Colorado Porch

Outdoors · OHV & Off-Road

Off-Road & OHV Riding in Colorado

Plain-English answers first, then the official source. Colorado is one of the great off-road states — thousands of miles of mountain trails, old mining roads over 12,000-foot passes, sand dunes, and forests full of ATV and dirt-bike routes. It's also a place where one wrong turn can put you on a closed trail, a private ranch, or a road where your machine isn't allowed.

Last checked against CPW, Colorado statutes, Stay the Trail, COTREX/USFS/BLM, and local OHV sources: June 2026. Fees, road access, trail openings, and fire and seasonal closures change. Confirm CPWShop, COTREX, the current MVUM or BLM map, and the specific town or county before you ride.

Who runs what

Four different bosses — keep them straight

Almost every off-road question in Colorado comes down to who controls this. It's a hierarchy, and once you see it, the rest of the page falls into place.

CPW

Registration

Colorado Parks and Wildlife registers your machine and runs the statewide OHV program. Your sticker pays for the trails.

Forest Service & BLM

Which trails are open

The land agencies decide which roads and trails are open, to which machines, and when. On Forest land, the MVUM is the legal word.

Towns & counties

Their own streets & roads

Whether you can ride a street or county road is 100% local — one town says yes, the next says no, and they change their minds.

State / CDOT

State highways

A state-highway stretch only opens to OHVs with state/CDOT approval — a town can't do it alone.

Start here

Which kind of rider are you?

Most people land here with one specific worry. Pick the closest and jump straight to it.

Brand new

New to OHVs

Start with registration, then where you can ride. "Stay on designated routes" is the rule that matters most.

Jump there →

From out of state

Bringing a machine in

Your home-state registration doesn't count here. You need a Colorado permit before you ride.

Jump there →

Licensed Jeep or truck

Driving a plated 4x4

Surprise: a street-legal rig still needs a Colorado OHV Permit on designated OHV trails.

Jump there →

On a road or in town

Riding streets & roads

Only where the local town or county allows it — and never a state highway without CDOT approval.

Jump there →

With kids

Riding with young riders

Under-18 helmets are required, and there are real age and supervision rules for roads.

Jump there →

Looking for trails

Where to go

From the Alpine Loop to the sand dunes — but check COTREX for what's open today.

Jump there →

On this page

Your first ride

New to this? Start here, in order.

The rest of this page is the full picture. But if you're brand new, here's the short path — do these six things and you'll have a legal, welcome day on the trail.

  1. 1

    Register or permit your machine

    Residents register with CPW; visitors buy a Non-Resident OHV Permit. Even a plated, street-legal Jeep needs a Colorado OHV Permit on designated OHV trails. About $26 a year.

  2. 2

    Get the map — COTREX and the MVUM

    Download the free COTREX app for planning and live closures. On National Forest land, the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is the legal word on what's open.

  3. 3

    Pick a route open to YOUR machine

    Some trails are for machines under 50 inches wide (ATVs and dirt bikes), not full-size 4x4s. Match the trail to your rig and your skill — shelf roads are no place to learn.

  4. 4

    Gear up to be legal

    Spark arrestor, working muffler, lights for night, good brakes — and a DOT helmet for anyone under 18. Loud, smoky machines are what get trails closed.

  5. 5

    Check closures, weather, and fire bans

    Trails open and close with snow, mud, fire, and wildlife. A high pass can be buried until July. Check COTREX or call the local office the day before you go.

  6. 6

    Stay on designated routes

    No cutting cross-country, no going around the mud. This single habit is what keeps Colorado's trails open for everyone.

What counts as an "OHV"?

OHV means Off-Highway Vehicle — a machine built to ride off paved roads. In Colorado that includes:

Here's the twist that catches people: a plated, street-legal full-size 4x4 (a licensed Jeep or truck) — or a plated motorcycle — is treated like an OHV when it's on a designated OHV trail or open area on public land, and it needs a Colorado OHV Permit there. (On ordinary numbered forest and county roads, a street-legal rig doesn't need it — it's the OHV trails and open areas that trigger the permit.) Snowmobiles run on their own rules (see below).

Do you need to register or permit your machine?

Almost certainly yes, if you ride on public land or designated trails. The good news is it's one cheap product — about $26 a year — and which version you buy depends on who you are:

If you're… You need… Cost
A Colorado resident with an OHV Register with CPW (you get a card + two decals, renewed yearly) ~$26/yr
A visitor with an OHV A Non-Resident OHV Permit — your home-state registration does not count here ~$26/yr
Anyone on a plated 4x4 or motorcycle, on OHV trails A Colorado OHV Permit — yes, even though the vehicle is street-legal ~$26/yr

The basics

  • Out-of-state registration does not count. Colorado doesn't recognize other states' OHV registrations or "street-legal" plates. Visitors must buy the Colorado permit.
  • Cost is about $26 a year (a $1.25 search-and-rescue fee is included). It can't be prorated, and riding without one can mean a fine.
  • It's an annual product — check your dates. Colorado OHV registrations typically run April 1 through March 31, but CPW pages have shown slightly different start dates in places, so go by the dates printed on your registration, permit, or CPWShop confirmation.
  • Where the money goes: the OHV program puts over $4 million a year into trail building and upkeep, trailheads, signs, maps, and education — including the free COTREX map. Your sticker literally pays for the trails.
  • Buy it online at CPWShop.com (under "Lands and Trails"), by phone at 1-800-244-5613, or in person. Online, you'll get a Temporary Authorization Number (TAN) good for 45 days so you can ride while the decal comes in the mail (about 10–20 business days).

Who can ride (age, helmets, gear)

On public land, your machine needs working brakes, a muffler, a Forest Service–approved spark arrestor, and lights for night riding. And the people on it have rules too:

Young riders on roads

Colorado's baseline road rule: no one under 10 may operate an OHV on an opened public road, and someone 10 or older may operate only with a valid driver's license, or under the immediate, in-sight supervision of a licensed driver. In practice, a licensed adult can ride solo, and a 10–15-year-old needs a licensed driver right there.

But many towns and counties are stricter and require the operator to hold a valid driver's license — which means a supervised 10–15-year-old may not be allowed to drive those local road routes at all. The Alpine Loop counties (Ouray, San Juan/Silverton, Hinsdale/Lake City, San Miguel/Telluride) are examples that require a valid driver's license. Before letting a minor drive on any road, check the exact town or county rule.

Where you can ride

The golden rule: designated routes only

It's unlawful to drive any vehicle (except a snowmobile over snow, where allowed) off the designated streets, roads, highways, or trails. No cutting cross-country, no shortcuts across a meadow. Going off-route damages the land and is the fastest way to get trails closed for everyone.

National Forest

The MVUM is the law

Lots of OHV roads and trails. Each forest's free Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is the legal, enforceable word on what's open and to which vehicles — some trails are for machines under 50 inches wide only. Get the MVUM for your forest before you ride.

BLM land

Big open country, West Slope & desert

Large areas and trail systems. Confirm routes against the BLM map, the field office, the travel-management plan, and posted signs.

State Parks & Wildlife Areas

Some allow OHVs — check each

A few have OHV roads or areas. To even enter most State Wildlife Areas, adults 16+ need a hunting/fishing license or an SWA pass — and that still doesn't mean OHVs are allowed on every one. Check the property's rules before riding, staging, or crossing.

Wilderness areas

No motors, ever

Designated Wilderness is off-limits to all motors — and even mountain bikes. Federal law, no exceptions.

Private land

Permission required

Only with the owner's permission. Many historic mining routes thread through patented claims and private parcels — the road may be a legal easement while the land beside it is private (no stopping, no camping). Respect new gates and "road closed" signs even on a route your guidebook shows as open; access can change year to year.

Tribal land (SW Colorado)

Tribal permits, not CPW

The Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute reservations in the southwest are sovereign land — Colorado OHV permits and CPW/USFS rules don't apply, and a Colorado sticker won't help you. You need the tribe's permission and permits; treat unmarked boundaries near Mesa Verde and Ute Mountain as closed unless you're certain.

Use the maps together

COTREX (the state's official trail map) is the best tool for planning and live closures. On National Forest land, confirm against the current MVUM; on BLM land, the BLM map and field office. If COTREX, the MVUM, a closure order, or an on-site sign disagree, follow the most restrictive and most current one.

Reading the signs

Colorado uses brown signs with white symbols; a red slash through a symbol means that vehicle type is not allowed. But signs get knocked down or stolen — and a missing sign does not make a route open. Carry the current map, and remember: a posted closure beats your plan for the day, and closures change fast with weather, fire, mud, and wildlife.

How to read an MVUM

The Motor Vehicle Use Map looks like a plain black-and-white map, but it packs in the rules. A solid line is a road; a dashed line is a trail. Each route has columns of symbols for which vehicle classes are allowed — highway-legal vehicles, all vehicles, or machines 50 inches wide or less — and many show a seasonal date range (open only June 15–September 15, say). If a route isn't shown at all, it isn't open to motors.

That width column is where people get caught: a "50-inch trail" is for ATVs and dirt bikes, and a typical 64-inch side-by-side or a full-size Jeep is illegal there — an "ATV trail" on the map literally excludes them. Measure your machine's real width (mirrors and tires included) and match it to the route before you go.

OHVs on streets & roads (a true Colorado quirk)

Here's what visitors get wrong most often: Colorado does not make four-wheeled OHVs street-legal statewide. The state and CDOT don't plate four-wheeled OHVs, and they don't recognize out-of-state "street-legal" OHV plates. So as a rule, you can't just ride an OHV on public roads.

The exception — and it's a big one: many towns and counties have opened their own city streets and county roads to OHVs by local ordinance. Some mountain communities are very OHV-friendly and let you ride from your campsite into town for lunch. But it's 100% local — one town says yes, the next says no, and a town can change its mind.

State highways are different. A town or county generally cannot turn a state-highway road into an OHV route on its own — that takes state/CDOT authorization. (That's exactly why the Lake City stretch of Highway 149 needed a special CDOT-approved program.)

When you ride a road a town has opened, you typically need:

  • a valid driver's license,
  • liability insurance,
  • your Colorado OHV registration/permit,
  • a working headlight, taillight, and brake light, plus a muffler and spark arrestor, and
  • a helmet if you're under 18.

Follow posted speed limits, and remember the local motto: "When in town, throttle down."

How local it gets

Lake City / Hinsdale County

Famously OHV-friendly: OHVs are allowed on town and county roads, and a CDOT-approved program opens a defined stretch of Highway 149 (from County Road 30 through town) to OHVs from June 1 through September 30. OHVs may not continue on Highway 149 beyond that stretch.

Ouray area

Ouray County has designated OHV routes, but OHVs are NOT allowed inside the City of Ouray. Use the official staging area and confirm the county route maps before riding.

Silverton / San Juan County

The town's in-limits OHV rule has flipped back and forth repeatedly — the perfect reminder to check the current rule before you ride into any town. Some San Juan County roads outside town allow OHVs even when the town does not.

Always confirm the current rule with the town or county. Stay the Trail Colorado keeps a running list of cities and counties that allow OHVs on roads — a great starting point before you check the local source directly.

Three things the "yes" can hide

  • Insurance isn't automatic. A standard auto policy usually does not cover an OHV. To meet the liability-insurance rule on an opened road, you generally need a specific OHV/powersports policy — confirm it's valid in Colorado before you tow out.
  • "OHVs allowed" may not mean your machine. Some counties allow side-by-sides but not quads (or set a maximum width), and some require a whip flag or slow-moving-vehicle triangle. The county saying yes can still exclude your class or size.
  • Around-town use is its own question. Running a side-by-side or golf cart on your own street follows the same local opt-in, sometimes plus a town permit. A registered Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) can be plated and driven on many low-speed roads; an OHV generally cannot — so ask your town which bucket you're in.

Equipment & sound rules

To ride legally on public land, your machine needs:

Loud machines are the #1 complaint that gets areas closed. Keeping it quiet keeps trails open.

Ride responsibly (the rules that keep trails open)

Report serious accidents

If an OHV or snowmobile accident causes $1,500 or more in property damage, hospitalization, or death, you must report it to law enforcement (State Patrol, county sheriff, or city police) and CPW within 48 hours — and file CPW's accident form. Not reporting is a petty offense.

Seasons, weather & altitude

Colorado's high country runs on snow time:

Always check current openings and closures on COTREX before you go. A trail that was open last week may be gated today.

Snowmobiles (the winter cousin)

Snowmobiles have their own registration and a few different rules:

Winter adds the deadliest hazard on this whole page: avalanche. Off-trail, over-snow riding crosses avalanche terrain, and most snowmobile avalanche deaths are triggered by someone in the victim's own group — often while "high-marking" a steep slope. Before every ride, check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) forecast for your zone; take an avalanche-awareness course before you leave the groomed routes; carry a beacon, shovel, and probe and know how to use them; and cross open slopes one rider at a time.

Where to go

Trails & areas worth knowing

Colorado has world-famous routes for every skill level. A few legends to know — but always check COTREX or the MVUM for current status, difficulty, and which machines are allowed, because conditions and rules change. Many famous routes are shelf roads: a narrow ledge cut into a cliff, often one vehicle wide, with a long drop. They demand experience, a head for heights, and knowing your rig's exact size.

Easy to moderate (most stock 4x4s and side-by-sides)

Alpine Loop

The crown jewel — a ~65-mile BLM Backcountry Byway linking Ouray, Silverton, and Lake City over Engineer Pass (~12,800 ft) and Cinnamon Pass (~12,640 ft), past the Animas Forks ghost town. High-clearance 4WD or OHV; opens around late June.

Ophir Pass

One of the first San Juan passes to clear — a good warm-up between Silverton and Telluride.

Yankee Boy Basin

Near Ouray: waterfalls and wildflowers, moderate difficulty.

Expert / extreme (experienced drivers, the right rig, a spotter)

Black Bear Pass

Iconic and dangerous, with tight shelf switchbacks near Telluride. The section dropping into Telluride is one-way, downhill only — you cannot legally go back up. Never a beginner's trail.

Imogene Pass

Ouray to Telluride at ~13,114 ft — one of the highest drivable passes in Colorado. Rocky, narrow, exposed.

Poughkeepsie Gulch & Mosquito Pass

Extreme rock and exposure — skid plates and a winch territory. Know your rig and your limits.

Big trail systems & areas

Taylor Park

Near Gunnison and Crested Butte — a huge network of ATV/UTV and dirt-bike trails.

Rampart Range

Near Colorado Springs and Sedalia — a large, popular motorcycle and OHV area.

North Sand Hills

Near Walden in North Park — Colorado's ONLY open sand-dune area for OHV riding (BLM-managed). Whip flags recommended; closed to motors Dec 15–April 15. Respect every fenced, vegetated, or signed-off area.

Colorado quirks

Things people get wrong

The section that saves you a ticket, a fine, or a scary mistake.

Your machine isn't street-legal statewide — but towns opt in

Colorado won't plate a four-wheeled OHV, and out-of-state OHV plates aren't recognized. You can ride roads only where the local town or county allows it — and a state highway needs CDOT approval on top of that.

Out-of-state registration doesn't count

A visitor needs a Colorado Non-Resident OHV Permit, full stop. Your home-state sticker or "street-legal" plate does nothing here.

Even your licensed Jeep needs an OHV permit on the trails

A plated, street-legal full-size 4x4 (or plated motorcycle) needs a Colorado OHV Permit on designated OHV trails and open areas — not just deep in the backcountry, but in staging areas too.

Stay on designated routes — period

Going off-trail (except snowmobiles over snow, where allowed) is illegal and is the fastest way to get a trail closed. On Forest land the MVUM is the law, and a missing sign does not make a route open.

Wilderness means NO motors

Designated Wilderness bans OHVs, dirt bikes, and even mountain bikes. Federal law, no exceptions — and the boundaries aren't always fenced, so know where they are.

E-bikes aren't welcome everywhere

An e-bike is usually treated as a motor vehicle — so it's banned on non-motorized and singletrack bike trails (where regular bikes are fine but motors aren't), and never allowed in Wilderness. Whether it's legal depends on the class and the land manager, so check before you ride one on a "bike" trail.

There's only ONE place to ride the dunes

North Sand Hills near Walden is Colorado's only legal open sand-dune OHV area, and it's closed to motors Dec 15–April 15.

You need a spark arrestor

A Forest Service–approved spark arrestor is required on public land. Colorado is dry and fire-prone, and this little screen is non-negotiable.

Loud machines get areas closed

The limit is about 96 dB(A) (SAE J1287) for newer machines. Noise is the #1 complaint that shuts trails down — keep it quiet to keep it open. Free testing comes from Stay the Trail.

Kids and roads: it's stricter than you think

Under 10 can't operate on a road at all; 10–15 need a licensed driver right there — and many towns require the operator to hold a license, so a supervised kid may not be allowed to drive at all. Check locally.

The big passes are a summer thing

Snow keeps most high 4x4 passes closed until June or July, and they close again with the first fall storms. "Open in the guidebook" doesn't mean open today.

Some trails are one-way

Black Bear Pass drops into Telluride downhill-only — you can't turn around and you can't go back up. Know the direction before you commit.

Town rules flip — check before you ride in

Silverton has banned and un-banned OHVs more than once; the City of Ouray doesn't allow them at all. "The next town over" can be a completely different rule.

Special groups & safety

Families, beginners, and the backcountry

Families & young riders

Under-18 helmets are required; eye protection is smart for everyone. On roads, a 10–15-year-old may ride only with a licensed driver right there — and only where the local town or county allows a supervised minor at all. Start on easy, wide, lower-elevation trails; skip shelf roads and extreme routes.

Beginners & visitors

New or just passing through? A guided tour or rental in places like Ouray, Lake City, or Buena Vista is a great start — outfitters know the open routes and the rules. Get it in writing that a rental includes the current OHV permit and registration, and ask about the damage deposit and rollover liability (canyon-country rentals carry real exposure). A rental still doesn't waive the under-18 helmet law or local rules. Buy your own permit before you arrive (or use the 45-day TAN), and download COTREX to your phone.

Riding in a group & the backcountry

Keep the group on the route and spaced out for dust, and never solo a shelf road. Cell service is usually zero in the San Juans, so carry a map, water, layers, a first-aid kit, and real recovery gear (tow strap, D-rings, a winch and tree-saver) — air down for traction, then air back up at the trailhead. A satellite messenger beats a dead phone. Your OHV registration already includes the search-and-rescue fee; a separate CORSAR card (a few dollars) also helps fund the volunteer team — but neither is insurance that reimburses your costs.

Before you go

The quick pre-ride checklist

  • Permit or registration current and displayed (or TAN in hand)?
  • MVUM / COTREX checked for your exact trail — open today, and open to your machine?
  • Spark arrestor, muffler, lights, and brakes all good?
  • Helmets (under 18), eye protection, and seatbelts if equipped?
  • Riding a road? Confirmed the town/county allows it (and any state-highway stretch is approved), with license + insurance?
  • Weather, fire restrictions, and closures checked?
  • Water, layers, map, recovery gear, full tank?
  • Know the accident-reporting rule (48 hours for serious wrecks)?

Plain English

The words you'll see everywhere

Off-roading has its own vocabulary. Here's the plain-English version of the terms in this guide.

OHV

Off-Highway Vehicle — an ATV, dirt bike, side-by-side (UTV/SxS), dune buggy, or sand rail. And a plated 4x4 counts as one when it's on an OHV trail.

CPW

Colorado Parks and Wildlife — handles OHV and snowmobile registration and the statewide OHV program.

MVUM

Motor Vehicle Use Map — the free Forest Service map that is the legal word on which roads and trails are open, and to which vehicles.

If the MVUM and a guidebook disagree, the MVUM wins.

COTREX

Colorado Trail Explorer — the state's official trail map (web + app), ~45,000 miles of trails with live closures. Best for planning.

Designated route

A road or trail officially open to motor vehicles. You must stay on these — no cutting cross-country.

Spark arrestor

A required screen in the exhaust that stops sparks. It's wildfire protection, and it's the law on public land.

Staging area

The parking/trailhead lot where you unload and start riding. You need your permit here too.

Shelf road

A narrow trail cut into a cliff, with a wall on one side and a long drop on the other — often only one vehicle wide.

Black Bear and Imogene are famous shelf roads.

Wilderness area

Federally protected land where no motors or bikes are allowed, ever.

OHV Permit

The Colorado sticker that visitors — and licensed 4x4s on OHV trails — need for designated trails and areas.

TAN

Temporary Authorization Number — lets you ride for 45 days while your decal arrives in the mail.

FAQ

Quick answers

I'm just visiting — do I really need to register?

You don't register, but you do need a Colorado Non-Resident OHV Permit (about $26). Your home-state registration or "street-legal" plate does not count in Colorado. Buy it online and you'll get a Temporary Authorization Number (TAN) good for 45 days while the decal ships.

My Jeep is street-legal — do I still need an OHV permit?

Yes. A plated, street-legal full-size 4x4 (or a plated motorcycle) needs a Colorado OHV Permit to travel on any designated OHV trail or open area on public land — including the staging areas, not just deep in the backcountry.

Can I ride my ATV on the road or into town?

Only where the local town or county has opened its streets and roads to OHVs by ordinance — it's entirely local and changes often. State highways are off-limits unless the state/CDOT has approved a specific stretch (like the Lake City program on Highway 149). Out-of-state plates never make a four-wheeled OHV street-legal here.

Can my kid drive on the road?

Colorado's baseline: no one under 10 may operate an OHV on an opened public road, and a 10–15-year-old may operate only with a valid driver's license or a licensed driver supervising in sight. But many towns and counties require the operator to hold a license, so a supervised minor may not be allowed to drive there at all. Check the exact town or county first.

How do I know if a trail is open today?

Use COTREX for planning and live closures, and on National Forest land confirm against the current MVUM (the legal map). Closures change fast with weather, fire, and wildlife. If COTREX, the MVUM, a closure order, or an on-site sign disagree, follow the most restrictive and current one — a posted closure beats your plan.

Where can I ride the sand dunes?

North Sand Hills near Walden, in North Park, is Colorado's only legal open sand-dune area for OHVs (BLM-managed). It's closed to motors December 15 through April 15, and you still must respect fenced, vegetated, and signed-off areas.

The official signpost

Where the real rules live

Colorado Porch explains; CPW, the land agencies, your town or county, and the maps on the ground decide. When you need the exact, current rule — especially what's open and where you can ride — go straight to the source.

Last reviewed
June 2026

Use this carefully: Who controls a route is a hierarchy: CPW handles registration, the land agencies (Forest Service, BLM) decide which trails are open, towns and counties decide their own roads, and state highways need CDOT approval. Fees, road access, trail openings, and fire and seasonal closures all change — confirm CPWShop, COTREX, the current MVUM or BLM map, and the specific town or county before you ride. A posted closure always beats your plan.

More official links

Every source in one place

The fine print lives in Colorado Revised Statutes Title 33 (registration and operation) and Title 42 (road use, licensing, helmets), plus the CPW Commission rules (2 CCR 405-5). Phone help: 1-800-244-5613.

Next steps

Keep exploring the outdoors

Off-roading is one piece of Colorado's outdoors. Here's where to head next.

Outdoors

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More plain-English guides to getting outside in Colorado.

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Hunting & fishing

The sister guides

Licenses, seasons, access, and the Colorado quirks for hunting and fishing.

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Notes

Places & public-land notes

Short notes on passes, byways, public land, and access tied to real Colorado places.

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