Hubbard Mesa near Rifle is BLM land set aside for off-road riding

Just north of Rifle, Hubbard Mesa is a BLM off-highway-vehicle area for dirt bikes, ATVs, and four-wheel-drive vehicles. It has a parking area with restrooms and loading ramps, along with a mapped boundary that matters more than a trail line.

BLM classifies Hubbard Mesa as an Open Area. Inside the mapped boundary, OHV travel is not limited to designated trails, subject to posted closures and operating rules. Cross-country travel is prohibited outside that boundary. Motorized users yield to people on foot and horseback, and visitors should leave grazing cattle and guard dogs alone.

Hubbard Mesa is also a well-known spot for target shooting on public land. If you shoot here, the rules are common sense and required: have a safe backstop so bullets stop in the dirt, never shoot toward roads or people, and pack out every bit of target trash, including shells and broken targets.

Colorado residents generally register an unplated OHV. Nonresidents and riders using plated street-legal vehicles need a Colorado OHV permit. Check the current CPW categories before riding because registration and permit rules depend on the vehicle and rider.

Because uses overlap, stay alert for other riders and shooters. Use the BLM page and boundary map for the current open area and posted restrictions, then use CPW for the registration or permit that applies to the vehicle.