites where you can camp for free among the maples. Check current forest rules, pack out everything, and leave the site cleaner than you found it.
- Creek fishing and picnic pullouts: Skate Creek itself holds trout, and the road is dotted with spots to wet a line or spread a picnic blanket beside the water. Bring a rod and a lunch.
- High Rock and Greenwood Lake trailheads: off Forest Road 84 from FR 52, you can reach the High Rock Lookout trail (the volcano-view hike we covered earlier this fall) and the hike to Greenwood Lake. If the foliage has your legs moving, these are the reward at the end of the road.
When is the best time to visit?
Right now. The color is at or near peak through the first half of October at these elevations, and the crisp mornings and golden afternoons are ideal. Aim for a clear day, ideally after a weather front has pushed through, when the light makes the maples glow. Go on a weekday if you can for the quietest stretches, and check the Gifford Pinchot alerts page before you go, since a hard frost or the first big storm can bring snow that closes the road for the season.
Passes, fees, and practical tips
- No pass needed to drive: Skate Creek Road itself is a public forest road, so you can drive it without a permit. You may want a Northwest Forest Pass if you park at a trailhead like High Rock or Greenwood Lake for a hike.
- Drive slow and give yourself time: the pavement is rough in stretches, so take it easy, leave a generous gap between you and the car ahead, and enjoy the bumps as part of the adventure.
- Fill the tank and pack a lunch in Packwood first: there is no gas, food, or phone service along the road. Pack layers, water, and a thermos of coffee, and make a picnic of it.
- Check conditions before you commit: the road can close early if a storm rolls in. A quick call to the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District or a look at the forest alerts page saves you a wasted drive.
- Respect the wild country: elk and black bears roam this forest. Keep your distance, store food properly if you camp, and carry out everything you carry in.
Plan the day around it
Start with coffee and a pastry at Mountain Goat Coffee on Main Street in Packwood, then hit the FR 52 turnoff with a full tank and a full thermos. Take the road slow, stopping at the Sno-Park, the creek pullouts, and Big Creek Campground, and work in a hike at the High Rock or Greenwood Lake trailhead if your legs want it. On the way back, reward the day with a plate at Packwood Brewing Co. or a hearty meal at Nacho’s Mexican Restaurant back on US 12. It is a short, sweet, golden day, the kind that makes you remember exactly why you love the fall here.
The big volcano views get the attention, but the quiet drives are what locals keep to themselves. Skate Creek Road in October is a canyon of gold, a creek running clear beside the road, and a whole afternoon of color with almost nobody else on it. Come through Packwood, and bring a camera.
