Where To Find ATV Trails In South Dakota

One of the best places to ride your ATV in South Dakota is The Black Hills which has hundreds of miles of primitive roads that are ideal for ATV or ORV riding. Be aware that you'll be sharing these roads with other ATV riders, horseback riders, motorbikes, and hikers. So ride your ATV friendly and defensively.

All ATVs must be licensed and "street legal" in order to run on these trails. As on all National Forest System lands, the Black Hills National Forest requires that all ATVs and OHVs with gasoline-powered engines are equipped with United States Forest Service (U.S.F.S.)-approved working mufflers and spark arrestors. There are specific travel management areas set up, and they require that you stay on the designated ATV paths. The Black Hills National Forest encourages all motorized users to follow the Tread Lightly pledge:

Travel and recreate with minimum impact; Respect the environment and the rights of others; Educate yourself - plan and prepare before you go; Allow for future use of the outdoors, leave it better than you found it; Discover the rewards of responsible OHV recreation.

Oahe Dam Lake Oahe is a 230-mile long lake runs from Pierre, South Dakota to near Bismarck North Dakota, and the surrounding area is rich in historic sites: fort, trading posts, and Lewis and Clark campsites. The lush ATV trails offer a lot to see, always get a map as the trails are changed to allow land management of the area. Trails are clearly marked and they ask that all ATV riders stay on the designated trails only. Follow these few rules and you're in for a great ride in South Dakota.