How To Find Local Riding Spots

Cassandra

• December 14 2008
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If we had a dollar for every time someone asked us “Where can I ride my quad?” we’d be rich. The problem with compiling a complete list of riding areas across the country is that riding areas are changing all the time, a number of them are privately owned, and a lot of riding areas are only known by the locals of the area. So you’ve got a quad and nowhere to ride it? Well, we turned to our friend Steve Casper at the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Counsel (known as the NOHVCC) for some tips to find riding areas wherever you live.

DEALERS MAY HAVE INFO
The best place to start on your quest for trails to ride is at your local dealerships. Usually the folks who work there have info on the most popular local ride areas. Often times dealerships have bulletin boards and posters that tout upcoming local riding events and riding parks. Some parts of the country also have off-road newspapers that cover and list all the goings-on in the area.

CLUB MEMBERS ARE USUALLY IN THE KNOW
The dealerships are a quick and easy place to begin your ride area search, but the folks who really know about local ride areas are people who are members of dirt bike or ATV clubs. These highly motivated enthusiasts treat riding as a religion, and their best trails as shrines. Maybe they’ll let you in on their cherished secrets, and maybe they won’t. Many club members are a bit gun-shy about showing strangers their best ride areas. What if you were to go in and trash-up the site, or break all the trail rules? The next thing you know the trails are being shut down. The best way to get in on the good side of an OHV club is of course to join them! Other than finding out about all the great ride areas, there are dozens of other good reasons to become involved in a club. Club newsletters with regular features and lists of ride areas and events is one of the reasons, and in some cases the clubs even have their own privately-owned riding parks

WEB SITES
So how can you find out about your local club? Contact the NOHVCC. They have a huge, comprehensive list of off-highway riding clubs throughout the nation and are more than happy to put you in contact with them. (800-348-6487, trailhead@nohvcc.org, or check out their web site at nohvcc.org).
Another great source for riding information can be your state OHV association (most states now have them). You can find the contact info for the various state associations at the NOHVCC website listed above

LAND MANAGERS
Federal and state government agencies that manage trail systems can also fill you in on what they have to offer. In many cases, they’ll have a brochure describing the locations of all their trails and the rules and regulations associated with them, and to get the brochure it’s usually as easy as just giving them a call. Look in the phone book Government pages under Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Forests, State Forests, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Tourism, Chamber of Commerce, or State Fish & Game or Fish & Wildlife. Not all of these agencies exist in all states, nor do they all necessarily have anything to do with managing off-highway trails, but if they do, they’re the ones with all the maps and brochures and it’s their job to give you the info.
Nearly all of the above agencies also have their own websites, many with an OHV recreation page packed with good info.