Oregon’s off-highway vehicle (OHV) owners are blessed with a rich off-road topography. Mountains in the east roll down to the central forests, which finally fade into giant dunes at the Pacific Ocean. Although the majority of OHV trails are for day-use only, there are a number of public parks with developed overnight campgrounds used as OHV staging or near trail heads. A far more limited number of parks offer dispersed camping for riders following the leave-no-trace philosophy. Here are a few tips and spots for OHV riding in Oregon.
Licenses
All off-road-vehicles riding on public lands in Oregon must be registered with the state and display a permit and vehicle decal for off-road travel. Permits are granted by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and cost just $10, as of 2010. Oregon also recognizes ORV permits from several other states. A list of these states is available at the Parks and Recreation website. Recognized out-of-state permits are valid for up to 60 consecutive days of use in Oregon, after which an Oregon permit should be acquired.
Rules
OHV riders are required to follow posted signs and cruise only where trails are designated for off-road motor vehicles. Some OHV trails are through or beside protected wilderness areas or fragile sand dunes and users must respect OHV boundaries. Drivers should also follow local noise restrictions generally limited to 99 decibels for vehicle noise in public parks. Additionally, riders should not explore private property abutting a public riding zone unless the property owner’s permission has been obtained.
Dunes
Speed demons racing across the dunes has become an iconic representation of off-road vehicle use. Hosting thousands of off-road enthusiasts every year, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is by far the state’s most popular place to ride the dunes. Many park trails are multi-use, but there are three campsites just for OHV riders. Honeyman State Park near Florence offers winter time riding at the second largest campground in the state. OHVers can pop a tent overnight and then jump dunes across a two-mile strip of sand leading from the campsites to the sea.
Mountains
Hundreds of miles of OHV trails have been developed in and around the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, providing natural spectacles and hair-rising rides. Umatilla National Forest alone contains more than 220 miles of dedicated OHV trails with many campgrounds spread throughout the protected wilderness. The Winom-Frazier Off-Highway Complex allows camping at the central staging area, but it is remote and primitive in the back country. Trails are shared with some hardy hikers, but the 2,300-foot elevation difference between low and high points makes it a rugged climb. Summer riders will also find high-elevation trails in Morrow County Park’s OHV Trails. In the winter 100 miles of dedicated OHV use is designated to snowmobiling.
Forest & Country
Spinning mud in the woods is that other iconic picture of the off-road vehicle at work and Oregon’s wealth of wilderness offers riders ample opportunities to get dirty. Tillamook State Forest is open to riding May through October. From beginner to expert the trails leave from the developed campsites to explore four scenic routes and 100 miles of trail. The McGrew 4WD Trail within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is open to all classes of ATVs and is a truly rugged ride. For the most rustic riders, Shotgun Creek OHV Area near Springfield has a dedicated 24-mile system of trails with dispersed camping allowed.
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