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I live out in Bonney Lake. Is there a place near me? Sorry for the newb post but trying to find an outdoor place to shoot ‍
Bonney Lake is closer to Greenwater Shooting pit than Capitol state forest Triangle pit. See attached image, hopefully this helps.

2020_06_11_18_55_44_Bonney_Lake_Google_Maps.png
 
Yes, up towards Evans Creek ORV. Take Hwy 165 from Buckley and heads towards Carbonado. You'll cross the Fairfax bridge and not too far after that is a fork, go right. Up about 5mi theres places you can stop and setup. Not sure if this link will work...

Mowich Section Rd
Carbonado, WA 98323
46.981350, -122.018127
 
Well that sicks if it's closed. it was open about a month ago.

But it does reinforce my belief that agsinst federal rules this blue state is attempting to close all shooting in National Forrests. The closed all of the Snoqualamie district and now the Mt Baker district.

I guess I'll have to drive up there and see for myself. It's getting harder to find outdoor shooting places.

Did you ever find out if it was closed or not?
 
There are some fairly militant Forest Rangers working that entire area. The reasons are mainly because people keep dumping stolen cars, dumping trash, and setting up the occasional meth lab. If you run into a dead end on some side spur road and see abandoned propane tanks, plastic hoses, stuff like that...turn around and get the heck out of there. If you actually run into a meth lab working their illegal magic, do an immediate U-turn and well...same thing.

I don't have to tell you these guys are dangerous, but what makes them even more dangerous is that they might just start shooting at you without a bit of warning. People convicted of manufacturing meth often get more time in prison than for killing somebody second-degree. The meth guys know this, too. You might not even get a CHANCE to reach for your weapon.

My experience in those foothills on the north side of Rainier is extensive. I don't even need a map anymore and I've been going up there since 1972. Be safe. Be prepared.

As for me, I don't go up there anymore. I drive to Shelton and then head north and turn off on one of the Forest Service access roads. (Skokomish, Eagle Creek to Jefferson Lake area, Hamma Hamma, or Duckabush. You meet a better class of people up there and rangers are nicer. Trust me on this.

camping6.jpg camping1.jpg camping3.jpg
 
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September 2020: Went camping in the Olympics and there are many shooting areas possible up there. Take Highway 101 north just out of Olympia, and right after you pass Shelton heading north, you will find several Forest Service accesses on the west side of the highway. The FIRST one is the Skokomish Recreation Area. The road is paved for the first ten miles along the Skokomish Valley Road, and then the road splits into a Y and enters the National Forest and turns into Forest Road 23, a main access that is also paved for the first few miles.

You can actually follow this road all the way to Wynoochee Lake if you wish, but the shooting spots are along any of the many Forest Service roads you will encounter along the way. Most of them will be on your LEFT.

Your best bet is to use Google Maps and just take a look at the whole area. Your MAIN entry at this location will be along FS 23. Starts out as the Skokomish Valley Road, and then enters Olympic National Forest and becomes FS 23.

Pictures below show a general look. Also take a look at these areas in Satellite mode on your computer using Google Maps, to check the general terrain.

It is basically the same situation as you head north on Highway 101. You will come to the Eagle Creek entry, the Hamma Hamma road up toward Jefferson Lake, and even farther north, the long Forest Service road that dead ends at one of the most beautiful spots in the Olympics that you can actually drive to...Trap Pass. You can Google Map 'Trap Pass Olympics' to find that one. I will post a couple of pictures of that particular spot at the end of this post.

Skokomish1.jpg

Skokomish2.jpg

Below: View from Trap Pass, which is further north up the Duckabush River valley.
EveningViewSite.jpg

Below: End of the road at Trap Pass. Great for camping and shooting, but NOT after October 30 because of possible snow.

EndoftheRoad.jpg

Below: On the way to Trap Pass, you pass through this area near the Duckabush River.

DuckabushFog1.jpg

As far as cell service in the Olympics, especially up the Skokomish River area, is solid...as long as you are above 1,000 feet altitude. Basically, if you go UP, sooner or later you will start getting bars on your phone.
 
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The Greenwater pit is way too popular and LEO's knows this. A lot of shady people go up there and I have heard rumors from people with ties to LEO's that they have trail cams set up to check out the activity up here. I like to go where nobody else goes. Do my shooting and get the hell out ASAP.


This. When I used to go there decades ago there was not much activity. A few years later there were cops and people everywhere. Too crowded and nobody likes popo hanging around.

I've actually considered buying 5-10 acres somewhere in Roy, Yelm or Baring area to do the things. Also would turn it into a BOL.
 
This. When I used to go there decades ago there was not much activity. A few years later there were cops and people everywhere. Too crowded and nobody likes popo hanging around.

I've actually considered buying 5-10 acres somewhere in Roy, Yelm or Baring area to do the things. Also would turn it into a BOL.
You might be better off doing property in some area where development is not likely for years. I had a friend who bought way out there past the South Hill of Puyallup, too. Housing development built up around him and the party was over.

If you live in North King right now, might want to check the areas near Liberty, WA and see how far out there you can buy. You'll be good for many years. And it's cheaper.
 
Is this place open? I want to test out my automatic clay pigeon thrower. Too heavy to carry it through the parking spot to the range at Triangle pit.
 
Is this place open? I want to test out my automatic clay pigeon thrower. Too heavy to carry it through the parking spot to the range at Triangle pit.
I couldn't say. I quit going up there. Too many cops and LEO Forest Rangers with attitude, too many stolen cars being dumped in the area, too many kids going up those roads IN (sometimes) stolen cars to shoot their stolen guns, and too many meth-makers. If you go up there, watch yourself. I switched to the Olympics, on the Hood Canal side. Friendly rangers, (and less of them) much better class of people generally hang up there. Way more places to go, and the scenery is better anyway. Here's a couple of pictures from Trap Pass, which is at the end of the Duckabush River Road. For exact location, just Google Map 'Trap Pass Olympics' When you reach the pass, follow the road one more mile until it stops.

DuckabushFog1.jpg

EndoftheRoad.jpg

EveningViewSite.jpg
 
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