Washougal MX Park

Washougal MX Park in Washougal, Washington is one of the most scenic motocross tracks in the world and a fan-favorite stop on the AMA Pro Motocross National Championship. The park opened in 1971, and has anchored the Pro Motocross schedule almost every season since 1980, the lone interruption tied to the nearby 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Set in the rolling Cascade foothills with ancient evergreens lining the track, Washougal is widely called "America's Most Scenic Raceway" and is one of only a few true natural-terrain raceways still hosting an AMA Pro National.

The natural terrain layout means every section has real elevation. The iconic Horsepower Hill climb straight up the fir-lined slope after the start gate, the Ski Jump that launches riders high into the air before dropping them back toward the spectator bowl, the Cougar Mountain descent, and the back-side off-cambers carved into the natural grade all use the property's foothills rather than fighting them. The surface looks deep and loamy with that rich brown Pacific Northwest color, but a clay base hides underneath and goes notoriously slick in the shadows of the evergreens. It packs in tight when wet, rolls beautifully when dry, and rewards throttle control and patience over pure horsepower. Consistent late-July weather means the track usually runs in conditions that favor technical riding.

The Pro National, typically late July, is one of the best race weekends on the calendar. Fans line the natural berms in a way the manicured grandstand venues cannot match, and because the Washougal River runs right past the property, riders and fans float the river on inner tubes to cool off between motos. The temperate Northwest climate is far more bearable than the mid-summer Florida or Texas Pro Nationals, and the track rides differently every lap as the ruts develop. The Washougal round has a reputation for upsets, technical track-reading challenges, and the kind of scenic backdrop that puts the venue on every American motocross postcard ever made.

The history runs as deep as the dirt. Original promoter Wally Brosamle opened the gates in 1971. After the track briefly lost its national ranking, local racer Ralph Huffman and his family took over management in the late 1980s and bought the venue outright in 1995, building it into the venue it is today. That family-run, racer-first stewardship is a big part of why Washougal still feels like a real motocross park and not a corporate event venue.

Outside the National weekend, Washougal hosts amateur racing, vintage motocross, hare scrambles, and designated practice days where amateurs can ride the exact same track as the pros. The amateur calendar pulls riders from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia, and the property handles a steady regional racing schedule on top of the marquee Pro round. Extensive on-site camping, full concessions, and real restrooms with showers mean you get basically the full Pro National infrastructure even on regular event days.

Located in southwestern Washington just east of Vancouver across the Columbia River from Portland, Washougal is easy day-trip access from Portland Oregon (35 minutes), the Vancouver Washington metro (15 minutes), Seattle (3 hours), or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. The drive in includes Columbia River Gorge views and the kind of forest scenery that frames every Washougal weekend.

For anyone searching for motocross tracks in Washington, the Pacific Northwest AMA Pro Motocross venue, or the most scenic Pro National in American motocross, Washougal MX Park is the answer. If you have watched MX on TV, Washougal is the track that looks the most like a postcard. Riding it in person somehow exceeds expectations. The trees are bigger, the elevation is realer, and the dirt is some of the best in American motocross. Bucket list, period.