Ride the West.
The American West is characterized by rocky mountain vistas, dense forests, and sweeping valleys. If you're a thrill-seeker, there's no better way to get a taste of what the West has to offer than on top of an ATV. From Montana's mountainous trail systems to Nevada's wide-open flats, experience the West from a new perspective. Here are a few of our favorite ATVing destinations in the region.
Off-road enthusiasts can enjoy Greater Yellowstone from the seats of their ATVs by heading to the Lionhead OHV Trails in the Custer Gallatin National Forest of extreme southwestern Montana. The trail system tracks the Continental Divide at the Montana/Idaho border, and treats riders to spectacular Rocky Mountain vistas, deep forests, Hebgen Lake panoramas, and awesome wildlife viewing opportunities. Camping is available in the National Forest, on Hebgen Lake (permits required). The Kirkwood Resort and Marina is located on the lake, directly across from the trail system. So, when you’re not riding, you can get in some boating and/or fishing.
Nobody disputes the dramatic beauty of the basin-and-range topography of the Grand Teton area. And a fantastic way to explore all that western Wyoming has to offer is to take your ATV into the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The forest has dozens of off-road-friendly roads, trails and areas that make up a network consisting of hundreds of rideable miles through and across some of the country’s most stunning scenery. Be sure to hit the 5.1-mile Seven Lakes ATV Trail in the Pinedale Ranger District. You can camp with a permit in the National Forest, but several lodging options, like the Lakeside Lodge in Pinedale, are also available in the area.
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In Idaho, ATV riders can’t do much better than the Canfield Mountain Trail System near Coeur d’Alene. The trails criss-cross a beautiful, forested mountainsides in the Coeur d’Alene National Forest and often afford panoramic vistas out across Hayden Lake. While many of the trails in the system are designated singletrack for off-highway motorcycle and bicycle use, several miles of prime trail are open to ATVs. The nearby 4th of July ATV Trailhead will connect you to several additional miles of dedicated off-road trails. Camping is available in the forest, with a permit, and the Honeysuckle Campground is situated near both the Canfield Mountain Trail System and the 4th of July ATV Trailhead. The Bennett Bay Inn on Lake Coeur d’Alene is also located close to both trail systems.
In western Nevada, along the Sierra Nevada Mountains that mark its border with California, and scattered across the rest of the state, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest offers hundreds of miles of relatively-uncrowded trails for ATV enthusiasts. The vast majority of the trails lie in the Ely Ranger District, surrounding the town of Ely, in east-central Nevada. Camping is available by permit in the national forest. The Stargazer Inn is another lodging option in the area that’s also attractive for its proximity to Great Basin National Park.
Northern California’s Humbug OHV Recreation Area is located in the Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger Districts of the Klamath National Forest. The OHV area offers 14 miles of trails, five acres of open riding terrain, and even a youth riding area—all among the pine forests and mountain vistas of Klamath. What’s more, there are nearly 700 miles of ATV-friendly roads winding through the same ranger districts in which Humbug is located. So, you are by no means limited to the 14 miles of trail in the OHV area. Limited camping is available at Humbug, but many more camping options are located throughout the forest. The Klamath Motor Lodge in Yreka, is another nearby lodging option.
An awesome ATV destination in Oregon is the East Fort Rock OHV Trail System in the Deschutes National Forest. The 318 miles of trails are spread out across 110,000 wooded acres that overlook the volcanic vistas of the Cascade Mountain Range. The terrain is hilly and forested, punctuated by open flats and distant buttes. Camping is available at any of the OHV staging areas and at several locations within the national forest, itself. A nearby alternative is the Cascade Lodge in Bend.
The Walker Valley ORV Area, north of Seattle, offers 36 miles of off-road trails in a gorgeous Washington DNR-managed, working forest. More than 26 miles of the trails are designated for ATV use. You can camp at the main trailhead or at nearby Mount Pilchuck State Park. The Tulip Inn, in Mt. Vernon, is only a few miles up the road from the Walker Valley ORV Area.
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