Below is a statement from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation from the State of CT. Although the larger state forests are open for snowmobile usage, ATV's are not allowed:

"Currently in Connecticut there are no state lands where 3 or 4 wheeled ATVs can be legally ridden. In Pachaug state forest, there is one
designated trail for 2-wheel ATVs that is used sporadically. Please note you may use ATVs on private property as long as you have the landowners' written permission. Thank you for your inquiry."

My further inquiries (non-offensive) have gone unanswered. The ironic thing is that the DEP uses ATV's and mountain bikes in their duties (see http://dep.state.ct.us/fss/hr/career/co/parkfrst.htm). As a mountain-biker also, fewer and fewer places are available to ride. My letters to our local Representative were answered, but knew from his words that he has no intention in doing anything about the situation.

Does anyone know any landowners that are willing to allow ATV's on their property? My kids (2 girls, 7 and 10) are getting bored riding in the backyard.

Thanks for the help!

Kurt

 

I am also from CT, in the Plainville area. When I purchased my first quad a few years ago, there was a decent riding area behind my house. It was the local sandpits. People had been riding there for 30 years. My wife can remember riding 3 wheelers as a kid out there. (She is 32 now) But this place is now closed to the public.

I also contacted the DEP back a few years. I got a similar response. This is one of the reason I do not have my quads registered in CT. There is nowhere to ride on public land. If you look at the bikes, they had one place, the Thompson Damn. But that goes opens and closes all the time. A from private property, there are a ton of practice tracks for the bikes, but no one will allow quads in the area.

For trails, you may want to head to MA. I am not sure about the age and how well they will take to it, but you can register in MA and ride up there. Closest one to you would be the trails in Otis MA. Some of the trails are hard, some are easy.

If you want to make a nice trip, there is a nice place in Eagle Bridge NY. It has three practice tracks for sportier riding. It is about 2.5 hours from me. One track is for kids. It looks pretty nice and very safe. There is natural terrain course (fast) and a suprecross style track (jumps).

Other than that not much going on.

The pits that are behind my house were closed this past year. The landowner used to tell the police, that if some one complained, then to kick everyone out. None riding people would steal cars and dump them in the pits. And the local punk kids would smash them up and set them on fire. It got to be a regular thing, my son and I would ride around the pits and look for a new car. Call the cops and watch them tow it out. But for some reason, this spring a flood of bikes were showing up every weekend. There would be about 30 or 40 of them. Much too loud and landowner felt the risk was too great. So he brought the local police a quad (polaris) and now they boot anyone that shows up.

I have heard of some one getting permission, but they were related some how. I have also talked to other people that knew the landowner and they were denied permission. I have yet to go and ask, been too busy to think about riding back there and my son does not have his own quad yet.

If we get together, maybe the landowner would agree to a “club type” thing were parents could bring their kids to ride. Even the local police could have teaching sessions for new riders.Worth a shot.

Either try MA trails or keep looking for some one to take the risk on their property.

 

Thanks Mike.

Being 38, I have been in the cycling scene since I was little, but took a 8 year sebatical. When I was younger I rode an MX bike and quad at a few different area's that I do not believe are open any longer (Watertown drive-in, Bristol Sand-pits). I gave up quad riding 10 years ago since I was tired of getting tickets, even being registered (since I was registered I was getting $45 trespassing fines, while the unregistered friends I was riding with got $40 fines for riding an unregistered vehicle - makes sense!), and took up dirt bikes. Only place to ride was Thomaston Dam, and trekked up to MA (Otis, October...) several times. I then got tired of the drive, sold everything and took up cycling (road and Mtn). Years ago places to Mtn bike were numerous, now they are few and far between. Can't even ride a freak'n bicycle in many area's.

Last year I purchased an ATV for the kids (registered in MA) just to find out that the legal places to ride situation has gotten worse, even to a point of no return. I preferred the ATV over a mini-bike because I felt they are safer to ride - less chance to get hurt. The kids love it, but they're bored and want to "putt-putt" someplace different. I am still tossing-around the idea of buying one for myself (have been to several dealers and the ATV's were selling like hot-cakes - where does everyone ride?), but just cannot get over the feeling that I will be wasting my money.

With all the money we pay in taxes and revenue from the casino's I can't believe the state cannot step to the plate and address this issue instead of spending more funds on even more enforcement officials. If they did it for personal watercrafts, they can do it for ATV's. If other states have done it, why can't CT? Instead they rather turn more forests into malls and parking lots.

Sorry for the venting, but this is a "no hope" situation.

Kurt

 

the best thing to do is get all the people you know in ct. to write their lawmakers and explain your situation..if enough people get totgether and complain they have to do something..thats the place to start

 

hey guys, my name is Josh, im also from CT. and i agree 100% that are situation sucks.

i am the one that lasher referred to in his post about having permision to ride in the sand pits behind his house. the onwer is a close friend of the family, and it still took alot of begging to get the permission.

this past november, i sold my atv (trx90) im 14 now, outgrew the quad to the point where i wasnt enjoying myslef riding while riding. i plan on getting a new atv, preferably a 400ex, in april and may.

i think that us, the riders of the state, should step up and tell the lawmakers or who ever it is that wont give us public land, and we should tell them how we feel, and that wut there doing is impacting the sport in our state, i know of 9 people who quit atving because they lost all there riding areas. there are plenty of riders in the state, and i think if we write to the state, and dont give up they will give us some land.

lasher, i think that you have a good idea about talkin to the owner about making a small club and being able to ride there. i was talking to my dad one day not too long ago about opening up a track for atv's. he thought it was a great idea, and a definate money maker. but its just out of the budget. we talked about it any ways, and were thinking that all the land we would need would be the that auidi owns, (the sand pits and the surounding woods). it would take some work, but that place could be turned into one hell of a riding area. u could make a 3 mx tracks, one for kids, one for novices and one for experts, there is the room. because the sand pits are kinda split into 3 areas. and then there are the woods, which can be made into sum sweet trails if ya ask me. too bad it prolly wont ever happen, unless we could get someone wit alot of money to pay buy the land and pay for the upkeep, and just have a few of us take care of it. charge a decent price for admission and the guy puttin up the money would make a pretty nice profet. i just dont think that there is anyone who would do such a thing. but that is my dream right there.

i love the sport more than anything, and would hate to see it continue to disapear from this state.

just my 2 cents.

if any of you want to get ahold of me or know an adress and want to get some people to write to the state to try and get some land, drop me a line at j_quads00@hotmail.com (the e-mail adress in my profile is wrong, so dont send n e thing there) send it to the adress above. thanks

 

hey guys my name is mike and im also from ct i live in wallingford and whereevr there a little ridin place its crowded we sure do get alot of tickets but if there wasnt such careless rider we would be able to ride more freely
98 and 99 polaris trailbazer's

 

I did receive another response from the DEP, it is as follows:

"In response to your recent email, there are currently no DEP lands open to ATV use however, the Department is examining the feasibility of
allowing ATV access."

"The Department recognizes the responsibility to accommodate recreational uses on DEP managed lands but in a way that doesn't impact on other
users or degrade the natural resource components of the landscape."

"There are snowmobile trails in several state forests which are available only with minimum snow cover. With this stipulation there is no
physical impact on soil conditions."

"The Bureau does not have an inventory of private locations for ATV riding."

As you have read, the DEP is performing a feasability study on the use of ATV's on state property, and since they did not offer an anticipated completion date I would not expect one any time soon.

Unfortunately, ATV's have a bad reputation to the DEP and lawmakers due to previous experiences:

- Unsupervised, untrained children (no disrespect to you younger guys) have died riding. These machines are not toys and should not be treated as such. If the DEP approved any plan I would be extremely suprised if they allowed any unsupervised riders under 16.
- ATV's do erode the land, which must be maintained. This will either cost you $$$ for usage fees or weekends of labor.
- Noise complaints. I live in the country and enjoy the peace and quiet. I know I wouldn't like a bunch of screaming ATV's in the woods behind the house.
- Shared trails. If they did open up any land, ATV/dirt bike trails cannot be shared for other uses - bridal, mountain bikes, hiking....These powered machines are way too fast and powerful to share trails for other uses.

If the DEP decides to move forward, they have to open up several area's to prevent problems from overcrowding. I remember a few years back when I used to ride a dirt bike at Thomastom Dam, so many riders would show up on a Sunday morning that it was an invitation for accidents due to overcrowding.

How much freedom would you be willing to give up for a riding area?
- Volunteer your time for trail maintenance?
- Access fee's?
- Speed limitations?
- Noise limitations?
- Take a required training/safety course? (not just watching a video...)

I agree with the other posters that you must contact your representatives to have your voice heard. In your letter don't only describe the problem, but recommend a solution and state what you want them to do for you.

Kurt