What is an OHV trail, and can you drive or camp from it?
An OHV / ATV trail is a route the land manager has designated for off-highway vehicles only — quads, dirt bikes, side-by-sides. A full-size truck or van generally may not legally use it, and it is not a road you plan a dispersed-camping drive-in along. That is a use-type designation, not a measure of whether you can get a vehicle in.
See the live map →An OHV / ATV trail carries a use-type designation: the agency has classed it for off-highway vehicles — quads, dirt bikes, side-by-sides — not for full-size vehicles. We draw it in magenta, in the trail family, so it never reads as a drivable road; a designated motorized road (a Forest Service MVUM route or BLM GTLF route) is the blue, drivable family you'd plan a dispersed-camping drive-in along. The split that matters for camping is "can I get my vehicle in?", and an OHV trail answers no for a truck or van. The motorized designations (MVUM, EDW) are legal classifications; an existence-only line is not, and neither one is a camping permit. Check the forest's travel-management plan and what your vehicle is allowed before you go.
Common questions
- Can I drive my truck or van on an OHV / ATV trail?
- Generally no. An OHV / ATV trail is designated for off-highway vehicles only — quads, dirt bikes, side-by-sides. A full-size truck or van is usually not legally allowed. That is a use-type designation, not a road built for your vehicle.
- Can I camp from an OHV trail?
- It's not a drive-in route for dispersed camping. Dispersed camping is generally tied to a road open to your vehicle, and an OHV trail isn't one. Look instead for a designated motorized road — an MVUM or BLM GTLF route — drawn in the drivable family.
- How is an OHV trail different from a designated motorized road?
- An OHV / ATV trail is classed for off-highway vehicles only; a designated motorized road (MVUM or GTLF) is a route a full-size vehicle may legally use. We draw them in different families — magenta trail vs. blue drivable — for exactly that reason. Neither is a camping permit.
Sources — verify before you camp
This page aggregates public data; the linked official pages are authoritative — verify before you camp. The color on our map is the disclaimer, never a permit.