ATVs, UTVs & Motorbikes

The Idaho Motorized Trails Program

The Motorized Trails Program was created in 1970 to ensure quality motorized recreational opportunities remain available by providing for maintenance, education, and enforcement partnerships.

The Motorized Trails Program mission is to provide leadership statewide in the area of OHV recreation; to work with land managers to provide maintenance on designated trails, develop new opportunities, provide safety and education classes, and provide comment on all motorized travel planning within Idaho through the use of designated funding.

**Note: If you are looking for information on multiple recreational vehicles, please refresh the page before using the My Summer Vehicle app again.

The Motorized Trails Program’s summer activities consist of the following:

• Working with land managers to provide maintenance on designated OHV trails through the Trail Ranger and Trail Cat programs
• Providing OHV education opportunities
• Partnering with OHV law enforcement programs
• Participating in statewide travel planning
• Working with OHV clubs and organizations to fulfill OHV trails maintenance contracts

Motorized Trails Program Funding

• OHV Certificate of number fees
• OHV percentage of State gas tax
• Federal Recreation Trails gas tax fees

Lands Analyst

The Lands Analyst works diligently to meet the department’s strategic plan of: “No net loss of motorized or non-motorized access to recreational trails.” This is pursued by analyzing federal land management actions which impact recreation opportunities, then providing official comment to those agencies to suggest improvements or mitigation to protect access opportunities. These actions may include travel management plans and watershed improvement projects among other initiatives to protect and enhance recreational access to public lands.

Learn about some of the access management changes over time that have impacted Idaho citizens’ ability to enjoy public lands, at this Story Map.  

Riding in Idaho

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation wants to make sure you are prepared, educated and legal before you take to the trail on your off-highway vehicle (OHV). Be sure to stay on trails when you venture out on your OHV.

To find OHV trail maps across the state visit the Idaho Trails App.

Anyone who will operate an OHV should complete a free IDPR Responsible Riders education course to acquire your OHV Safety Education Certificate.

Learn more about OHV laws, Idaho rules and guidelines, safety, trip planning and much more from our free brochure, Off-Highway Vehicles in Idaho.

Planning for the Future

NOHVCC partnered with the Bureau of Land Management in 2022 to create the Idaho Statewide Motorized Recreation Action Plan with recommendations on how to sustain and create more OHV recreational opportunities for the growing number of citizens who wish to recreate by OHV on Idaho’s public lands. 

As established by House Bill 75, On January 1, 2020, before operating an OHV within Idaho, any nonresident owner of a noncommercial off-highway vehicle shall be required to obtain a nonresident OHV user certificate sticker, for an annual fee of twelve dollars ($12.00). The validation sticker shall be displayed in the same manner as provided in section 67-7122, Idaho Code. Nonresident OHV user certificates shall be valid January 1 through December 31. 

Go to Where to Buy OHV Stickers or call 1-888-922-6743 to find a sticker vendor near you.

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation wants to make sure you are prepared, educated, and legal before you take to the trail with your off-highway vehicle (OHV). Be sure to stay on routes, trails, and areas designated for your vehicle type when you venture out with your OHV.

IDPR Mapping Application

To find OHV trails across the state visit IDPR’s Idaho Trails App. Plan your routes from your PC or mobile device, filter the map to show only the types of routes you want to see, then create custom georeferenced map files (GeoPDFs) for offline mobile navigation or print maps to paper.

Funded by OHV sticker purchases, the web-based Idaho Trails App requires no login to use freely.

Route and trail information is combined into a unified-format interactive map. The underlying technology allows for instant updating of validated changes. The map is continuously validated to US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Travel Management Area Maps, and Department of Lands (IDL) Recreation Access maps. On-the-ground IDPR Trail Ranger activities, plus direct collaboration with land management agencies such as trail re-route projects, results in more-timely map updates compared to other mapping resources.

Featured Map Locations & Views

This sample of predefined map views shows how you can explore in the Summer Idaho Trails app, including adjusting Map Layers to see only the route types you want to ride:

• Land of Yankee Fork State Park, Bayhorse Townsite (all routes)
• McCroskey State Park (all routes)
• Danskin OHV Area, ATV Trails view (motorcycle layer removed)
• Owyhee Front UTV Routes (motorcycle and <50″ removed) 

Other Map Sources

Paper maps may be obtained at Forest Service and BLM offices around the state.

However, digital options are available including versions for offline, GPS-enabled navigation and tracking purposes. To navigate offline using “GeoPDF” maps such as USFS MVUMs and BLM Travel Maps, install an app that has GeoPDF import and GPS geolocation capability from the Apple App Store or Google Play. 

Better yet, you can create customized GeoPDFs tailored to an area of interest, your vehicle type, and your preferred basemap type using IDPR’s Idaho Trails App.    

GPS technology in your mobile device combined with GeoPDFs can help you be aware of your current location and track your route to find your way back. Some GeoPDFs may also be downloaded to your PC for review in a PDF reader and printed to paper.

GeoPDF Sources

In-App

When using GeoPDF maps in an app on a mobile device, tap the app’s “Store” button. Search inside the app’s interactive map, or try a text-based search with keywords such as “Boise MVUM” or “Challis BLM Travel” to find maps from each agency’s Map Store. All USFS MVUMs and BLM Travel Maps are authoritative, free of charge, and available from the Map Store of the most commonly-used GeoPDF mapping app, Avenza® Maps.

Web Sites and User-Created

Some GeoPDFs may be obtained or are only available from sources outside a map app’s “Store” such as from the web sites linked below. 

You may also create custom GeoPDF maps from IDPR’s Idaho Trails App. These map files can be viewed on a PC, or imported into a GeoPDF-capable app once saved to a mobile device. 

If the same GeoPDF map is available from both an app’s Map Store versus by direct download from a web site, the in-app Map Store method will usually be the best option for obtaining the map.

Popular IDL Map

Thorn Creek Trails

[table “” not found /]

* Avenza® Map Store links go to their web-based map collection.
Maps you select post into a shopping cart and then become available for import upon logging into the app on your device.
  Selecting and downloading maps directly from within the app’s Map Store is usually the simpler way to obtain common maps such as MVUMs. However, searching in the web-based Avenza® Map Store may yield better results for difficult-to-find maps.
  Note 1) Add a search term after “mvum” such as “boise” or “panhandle” to refine the results to the Forest’s MVUM you are looking for.
  Note 2) Add a search term for an area of interest such as “murphy” to find the BLM Travel Map you are looking for. Not all BLM lands feature formal Travel Maps.
  Note 3) To avoid external map import limitation of the free version of the Avenza® Maps app (max of three maps will functions with geolocation), it is recommended to instead use the app’s Map Store to obtain maps such as MVUMs. Reserve external map importing for maps that can only be obtained from outside the Avenza® Map Store such as those you create from trails.idaho.gov. (How?)    

GeoPDF-compatible Apps and Devices

Beside the industry-standard Avenza® Maps app, as of this writing there are only two known alternative methods of utilizing GeoPDF maps offline: the TrailTech Voyager Pro console (proprietary device; see How-to-import-PDFs video here), and the November 2023+ update release of the REVER app. (The owner of GeoPDF technology, TerraGo Technologies, publishes an app to utilize GeoPDFs which is only available privately to developers.)  

One-Year and Two-Year options available

Purchase Online 

Direct link to purchase Recreation Permits online. 

Stickers will be mailed to you, and your email receipt is your temporary permit.

Purchase In-person

Click here vendor list (PDF).

REQUIREMENTS FOR OHV OPERATION

Trails

These are the requirements for motorbikes, ATVs, UTVs, and Specialty Off-highway vehicles operating off-highway on a designated trail, open riding area or motocross track.

• A valid IDPR OHV certificate of number sticker for resident and nonresident IC 67-7122
• A DOT approved helmet under age 18. IC 49-666
• A muffler and Forest Service approved spark arrestor. Your muffler must be at or below 96dB at the half-meter test, SAE J1287. IC 67-7125

State & Federal Roads

This includes Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Land Management, U. S. Forest Service, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and privately owned roads open to OHV use. Contact the landowner or manager for information on roads open to OHV use.

• OHV Education Certificate for unlicensed operators. IC 49-302(11)a U.S. Forest Service Roads only.
• Valid driver’s license (except under the age of 16 when supervised by a licensed adult operator). IC 49-301 or IC 49-302 “supervised” means the supervising licensed adult must be in a position, on another OHV to provide close support, assistance or direction, or if on the ground, within three hundred (300) feet of the unlicensed operator.
• Liability insurance or alternative insurance. IC 49-1223 or IC 49-1232
• Valid IDPR OHV certificate of number sticker for resident and nonresident IC 67-7122
• A DOT approved helmet under age 18. IC 49-666
• Muffler and U.S. Forest Service approved spark arrestor.  Your muffler must be at or below 96dB at the half-meter test, SAE J1287. IC 67-7125

City & County Roads

The following requirements must be met on city, county, and highway district roads. Check with local jurisdiction for information on roads open to OHV use.

• Valid restricted vehicle license plate. IC 49-402(4)
• Valid IDPR OHV certificate of number sticker affixed to restricted vehicle license plate for resident and nonresident. IC 67-7122
• Valid driver’s license. IC 49-301
• Liability insurance or alternative insurance.  IC 49-1223 or IC 49-1232
• A DOT approved helmet under age 18. IC 49-666
• Muffler and U.S. Forest Service approved spark arrestor.  Your muffler must be at or below 96dB at the half-meter test. SAE J1287. IC 67-7125

For safe operation on roads the following equipment is recommended:

• Brake light
• Headlight and taillight after dark/poor visibility.
• Horn audible at 200 feet.
• Mirror showing roadway 200 feet behind the OHV.
• Be sure to check with local jurisdictions for specific ordinances.

Rangeland

Idaho’s public lands allow for many uses, including ranching. To learn how to recreate responsibly around livestock on public land, please read these ten tips and visit the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission website. 

Download the “OHVs in Idaho” Booklet

Download or View OHV Publications

• OHVs in Idaho Reference Guide
• ATV Student Reference guide
• Motorbike Student Reference Guide
• Economic Importance of Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation in Idaho

Links

• National OHV Conservation Council
• Motorized Vehicles and Hunting
• Idaho Trails App Help & Tutorials