Capitol Forest is a 100,000 acre State Forest managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The forest is a short drive from the state capitol, Olympia. Topographically speaking, the forest is part of the Black Hills, the northeastern-most portion of the Willapa Hills. The forest is bordered on the south and west by the Chehalis River, the east by the Deschutes valley, and the north by the Puget Sound. Capitol Forest has over a hundred miles of trails and hundreds of miles of gravel roads. Free camping is available on a first-come first-served basis at official campground sites. 

 

Capitol Forest is a working forest where logging operations are common and we work with the DNR to minimize trail impacts, where possible. The history and magic of the Forest permeate the place, if you know where to look. There's a ghost town, long-abandoned railroad beds, beautiful flora and fauna and mushrooms abound when the season is right.

 

There are two primary mountain biking trail systems in Capitol Forest: Central Capitol Forest and the North Slope. Generally, Central Capitol Forest provides an XC-oriented experience, and the North Slope hosts a shuttle-ready DH/Enduro trail system. The Central Capitol Forest trails are mostly multi-use, while the North Slope trails are mountain bike only. Both trail systems are maintained by hard-working FOCF volunteers.