Off road

[hagge]

Hi!

 

 

It seems like you have endless possibilities to go off road in parks and on trails in the US.

If i understand correctly you can even go on trails into some of your national parks????

How does that work, do you need a special permit for that?

Or could I as a tourist rent a truck and just go ahead?

 

 

Here in sweden we are very limited as where we can drive off road.

There are clubs, that have spcial permits to use small off road areas, and arranges driving a few times a year.

You can go by foot and camp where ever you want, even on private properties, but its strictly forbidden to drive off road.

 

 

 

 

/H

[devonianwalk]

Locally, I have a lot of options to drive off road when it comes to short trails and mudbogs. When it comes to rock crawling, my buddies and I like to camp and wheel on the closest national park (http://www.riderplanet-usa.com/atv/trails/info/north_carolina_09210/ride_10e8.htm) where we can purchase a "one day" pass to wheel. I often wheel in my backyard when I need to test a new modification to my truck or when I've had too many beers to drive away from home.

[xterra]

There are also some state parks that allow OHVs (everything from motorcycles to quads to 4x4s). Usually just an admission fee or one-day pass needed, although some are called "Land Use Permits."

 

From what I've seen, the rules are the same in most of the parks. Here's an example of the rules for the Prentice Cooper State Park, which is relatively close to me: http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/forestry/stateforest07.shtml

 

Around here, if you were to try and hike or picnic on private property, you're very likely to be shot or arrested.

[lerch641]

It's pretty much the same up in Canada. If you were to pay to enter a park, you pretty much have free reign of any trails you can fit in, tho if it's a campsite there's gonna be quiet hours and obviously no leaving debris or making your own trails.

 

But we also have plenty of open space to play and theirs always ATV trails to enjoy and romp around on.

 

So yes, if you came to North America, you could easily rent a vehicle and find some trails.

Edited September 3, 2014 by lerch641

[Precise1]

I am a bit more restricted in my area, about 50 miles north of San Francisco, due to population, private land and zoning, but a few hours travel away are several 'parks' and forests to play in and 1/2 day travel will put you in fairly remote wilderness that has countless miles of roads and tracks to explore.

 

I had a cousin visit from Germany and I took him out to a lake and rented a small speed boat. He had a blast zooming around, because in Germany you needed certain permits based on the size and horsepower of the boat; he wouldn't have been able to do anything like that at home without special licensing. Yes, you can come over, rent a vehicle and go offroading. Just make sure to get the rental companies full coverage insurance...

 

B

[k9sar]

East coast is a pain in the ass. There are a few places that cater to offroad but, for the most part, if you want to play, you have to take your chances on not getting caught (and try not to run into the bulldozer or other construction equipment). I loved living in southern NM. So much BLM (bureau of Land Management) land out there that you could do almost anything you wanted

[SkiBumBrian]

I live in the redneck part of California, lots of wheeling around here. The biggest obstacle is the gates that Sierra Pacific (big logging/lumber company) puts up on state or federal land to limit access. Its OUR land not theirs and it pisses me off. On my bike I can always find a way around them, on 4 wheels you have to be much more ingenious... Just remember to put masking tape over your license plate, they are now using game cameras to catch the violators like me.....

[hagge]

Sounds great and the links looks amazing!

I have been to florida a couple of times but i think there is so much moore to see and do in north america.

 

I live in a small village in Småland, (the region that had most emigrants to the US in the 18- hundreds), its old forest and farm country.

I have limitless access to small gravel roads in big forest areas, but the roads are to nice :-) i could just as well take the wifes Skoda Octavia.

Whenever i get the chance i also sneak out off road, but i have also got my picture taken with game cameras.

A bit embarasing when you later meet the land owner in the supermarket...

 

The closest thing to your off road trails is in Denmark where you can actually drive for many miles on the Northsea beaches.

 

Some day when i get rich i will come over and buy a 4x4 and drive from coast to coast with as much off road as possible :-)

 

 

 

 

[hagge]

I am a bit more restricted in my area, about 50 miles north of San Francisco, due to population, private land and zoning, but a few hours travel away are several 'parks' and forests to play in and 1/2 day travel will put you in fairly remote wilderness that has countless miles of roads and tracks to explore.

 

I had a cousin visit from Germany and I took him out to a lake and rented a small speed boat. He had a blast zooming around, because in Germany you needed certain permits based on the size and horsepower of the boat; he wouldn't have been able to do anything like that at home without special licensing. Yes, you can come over, rent a vehicle and go offroading. Just make sure to get the rental companies full coverage insurance...

 

B

 

We have loads of german tourists here during summer, they love the nature here and that you are allowed to fish, hike and camp where ever they want.

We also have tourists from Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, and they have one thing in common...the all love mooses..haha!

We have a small gift shop, restaruant and bar, the bestseller summertime is every thing moose related.

 

Next summer i am thinking about take tourists in my Pathfinder out on moose safaris...:-)

[deerhurst]

I am in Oregon. I can literally go across the road and wheel but all it really is is trees and sand. There are OHV parks around here. Most near me seem to be free but small and boring. I know of a dirt road or series of dirt roads that I have done around here that is at least 100 miles or more.

[RedPath88]

In Washington there are a number of places/parks that you can officially wheel in, of which most need at least a day pass. If you plan on wheeling more than a couple times a year, then it is cheaper to buy a yearly pass. Then there are a number of private land areas that you can wheel in as well, but many of them have been gated due to irresponsible people destroying land and dumping trash.

 

 

With the State/Federal lands, as time goes on places like these are starting to restrict ORV use due to environmentalist pressure... "I don't like it, so there for it must be bad for everyone and so no one should be allowed to do it" type of mentality.

[Goosevf_1]

I know a lot of places in western canada that are know as "Crown Land," that are simply sections of land that are owned solely by the country. These are not parks, they do not require land use permits or tolls. You can simply enter with any vehicle that has valid registration and spend as long as you want, doing almost whatever you want. There are at least 3 of these terrain parks within 2 hours driving from my house. Very convenient and relatively well kept by the people that use them.

[SpecialWarr]

There is a pretty fair bit off terrain to ride a bike through but it's getting more difficult to find anything interesting and legal to drive though around Montreal. As Goosevf_1 says there is "Crown Land" but around here that means a 3 hour one-way drive just to get to the dirt road and another 45 minutes to get to a smaller dirt road and then another 30 minutes to find a trail.... There goes half a tank of gas. OR you can drive around through the paths under the power lines in Laval.