ATV Adventures: Thankful riders must respect the rules of Utah's ATV trails

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ATV Adventures: Thankful riders must respect the rules of Utah's ATV trails

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

By Lynn Blamires
ATV Adventures

Utah's ATV community is alive and well. Our state is known as ATV-friendly, with thousands of miles of trail to explore.

According to Fred Hayes, coordinator of the off-highway vehicle program for the State Parks and Recreation, there are 160,000 off-highway vehicles registered in Utah.

Snowmobiles account for 25,000 of that number, which is down 20 percent from last year. All-terrain vehicles make up the largest part of the remaining 135,000 registered units.

Hayes says the first $4.50 of the $17.50 registration fee goes to Search and Rescue, ATV education and to fund the convenience of online OHV registration.

The remaining $13 goes to an account restricted to OHV use for the state. The OHV community has seen the benefits in extensive training and certification programs, trail maps provided to the public at no charge, and signs marking trails open to ride.

Some of this money has been awarded to ATV clubs for the purpose of maintaining ATV trails. Grants are available to build bridges over sensitive marshlands and difficult water crossings. Grants also have been used to protect areas from places that ATVs should not go.

Another example of the use of these funds is found in Central Utah, where the Paiute ATV Trail system was opened. That system allows riders into town on designated roads for food, gas and lodging.

The main trail is nearly 300 miles long, plus some 1,700 miles of connecting loops and side trails. Beginning on the north end of this loop, the trail will take a rider from Salina through Koosharem, Circleville, Marysvale, the famous Big Rock Candy Mountain, Richfield, Fillmore and Aurora -- allowing access to all the amenities needed to have a pleasant ride.

The Paiute is an economic boon to these communities. Many are increasing services to accommodate the increasing number of people who enjoy riding these spectacular mountain trails.

Other states are duplicating the success of the Paiute ATV Trail. Wallace, Idaho, has developed a trail called the Silver Country 1,000, and West Virginia features the new Hatfield and McCoy trail system.

Utah is capitalizing on its own success by developing other trail systems with amenities similar to the Paiute trail.

The first maps are out on the new Shoshone ATV Trail, between Cache Valley and Bear Lake. This trail includes such sites as Old Ephraim's Grave, Hardware Ranch, The Peter Sinks, Temple Fork and Blacksmith's Fork trails.

The Arapeen ATV Trail is north of the Paiute trail, where a rider can travel between Manti, Ephriam, Ferron and Joe's Valley Reservoir.

The Paunsagaunt ATV Trail is by Bryce Canyon, south of Circleville. This trail connects to the Fremont Trail and allows a rider to travel between Circleville and Ruby's Inn. The vistas of Bryce Canyon on the trails south of Ruby's Inn are breathtaking.

Maps should be available at the Forest Service office at 324 25th St. in Ogden.

State Parks and Recreation has done a great job in providing and maintaining places to ride an ATV. We have the obligation to respect the rules of these trails to help keep them open for all to enjoy.

Our job is to ride safe and tread lightly.

Lynn Blamires is an ATV enthusiast from Layton.

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