Trail Rules

  • Respect other trail users – Many trails are multiple use trails
  • Make SAFETY a priority – wear a helmet, eye protection and proper clothing
  • Never drink or use drugs and ride, DUI is still against the law on off-road vehicles
  • Approved spark arrestors are required on most trails, and ALL public land trails
  • Do NOT chase or harass wildlife or livestock.
  • Travel only on OPEN trails, this is the rider’s responsibility. In the Black Hills the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is your guide to open and legal trails.
  • Pack it in, pack it out. Don’t litter and pickup any garbage you may come across.
  • Ride within the trail, do NOT widen trails. Travel over or through an obstacle or return the way you came.
  • Do NOT ride in overly wet conditions. This creates trail damage that will need to be repaired, using funds that could have been used for building new trails.
  • When encountering horseback riders pull over, shutoff your engine, remove your helmet and offer a friendly wave and hello. Horses may spook at the sound of your engine and not knowing that you are a human under that helmet.
  • When encountering hikers and bicyclists, pull over and yield the right-a-way. A wave is always nice too.
  • Machines traveling up hill have the right-a-way to a machine traveling down hill.
  • Always leave gates as you found them. If open, leave them open. If closed, make sure to close when last person passes through.
  • Educate yourself: Prior to a trip obtain travel maps and regulations for the area you plan to ride
  • Keep noise and dust down around homes, cabins and businesses.
  • Before and after a ride, wash your ATV/UTV and support vehicle to reduce the spread of invasive species such as weeds.
  • Use hand signals to indicate how many riders are in your group.
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