It's interesting that you brought up the financial aspect of state regulation of ATVs. In fact, if this new legislation passes in Idaho, the state will actually lose revenue because they will eliminate the fee we have to pay to title and tag our vehicles for on-highway use. We will only have to register and pay for an OHV sticker (which we have to do now, anyways).

 

Nuke, As of January 1, 2007, UTVs will be required to purchase an annual $10 OHV sticker. My background is primarily OHV areas in southwest Idaho.

Owyhee County there are 4,000 miles of OHV trail, of which 2,000 miles are single track trails (dirt bike). Within the Owyhee County area there are three developed trailheads with restrooms, unloading ramps, & marked routes. However trailheads are not required to unload and ride. I notice at the trailheads there are OHV entrance cattleguards to much of trails. Trails were originally designed for ATVs & dirt bike access. Then came UTVs, I think they may fit thru, but I am not sure. Call the BLM Office in Marsing at (208) 896-5912 or Email Ryan Homan at: ryan_homan@blm.gov on width of the cattleguards. The propose Owyhee Initative (wilderness areas) mandates all existing ATV & OHV trails will remain open.

Ada County has OHV areas for in BOPNCA & Boise Front. BOPNCA is existing routes. Boise Front has one OHV trailhead with designated trail system for OHVs, horses, mountain bikes, & foot use.

Elmore County has the Blacks Creek / Danskin OHV riding areas. Trails are designated for dirt bikes and ATVs/UTVs.

Gem County has one developed OHV open area called Little Gem.

Payette County has a free ATV motocross park called Clay Peak, web site: http://claypeakmx.com/

Washington County has a very small sand dune and OHV area.
FYI. In eastern Idaho, St. Anthony Dunes has OHV area. One of the nicest dune system in the west, bigger than Dumont & Sand Mountain. Check out : www.duneratt.com

Boise County has a several small rural communities that are in the pines, ATV friendly and with a network of dirt roads. If you just like cruising around on your UTV, consider Idaho City, Centerville, and Placerville communities.

I think I'm wondering on your question and this forum. I'd better stop.

 

99ajax, you are correct Idaho loses highway funds. In addition, Idaho OHV program gets a percentage of the gas tax as well as all the OHV sticker program that goes directly back out into field, not to enforcement salaries. Six OHV commissioners manage the the funds for OHV projects throughout Idaho.

 

To me its a bad and sickening feeling after I spent $6000 of my hard earned money for an ATV that im not permitted to ride it. Maybe the rest of you guys money flows like water to you and spending that much is nothing. Its funny how every year ATV sales have increased and at the same time the areas to ride have decreased. The state I live in has provided me areas to ride and im thankfull for it, but I know in a matter of time one bad ATV Owner will abuse these trails, and or complain these trails are not competative enough and in time the state will shut them down. Instead of complainning about state sponcered atv trails be glad there is any trail to ride. Its impossible to fight for more areas to ride cause the majority of the people DO NOT OWN ATV's and they HATE you, just be glad for what you have now, keep it quiet, ride the areas without abusing the land. When you guys complain you shake up a hornets nest, you draw attention to yourself and more and more of you riding freedoms are taken away. All I ask for in a nice way is "SHUT UP" !

 

LW, thanks for the in-depth information! We are considering somewhere within an hour's drive of Rexburg to be close to the granchildren. Not a dunes person, but love to travel old mountain/logging roads. At age 65 a "putter", wildife observer, and photographer.

Interesting you should mention the BLM gate width. My dealer mentioned this was one of the primary reasons holding up release of a Honda UTV. Haven't seen any such gates in my area yet, but I'm sure they are out there. No doubt the BLM will forge ahead and build the gates by the "specs" oblivious to the surge of UTV machines on the trails. The Rhino might squeeze through, but a Ranger will be out of luck as it is approaching the size of a Jeep. Besides, the BLM doesn't particularily like us on "their" land.

MotoF150, all I can say is you are invited to relocate to the sparsley populated West. We DO enjoy our freedoms out here. I notice you own an F150 truck, so you would fit right in! No self-respecting mountain states resident would be without a truck. Smile! Don't go TOO far west and end up with the prune-pickers in California (I can say this, as I R one by birth!) as that state is regulated to death. I agree, a few bad apples will spoil it for the rest. Mentioned previously on this thread, we have the bunch that refuse to behave and respect the countryside or others. We have another advantage. There are so darned many OHV owners here, so the legislators listen.

 

MotoF150, I empathize with your situation in PA. I would be frustrated too, after spending $6,000 + with reducing areas to ride. I think in rural western states ATV use for ranching, farming, hunting, and general recreation is high. Where I live, at least every other household has ATVs. Though, I have met several people that buy a home to get better ATV access, then to see subdivisions or county planning and zoning block their primary access. Access is an extremely important. Without you don't have any activity. Definitely it only takes a few bad apples to ruin it for thousands.

Nuke, 99ajax has a better insight on how the land agencies manage the OHV use in eastern Idaho. I do know as you do that it is primarily USFS territory, i.e. forest & logging roads. Slightly different management style & regulations verses BLM. I definitely think it's worth doing research, always being aware that change will occur.

 

Nuke, If you're going to be in the Rexburg area, you are looking at hundreds of miles of NFS roads to ride on. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest covers a good portion of this corner of the state. There are actually several ranger districts within the Forest and they all put out really good travel maps that designate exactly who can travel where. There are trails for hikers, mtn bikes and horses only (no motorized vehicles), trails for ATV/dirt bike use, and roads for high clearance vehicles >50". It's actually a great place for UTV's and Jeeps. I ride a lot in the Palisades and Teton districts, but Island Park and Dubois Districts to the north and Montpelier and Soda Springs districts to the south also have a lot of area I have yet to explore. Our biggest restriction to trails is the weather/seasons. The NFS switches their trails to "winter use" from Thanksgiving until whenever the trails are dry in the spring. ATVs are not allowed on the trails during this time....they are for snowmobile use only, and even closed to all traffic during the spring melt to cut down on ruts and erosion. We all get very anxious around here come spring!!

In addition to NFS land, there is a big chunk of BLM land in the Craters of the Moon area to the west of Rexburg. I haven't ridden over there, but I have the maps and it looks like there's plenty of UTV/ATV roads. They don't get as much snow over there, so the riding season is longer.

 

I wasn't able to speak with our County sheriff today (he's a little preoccupied with trying to get re-elected tomorrow), but I did get the following reply from the ISP today......

"Idaho law allows local jurisdictions (cities and counties) to designate specific roads where ATVs may be legally operated. In order for any motor vehicle, including ATVs, to be legally operated on any other (non-designated) paved road, all equipment requirements of Idaho code must be met. These requirements may be found in Title 49, Chapter 9 of Idaho Statutes. (http://www3.state.id.us/idstat/TOC/49009KTOC.html ) If your ATV meets all of these requirements, it would be legal under the present law to operate on a paved road.

There is, in fact, a committee working with the legislature and the Idaho Transportation Department?s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to clarify the laws relating to motor vehicles operated on highways. This has become necessary because of the proliferation of non-conventional vehicles. Many of these non-conventional vehicles, which were never intended to be operated on the road, are being operated on our highways. The standard being considered is the requirement that vehicles must meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) in order to be registered. The FMVSS standards include the tire requirement you mention, as well as many others. I am not aware of a single ATV manufacturer claiming that their ATVs are intended for on-road use. I own and operate an ATV myself, and when I purchased it, it had large warning stickers proclaiming that the ATV should never be operated on paved roads. The owner?s manual has similar warnings against operating on pavement. Also, my insurance policy does not cover paved-road use.

As for ISP?s stance on enforcement, if an officer observed a violation of the law, it would be up to that officer as to the type of enforcement action taken. Our officers have full discretion to issue warnings or citations for any observed violation. I hope I have been able to answer your questions. If you need any further information, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Major Steve Jones
Patrol Operations
Idaho State Police
(208) 884-7204

.....He considers us street legal as long as we meet Idaho Statutes and nowhere in the Idaho statutes does it say we need to have DOT tires. The CFR49 motor vehicle safety standards are what they are trying to add to the state statutes with this new legislation. Of course, he does mention that it is up to the individual officer's discretion as to whether or not there is a violation, and I guess if any given officer decides to exercise his/her jurisdictional right to enforce federal law, then I guess you might get a ticket for not having DOT tires. This has never been a problem in our rural county, so needless to say, I and many others will be attending the Idaho Falls meeting next week and strongly opposing the proposed legislation.

 

Excellent research! I am glad you jump on this forum. I had the DOT tire requirements wrong! FMVSS are not normally enforced on ATVs by ISP. It would be abnormal, if an ISP officer did enforce FMVSS on ATVs at this time. Thank you 99ajax!

Just some resources / ideas.

First get a copy of the draft / propose legislature in advanced from Steve Frost with IDPR, Recreation Resource Bureau Chief at (208) 334-4180, ext. 229 or Email: sfrost@idpr.state.id.us (FYI. Steve also enjoys OHVs, he is a dirt biker)

As planned, talk (speak from your heart*) at the IDPR meeting in Idaho Falls.

After the election and ask the sheriff, county commissioners, and highway district to authorized your area as designated for continued ATV use, if this bill goes through. Use your neighbors to say the same thing and encourage them to do the same with sheriff, commissioners, & highway district, especially encourage the deputy down the street.

Contact Blue Ribbon Coalition, 4555 Burley Drive, Suite A, Pocatello, ID 83202-1921, Phone: (208) 237-1008, Web site: www.sharetrails.org or Email at: broffice@sharetrails.org

Contact Jean McDevitt, Chairperson of the Idaho Off Road Motor Vehicle Advisory Board in Pocatello and Doug Hancey, Idaho Off Road Motor Vehicle Advisory Board Member in Rexsburg. Steve Frost at IDPR can give you, their contact info.

Contact Ron Davis, Idaho Falls ATV Association (Eagle Rock Chapter), Email: rdavis223@msn.com

* People that speak from their heart (directly affected by change) win hearts and minds of others.

P.S. 99ajax, I corrected (edited out) the my DOT tire comments out, see previous messages.

 

You guys have it all wrong, the more attention you draw to yourself and where you can or cannot ride ur atv the better the chances you will lose ur area to ride. It only takes one atv owner troublemaker or loud mouth to ruin it for everybody. As an atv owner I support ur right to ride anywhere, but ride there quietly, don't cause trouble, never, never , never go to elected officials and complain, they will screw you everytime. Just ride and shut up!