Destination America And Beyond

Destinations, East, International, Midwest, West — By ATV Mag on June 26, 2006 at 12:00 pm

Several regular, everyday ATV riders join some of the industry’s brightest lights to tell us about their favorite destinations.
From the gentle, wine-soaked slopes of France to the tequila-fueled whoops of Baja, our team of experts hold nothing back. They lay it out on the line to tell you their favorite trail destination.
Of course, ask eight riders about their favorite trail and you get eight answers. That’s the beauty of the thing. After reading this you now have eight new places to go.
Jun Villegas, Manager, Discover Today’s ATV
Valley of Fire State Park- Overton, NV
My job with Discover Today’s ATV provides me an opportunity to ride in areas that very few ride and allows me to explore places that are breathtaking and awe-inspiring.
One memorable ride I have taken is less than an hour’s drive from Las Vegas. Away from the neon and the hustle of the city is a gem of a trail system that takes you back to the prehistoric era.
Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park. The trails range from easy to challenging. The easier trails are the sandy sections that take you through the park’s amazing vistas and, if you ride slowly, you may discover the hidden treasures of the petroglyphs left by the Indians about 3,000 years ago. For those adventurous riders, there are plenty of challenging trails that test your skills as you go through rock steps and hill climbs. You can ride all day and only see nature’s wonderful creations. Should you happen to stay until near sunset, the park will surprise you with it’s magical colors rivaling the best fireworks show.
The park can have temperatures in the polar extremes, so pack accordingly, bring plenty of water and make sure that you are appropriately geared by wearing a DOT-approved helmet, goggles, gloves, over-the-ankle boots, and a long sleeve shirt, which keeps you hydrated better in the hot sun than exposed skin.
Mike Penland, 11-time GNCC winner
Baja, Western Mexico
Probably the most fun place to ride is Baja, Mexico. I like to go down there for a pre-race run. There’s a little bit of everything in Mexico. We can practice for the tree run for the ’06 Baja 1000, or we can check our bike out against roots and sand and berms and anything that’s there.
What’s good about it is it’s like the Hatfield-McCoy area in that you can go one place and end up in another, you know, go from one town to another. In Baja, you can go into a town, get gas, go to the next town, get fuel, maybe stay the night, it doesn’t matter, and then you can ride your four-wheeler on the highway, because it’s legal down there.
I don’t get a chance to ride there much, maybe one or two times a year. That’s what makes it special.
Chris Vogtman, Associate Editor
Spider Lake OHV
Spider Lake OHV — located in Foot Hills State Forest near Pine River, Minn., — isn’t the most glamorous riding destination in the country, but it has plenty to offer and keeps me coming back for more. There’s a bevy of challenging terrain to fulfill your off-road needs, and there’s usually several mud bogs to test man and machine.
There isn’t the allure of endless sand, scenic mountains or cactus-filled desert, but it still tops my list as my favorite. Every summer, my friends and I take a respite from daily stresses and spend time together wheelin’ on the 29-plus miles of trails at Spider Lake OHV. The trails weave through thick-wooded forests and run near ponds and, of course, Spider Lake. Many of the trails are ATV only, but there are several that accommodate Recreational Utility Vehicles and jeeps.
For me and my friends, Spider Lake OHV is loaded with fun-filled memories. Grilling, playing cards at a nearby hunting shack, fishing and making runs into town for the routine gas fill-up and night life playing pull tabs. The Spider Lake ATV trip is a tradition we look forward to every summer.
Don Amador, Western States Representative, BlueRibbon Coalition
Letts Ridge Trail in Northern California
One of my favorite trails is the Letts Ridge Trail on Trail 32 at the Stonyford Off-Highway Vehicle Area in Northern California. Located on the Mendocino National Forest, this trail rises up about 2,000 feet in 1.5 miles from the staging area at the Fouts Springs Campground. Although there are several other trails that a rider can take to access the hundreds of miles of motorized routes at this area, the Letts Ridge Trail is my favorite way to start the day with a good workout to get the heart pumping. It takes you up from about 1,700 ft. where small pine trees and shrubs live to more than 3,000 ft. As the area’s trail network eventually ascends to 6,000 ft. at Goat Mountain, the ride goes through tall fir and cedar trees or by high elevation meadows where you often see deer and the occasional black bear.
I have many “favorite” trails, but Trail 32 is my favorite way to start the day. If you are looking for a place to take the family for an OHV adventure with high quality camping facilities and trail opportunities, I can’t think of a better area.
The best time of year to ride at Stonyford is the fall and spring. However, there are some campsites at higher elevations where you can camp and ride in cooler conditions during the summer.
Tim Srite, General Manager,
Big 5 Sporting Goods in North Bend, Ore.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
The riding area is a 40-mile section along the Oregon coast. About half the area has been set aside for OHVs. There is a smaller riding area from the Horsefall camp to Houser that is open dunes with a perimeter of dune trails. But the larger riding area is a real mix. You can ride for a week in there and never go over the same dune twice. Most dunes are about 200 feet.
To give you an idea of how big this area is, if you ride the outside perimeter and go around the entire large riding area, you can expect the trip to take 90 minutes. (That’s really stretching the gas.) If you have a good sense of direction, you’ll be fine, but if you don’t, stay in familiar areas and open up your loops gradually. With an experienced escort, you won’t want to leave. There are many forested areas with dune trails going through them. There are several dune-locked lakes with tree patches alongside them. There are a couple of wide dune roads leading toward the beach.
Chaz Rice, Contributing Editor
Chimonix to Megève via the French Alps
It is a beautiful ride through the picturesque villages and trails in a section of the French Alps that has been inspiring people for centuries.
There is much variety to the trails as some are on dirt, gravel and pavement. In France, it is legal to ride an ATV on the street. The vistas that await anyone who is lucky to make the trip will make memories one can carry for life. From the eateries in the mountain villages or on the lush, green ski slopes, to the friendliness of the French (don’t believe the stereotypes), this is a trail ride not to be missed or forgotten. While it may not be in everyone’s means to travel to the Alps and ride an ATV, it can be done. There are ATV rental places in some of the mountain towns and riding on the street is always an adventure. My advice is to hire a guide for the day and ride a simple route connecting two cities — like the Chamonix to Megève.
Steve Casper, Communications Director, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
Rubicon Trail, Lake Tahoe, California
This trail has a rocky, boulder-strewn technical trail with many uphills and downhills and several deep water crossings. Two-wheel drive sport quads would not have a good time here.
There is spectacular mountain scenery with many crystal clear blue lakes and running streams. There are places for OHVers to camp out right along the streams and lakes. The trail is very popular with jeeps and 4WD trucks and cars and it’s fun to meet them on the trail and watch them through the tough stuff you don’t see too many dirt bikes! However, he giant boulder sections can be quite intimidating, even for veteran 4×4 quad riders. And, of course, you get to enjoy the great northern California weather that makes the trails navigable just about year-round.

Jerrod Kelley, Editor, ATV Sport
Brushy Mountain Motor Sports Park near Taylorsville, North Carolina
Brushy Mountain Motor Sports Park sits on 1,700 acres and has more than 50 miles of trails. Surrounded by North Carolina’s rolling Brushy Mountains, the trails vary from intermediate to expert. Some of the trails go to 2,500 feet. Most of the trails are wide enough for a Recreational Utility Vehicle, but some of the tighter, tree-laden trails get narrow and extremely challenging.
The trails will cater to those looking for a scenic ride or a challenging 4×4 journey. We rode at this privately owned off-road park with Polaris when it introduced its 2005 ATV lineup. From the day we left, I’ve yearned to go back and ride there. We had fun on both utility and sport quads. The scenery is superb, with views of the surrounding Brushy Mountains and especially in the fall when the leaves turn. Utility riders need to know that the maximum allowed tire-tread depth is 3/4 of an inch.
The park is family friendly, has vending, showers and camping. An annual adult membership is $250. A family pass for the year is $400. Kids 10 years old and younger can ride for free when the parents pay to ride. A day pass only costs $20 ($30 for two consecutive days). BMMS Park is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday through Sunday in the spring and summer and closes one hour earlier in the fall and winter.