[nonhog]

Best place to get detailed FS road maps? Most maps are very vague. Seems vandals don't allow sign posts? Specifically looking at South Pierce area

[Ski]

Is Metsker still in business? REI carries some maps. Used to be able to get road maps from Weyerhauser - the "Vail Tree Farm" map is probably the one you're after - covers the area south and east of Yelm/Rainier/Bucoda/McKenna. Most of that real estate up there is (was) private land. Not really a lot of USFS land in Pierce County. Yeah - signs will be all shot to hell. Vandalism and trash dumping is why Weyerhauser gated and locked the 1000-line that dropped down off the Mountain Highway (WA-7) and connected to Yelm via the east end of Bald Hill Road/Peissner Road. I'm sure I have an old "Vail Tree Farm" map here in a box somewhere. Might well be worthless at this point, though - it would be at least 20-25 years old now.

[nonhog]

Metsker not since 2007. I usually am off 410 past Greenwater, or The Carbon River area. This weekend I was up in Wilkeson hills. I'll swing by REI. Thanks!

[DIYSteve]

You're talking about road access only, i.e., using more detailed maps for hiking? If so: The USFS-issued maps suck and infrequently updated. WA Gazetteer is a step up re road access, although you should always check re road openings.

[Chico]

Ranger district maps are pretty good. Might have them at your local ranger district office but they are also on line. Go to https://www.nationalforestmapstore.com

[Chico]

[Ski]

If you hit a dead end, get ahold of me via P/M - I'm sure I've got something in a box in the other room for that area. The caveat, of course, is that they're old maps and may or may not be of any use.

[nonhog]

I love maps and enjoy studying them. The map I recently got from The Carbon River Ranger station just left me confused. My Gazetteer often leaves out FS roads. So I can never get enough, for each purpose is fine. Ultimately my current goal is getting to the more obscure trail heads. Scratching up my van is just fine getting there. Just don't want to spend the day driving. "oop geez! wasn't that road" Thanks for the input!

[treeswarper]

Note that some forests leave existing roads off their public maps because they do not want to encourage people to use them. The Siuslaw Forest in Oregon is one of those. It isn't just vandalism. The road maintenance people destroy the carbon markers with their brush cutter. It is too much trouble to get off and look for the sign and mark it.