Location
Located Southwest of Yakima, WA Ahtanum State Forest offers many miles of evergreen forest with overlooks of Mount Adams. MedWAR will be hosted out of the Ahtanum Meadows campground and trail head.
The 75,000-plus-acre Ahtanum State Forest, located in Yakima County, is a working forest managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to provide sustainable revenue in support of public services. In addition to earning income, Ahtanum’s undeveloped working lands provide habitat for native plants and animals, water retention and quality benefits, and diverse recreation opportunities including camping, bird watching, hiking, horseback riding, off-road vehicle riding, mountain biking, snowmobiling, hunting, and sightseeing. Ahtanum State Forest also includes roads in the Green Dot Road system, which are open for vehicle and off-road-vehicle riding.
driving directions
Starting in Yakima, head south on I-82 for 2 miles to Union Gap. Go west on Ahtanum Road to Tampico. Go west on A-2000 (Middle Fork Road) for 9.5 miles. Ahtanum Meadows is located on left at 0.3 miles.
Parking
Parking at the campground for those staying the night, otherwise parking will be at Whites Ridge Trailhead.
Don’t forget your Discover Pass required to park inside the Forest! Learn more about it at DiscoverPass.wa.gov
We recommend that teams carpool as much as possible to minimize parking congestion.
Accommodations
Camping at Ahtanum Meadows campground is encouraged and included in the race fees. Camping in Ahtanum Meadows campground recommended October 20th and 21st. Sites will be reserved for those who wish to camp.
Ahtanum Campground and is one of the most readily accessed camping areas in the Ahtanum State Forest. It is located on the North Fork of Ahtanum Creek near the paved county road. Campsites can accommodate up to a 32-foot RV, though size may vary by site.
Dogs are allowed in camp, but must be on leash.
Campfires allowed but no potable water at this location.
More information about camping at https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Ahtanum.