ATV and ORV riding in Wyoming
Trails and roads are typically open and driveable during the months from mid-May to October. Free maps showing Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) trails and roads are available for both the Pinedale and Wyoming Range areas. Copies can be obtained by contacting the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce, the local Forest Service District offices, or the Bureau of Land Management in Pinedale. The Forest Service travel map also shows which roads are open to motorized travel (fee for map).
Permits
ORV permits are required in Wyoming and may be purchased from local selling agents or by calling 1-877-996-7275. See the list at right for local selling agents in the county.
Where can you go?
All established roads and vehicle routes are generally open for ORV travel. For the most part, no off-road or off-trail travel is allowed unless on a designated ATV trail. See maps for specific locations. In campgrounds, ORVs may only be used to enter or leave the campground.
Areas with roads open to 4-wheeling include those listed below. See the ORV maps for these areas to see which specific roads and trails are ok for ORV travel.
Southern Winds southeast of Pinedale:
Little Half Moon Lake, Boulder Lake, Meadow Lake, East Fork, Canyon Creek, Muddy Lake, Muddy Ridge, Big Sandy, Trail Creek, Chicken Creek, Larsen/Sweetwater Creek, and Little Sandy Creek.
Mid & Northern Winds, north of Pinedale:
Half Moon Lake, west side of Fremont Lake, Willow Lake, Little Flattop Mountain, New Fork Scout Camp area, McDowell Flat, Pot Creek Park
Upper Green/Union Pass:
Jim Creek, Moose-Gypsum, Eagle Creek, Klondyke Creek, Tosi Creek, Kinky Creek, Mosquito Lake, Wagon Creek, Bacon Ridge, Buffalo Meadow, Strawberry Creek, Lake of the Woods, Miner/Packer/Beaver Creek
Gros Ventre/Hoback Area:
Fisherman Creek, Jack Creek, Dell Creek, Upper Hoback River Rd, Cliff Creek, the Rim, Middle & South Beaver
Wyoming Range:
Horse Creek, McDougal Gap, South Cottonwood Creek, Bare Mountain, Bald Mountain, Middle Piney, Snyder Basin, Packsaddle Ridge, Absaroka Ridge, Little Corral Creek, Hams Fork, Elk Creek
ORVs are mostly restricted to travel upon only established roads or trails. They may be operated upon public lands only when on roads, trails, or areas designated "open" for motorized travel by the appropriate local land manager: Forest Service, BLM, or State. Contact the local office for the areas you plan to recreate to see which locations are open and closed to ORV use. It is illegal to operate an ATV or trail bike off-trail or on any trail area close to that specific type of vehicle as designated by the land management agency or land owner. Maps showing open and closed areas for public lands are available from the managing entity (Forest Service, BLM, State).
When operating an ORV on roads that are designated as part of the ORV Program, operators must have a valid driver's license. The ORV must have brake lights, taillights, and headlights if operated 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise.
When operated on roads NOT designated part of the state ORV Program, an ORV may be operated only if it is street legal. The operator must carry proof of liability insurance. ATVS and trail bikes must be equipped with approved and operating spark-arresting mufflers and comply with sound regulations.
It goes without saying not to harass wildlife with ATVs. Avoid wet and riparian areas where damage will occur from ORV use. Please respect the rights of hikers, horseback riders, campers, and others who wish to enjoy their activities undisturbed.
Check the State of Wyoming website for current regulations:
http://wyotrails.state.wy.us/ORV/Permits.aspx
Mountain Biking
The Pinedale area offers 1.5 million acres for mountain biking enthusiasts. Backcountry roads are usually free of snow by mid-May and clear through October. Topography ranges from flat and gentle rolling open sagebrush prairie to steep mountain slopes dotted with aspens and conifers. Elevations of lands open to mountain biking range from 7,000 to well over 10,000 feet. Mountain biking is allowed in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, but not in the Bridger Wilderness area. More information about areas open to mountain biking can be obtained from the Pinedale Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest at (307) 367-4326. (Mountain Biking)
Hunters: Check with the managing agency for the area you wish to hunt regarding gated road closure dates.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Bridger-Teton National Forest
Pinedale Ranger District-BTNF
29 E Fremont Lake Road, P.O. Box 220, Pinedale, WY, 82941
307-367-4326/739-5700
Fax: 307-367-5750
Big Piney Ranger District-BTNF
P.O. Box 218, Big Piney, WY, 83113
307-276-3375 or 276-5800/5200
Fax: 307-739-5235/276-5835
Pinedale Field Office - Bureau of Land Management
432 East Mill Street
PO Box 768
Pinedale, WY 82941
Phone: 307.367.5300
Fax: 307.367.5329
Hours: 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
E-mail: pinedale_wymail@blm.gov