New Updated Directions to the Site

PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE NEW UPDATES (again!) AS OF THE EVENING OF 6/27/11.

These are updated directions from the ones posted earlier, below. They are based on phone calls from folks who have driven these paths. Please note that these directions are based on actual road signs and do NOT directly correspond with the road numbers and road names listed on Google Maps. Many roads have multiple names, for instance, Meadow Creek Road on Google is Wind River Road on the land.

Enroute to the Gathering, please remember the following:

1) Do not camp on private property.

2) Respect the Townspeople and Do not Panhandle.

3) Please shop in the small towns enroute to the Gathering.

4) Speed Limit within the National Forest is 35mph unless otherwise posted.

5) Only park on the left side of the road, coming in, all four wheels off the road.

6) Have a legal vehicle. Tickets are being given for every little thing. Remove danglies from your rearview mirror, and make sure your head and breaklights are working.

7) If you get a ticket, court is being held in Tacoma which is 120 miles north of Woodland, WA.

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FROM PORTLAND:

From Portland, Oregon, take I-5 North 30 miles (through Vancouver, WA) to Woodland, Washington. Take exit 21, and go east on Road 503. At approximately 48 miles from Woodland, down Road 503, you will come to a fork. One is 503 South and the other is a 503 "spur" to Cougar, Washington. Take the Spur to Cougar. (Looking at Google Maps Street Views... this looks like you should continue straight to Cougar, instead of turning right to Amboy). 503 is also called Lewis River Road.

You will pass through Cougar which is the last village before the Gathering.

Continue on Road 503/Lewis River Road, which will become Forest Service 90 (FS90).

About 18 miles past Cougar, just past the Pine Ridge Ranger Station, you will come to a fork where HWY 25 continues straight and FS90 turns to the right. TURN RIGHT here, staying on FS90. Keep going and then turn right on Curly Creek Road. Drive 5 Miles. (Curly Creek may become Forest Service Road 51). Turn left on Wind River Road and drive 2.5 miles. At the corner of Wind Ridge and FS30, you will see the Forest Service LEO Incident Command Center. Here you turn left onto FS 30 (also called Lone Butte) and drive 1/4 mile to Road 3211 and parking.

Here you will find the first Welcome Station.You have the option to park here and walk about 3 miles to back gate camps listed below. Another option is to drive 4 miles, turn right at junction and then another 1.9 miles to front gate (kitchen supply drop off.) At about 1.5 miles on this road you will pass another welcome station which is where you can walk in about a mile to land at INFO BOOTH.



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If coming from Portland, an alternate route is to take Hwy 84 East out of Portland for 42 miles to the BRIDGE OF THE GODS, and pay a dollar to cross the river onto HWY 14 East in Washington. Go East to Carson, and follow the directions from Carson below. This route is advised for BUSES and large vehicles as it is much less twisty than 503 from Woodland to Cougar and in. It is easier for night driving as well.
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FROM CARSON, WASHINGTON
If you're coming from points east - Take I-84 to Hood River Oregon. Go north on the Hood River Bridge (Hwy 20) to Hwy 14 in the state of Washington. Go west on Hwy 14 to the town of Carson, Washington. Going out of Carson, turn left onto Wind River Road (signs will say

"Carson" and "Carson Hot Springs", but road is not well marked at junction which is a few miles East of Stevenson.) Once on Wind River Road, go 30 miles north. Just 1/10th of a mile past Mile Marker 30, make a left onto the road Lone Butte Snow Park. Here is the first welcome station. You have the option to park here and walk about 3 miles to back gate camps listed above. Another option is to drive 4 miles, turn right at junction and then another 1.9 miles to front gate (kitchen supply drop off.) At about 1.5 miles on this road you will pass another welcome station which is where you can walk in about a mile to land at the INFO BOOTH.)

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We'll gather on the land at Skookum Meadow which is at 3,200 feet about sea level. For current weather, click Weather


CRITICAL INFORMATION:
Cougar, Washington and Carson, Washington are the closest towns. PLEASE be respectful to the locals... pick up garbage and NO SPANGING please!!!! We are getting way too many reports of panhandling from the townsfolk.

TEMPERATURES, SNOW, and MAIN MEADOW CONDITIONS:

Come prepared for lots of MOSQUITOES! Long sleeves and repellent are good things to bring.

Come prepared for cold wet weather... you are coming to the Great Northwest and this summer there is still snow in the shady areas, and alongside roads and paths. It was 46 degrees at noon on the 24th of June in Main Meadow and it gets down into the 30s at nighttime. Another reports said it can get down to the 40s, though. So, the lows are fluctuating. Pack accordingly. BRING WOOL SOCKS! Main Meadow snow has melted and the meadow is currently a marsh. It is unknown if it will dry up as time goes on.

PARKING:

Parking is going to be alongside the roads this year, on the left side of the road as you enter, but currently many of the road edges are still covered in snow. It might be wise to bring a shovel if you have one to dig yourself a parking space! You will be towed if you park on the right side of the road. Local authorities are being very cooperative this year, but please make sure your vehicle is in good running condition, is legal, and that you give them no reason to get messed with!! Make sure your head and tail lights are working. Remove danglies from your rear view mirrors. GP National Forest speed limit is 35 unless otherwise noted.

FRONT GATE:

Drop off may be 1-2 miles from gate in next few days as the larger volume of
people arrive. Gear can be dropped at gate, and left while you go back and find parking.

THE HIKE IN:

The front door has a long hike in, but pretty much all on a road. One source said 3 miles, another said 4 miles. Images of the path and the meadow can be seen in this news footage. There are two back gates, but parking is limited there. The first one is for Supply. FS220 is gated (looking at the map, perhaps this is FS3220), but people can walk in from there, on a road, and then a short cut off the road into the meadow. Do not have info at this time on how to get to the back gates. This is a great site for wheeled conveyances like wagons, carts, wheelbarrows, etc.

AIRPORTS:

The closest large airport is Portland Oregon (PDX). After that Tacoma would be next and the Seattle next closest after Tacoma.

BUSES:

I don't have a lot of information about buses. What I do know is that there is a Greyhound station in Longview, WA on I-5, which is just a couple miles north of Woodland where you begin to travel east. I am told you can also take the bus to Hood River, and follow the directions from there. If you have other Bus information, please post it in the comments for this post.

LOCATIONS OF SOME KITCHENS:

Near the Back Gate is Lovin' Ovens, Montana Camp, Camp Eugene, and Kid Village.

There are three large meadows. The first is Skookum but there are not many kitchens there because of water on the ground. Then there is the Middle (Skinny) Meadow, where you will find Phat Kids, Bread of Life and Montana Mud). There is a large meadow on the other side of the Middle (Skinny) meadow and there you will find INFO BOOTH, Nick at Night, KID VILLAGE (which I hear is across the meadow from INFO) and I-Don't-Know Kitchen.

LASTLY:

Leash your dogs...and please walk lightly on the land... bring garbage bags, and hike out your garbage. At the end of the Gathering, take at least one bag of garbage when you leave, and take it at least 100 miles away before finding a dumpster for it. DRESS WARM!

You're walking into the most well-known Bigfoot habitat, Skookum Meadows!!

Have fun and we will see you there!!!

The link to the map below can be found by CLICKING HERE.

View 2011 Washington Rainbow Gathering in a larger map