Going Off-Road with ATV's

Your ATV was designed to go off-road, and you can't wait to get started. Tooling around in your back yard is just not that much fun. What better way to go off-road than on an overnight off-road trip.

To begin with you need to select a destination and to do this you must make sure that the area in which you are riding, allows ATVs and other motorized vehicles. You should get a map of the area in order to identify trails, rest areas, and other basic necessities. A US Forest Service map usually contains all this information as well as whether or not the area is open to motorized vehicles.

Once you have selected a destination and a route you should give a copy of this information to your family or close friends. This is a good practice to get into whenever you ride as mishaps happen and you don't want to be stranded out in "the Boonies" for too long.

What you pack will depend upon the length of your trip. Make sure you include all the basic necessities including warm clothing. This is especially true if you are riding in mountain areas above 9,000 feet in elevation. Weather at these elevations changes rapidly and temperatures can dip below freezing even in the summer time.

Before you leave, thoroughly inspect your ATV and make sure it is in tip-top shape. Again, you don't want to get stranded out in the middle of nowhere because you forgot to inspect your ride. What could be a simple fix in your garage may become a complicated nightmare out in the forest.