Are you looking for twisty? Yes? Well, we have that.
Are you looking for a spot to camp alongside the road next to an alpine stream? Yes, we have that too.
Are you looking for a tight, technical road with 25-30mph corners and little in the way of traffic and enforcement? Yes, we even have that too.
Alongside the road, on the way to FR52 proper
This fine little road operates under several different names throughout its route, depending on what county you are in. At the north end up in Pierce County it’s called Osborn Road. On the east end in Lewis County, it’s called Skate Creek Road for the lovely alpine stream that it follows down into Packwood. In the middle inside the National Forest, it’s what everyone else calls it, Forest Service Road 52.
Sunny Creekside. All sorts of backwoods camping going on through here. Major fly-fishing country.
And a Forest Service Road it is. It’s not terribly well-maintained but it is paved clear through from end to end and not a lot of kibble in the corners. The centerlines on that road are rather confusing, as the road is painted with both double-yellow and a dotted yellow going down the middle, both clearly visible yet equally faded.
The curves are definitely not rythmic either, they bounce around in various speeds and radii cutting between the forested hillsides and the rapids-filled mountain creek.”
Rapids-Filled Skate Creek
If you’re looking for camping, it’s very popular for that as well. While I was riding this road in mid-June, I saw about 20 creek-side campsites over the course of 23 miles. Pretty easy to spot in the morning, as most of them had a small cloud of woodsmoke hanging across the road.
Alas, every road has its problems. If you’re a rider of serious track-tuned motorcycles, you will not enjoy this road. I’ve heard complaints of bumpy road surface from owners of serious sport machines, such that they claim they can barely stay in the saddle. Being a rider with a marked preference towards sport-touring and adventure-touring motorcycles, I have had no such problems.
- Towns: National, Ashford, Packwood
- Length: 25
- Counties: Lewis, and a small bit of Pierce
Microsoft Streets & Trips file for Gifford-Pinchot Forest Service Road 52
Overview Map of Forest Service Road 52:
Google Map:
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Aug 2011 Covered this road two up on a GL1800. Hit holes so hard that I had to check if the co-rider was still on the back.
Comment by S Atkinson — August 27, 2011 @ 9:49 AM
This road is also used by joggers, non moterized bikers and pedesterians. There are no sidewalks so the road is shared by all. The speed limit is 35 until you cross into forest service land and it becomes 45. Your statement that there is little in the way of traffic or enforcement is false. Lewis County Sheriff Deputies regularly issue tickets to speeders on the sections that are not in the national forest.
Comment by R. Emmet — November 17, 2011 @ 8:39 PM
Well R. Emmett, it’s all relative now isn’t it. I assure it’s far less busy than any similarly curvy road near Seattle or Tacoma.
What you see above an account of my experiences. And indeed, I’ve never ridden this road and seen more than 20 cars during a traversal of 52.
Comment by admin — November 17, 2011 @ 8:48 PM
Just took a ride on this route today and I have to say it is a kick in the pants on a supermoto! Definitely a bumpy road here and there, especially at a couple old washout points. I found it to be really clean today though. No LE spottings today but I once got pulled over near Big Creek campground doing 22 over. Thankfully it was my lucky day and I only got a warning.
Comment by Joe — May 12, 2012 @ 8:16 PM
But the $24,000 question, is the NF-012 road at the North end heading NE toward Longmire open/paved?
Comment by mikeames — January 6, 2013 @ 12:41 PM