colville national forest road conditions

[tself9]

hello,
hoping to spend some time getting to know colville national forest in a couple of weeks.  any insight into how the roads are there? will my subaru forester have enough clearance (8.7 inches) for those roads? (i know, i know, not a great hunting rig, but great in the snow and killer turn radius). is it white-knuckle driving? just don't want to get in over my head and then be in a place where turning around is sketchy. 
thanks all.

[10thmountainarcher]

All depends on where you are. I would think you should be just fine on most the roads.

[buckfvr]

Lots of roads you can travel, and some you cant.  My biggest cringe factor with suvs is the tires most often 4 ply passenger tires with vulnerable sidewalls.  Id worry more about the tires than getting turned around.

It may be great in snow on paved roads but those tires arent worth a pinch of shtuff ( once it snows ) on mountain roads.   

[tself9]

Lots of roads you can travel, and some you cant.  My biggest cringe factor with suvs is the tires most often 4 ply passenger tires with vulnerable sidewalls.  Id worry more about the tires than getting turned around.

It may be great in snow on paved roads but those tires arent worth a pinch of shtuff ( once it snows ) on mountain roads.   

Great point.  The Forester killed it in the Nile GMU 352 a couple of years ago, and we went pretty deep...all gravel going up and snow coming out...but those forest roads were in pretty solid condition.  Just not sure how Colville compares. 

[Billy74]

I think you should be fine on most of the roads.  My biggest mistakes are always heading down an offshoot and getting a mile or so and finding out the road ends IRL and on the map it looks clear with no place to turn around.   I alway keep track of wide areas and how far back the last one was.   


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[WildcatRanger]

I spent a week up there last month for archery elk with my Subaru Outback. Drove the majority on secondary roads and did just fine. I’m running the Falken Wildpeak tire which is a much more capable tire than most passenger car tires, it has a beefy tread and sidewall.

[tself9]

thanks all.  super helpful.

[typi314]

Roads looked fairly decent when I was there. I’m going to be up there most this week. What areas you looking at? I’m thinking about starting around huckleberry peak.

[boneaddict]

Watch for mud on secondary ones.  If you have a small saw, stick it in. Wind is bringing down lots of trees in burned areas.

[Limhangerslayer]

This was near Colville today, my buddy took the pic.  Road was nasty and sloppy mud