Texas truly is a whole other country when it comes to ATV riding. Much like the State of California, Texas has mountains, flat lands, beach areas, hills, woodlands and deserted rocky terrain all in various areas of the State. No matter what kind of riding your prefer whether it is trail riding or rock climbing, you will find it in the State of Texas.
Texas is also a very friendly ATV owning state. Without a lot of requirements for being within the letter of the law. The minimum age for riding an ATV is 14-years of age and all riders 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult also on an ATV. Your ATV must be licensed with the Department of Motor Vehicles and a DOT approved helmet and eye protection must be worn if you will be riding your ATV on any federally managed lands such as National Forest Areas.
Texas has a good number of National Forests such as Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine, Sam Houston, Caddo/LBJ where you may ride your ATV as long as you stay on the marked and designated trail systems. It is a great idea to always call ahead and get a map to make sure you are planning your riding route around the most current information possible, as with most trail systems. These are periodically closed off and new trails are opened for ATV riding to allow the used vegetation to reclaim itself and new growth to occur.
Most of the State of Texas has mild winters and scorching hot summers. Be sure to pack along adequate water for your ATV ride, becoming dehydrated can lead to mistakes that can cause an accident or injury. Also, riding with a group can make your time on your ATV even more fun when you're sharing the fun of the ride. There are some great groups you can check out in Texas by visiting their websites:Cedar Creek Mudcats at https://www.expage.com/cedarcreekmudcatsatv. Also, Centex Quadholics is a fun group for anyone that loves to get muddy on their ATV, you can visit their website here: https://www.centexquadaholics.com/.
Texas has some great riding and fantastic groups who love their ATVs as much as you do, if you're a resident or you will be visiting, make sure you meet all the minimum requirements and get out there and have a blast on your ATV!
