Best ATV Trail Towns in the US

By combining vast trail systems and ride-from-town access, the best ATV trail towns in the US offer a variety of lodging, restaurants, nature, and off-road culture. Choose your destination based on your skill level and what you’re after. While most trails offer varied terrain, some are better suited to specific types of riding, such as family-friendly, adventure, or alpine mountain riding.

• Best overall trail network: East Burke
• Best Midwest trail access: St. Helen
• Best ATV-town culture: Gilbert / Matewan
• Best alpine mountain riding: Silverton
• Best scenery and technical riding: Chloride
• Best mixed adventure destination: Spearfish / Deadwood
• Best hardcore riding: Oliver Springs
• Best family-friendly riding: Richfield

Best Overall Trail Network: East Burke

East Burke, Vermont, has the best overall trail network thanks to its thousands of miles of access to nearby towns and other trails. East Burke is the home base for the legendary Kingdom Trails Association Network. It combines exceptional trail maintenance, ATV-trail culture, mixed terrain for every skill level, and iconic Vermont scenery. Depending on the season, riders can enjoy 80-100 miles of trails. 

Key Details:

• Best trail for beginners: Loop Trail (3 miles)
• Best trail for intermediate: Black Bear (2.4 miles)
• Best trail for advanced: Rude Awakening (1 mile)
• State: Vermont

Why East Burke Ranks as Having the Best Overall Trail Network:

• Great ATV Trail culture: The area is heavily forested, well-maintained, and full of logging roads, which makes it ideal for all skill levels
• Kingdom Trails Association Network: This legendary trail system is well-known for its mixed variety of terrain 
• Mixed skill riders: The Kingdom Trails Association Network is world-renowned for having an eclectic mix of trail difficulty

Best Midwest Access: St. Helen

Because of its sandy terrain, large interconnected riding areas, and year-round access, St. Helen, Michigan, is one of the best towns for trail access in the Midwest. This is where you’ll ride through pine forest and deep sand, making it better for faster riding than slow-going, tight rock crawling in places like Moab. You’ll also have access to state forest roads and other routes that will open up even more miles of terrain. Because this is a central hub for ATVing, you can spend multiple days exploring different routes in counties like Ogemaw, Crawford, and Roscommon. There are also plenty of options for lodging, gas, and food right in town.

Key Details:

• Best trail for beginners: St. Helen ORV Route / Sand Play Area Loops (5-12 miles)
• Best trail for intermediate: St. Helen Motorsport Area Main Trail System (20-50 miles)
• Best trail for advanced: St. Helen → Roscommon / Huron-Manistee forest connectors (50-100 miles)
• State: Michigan

Why St. Helen Ranks as Having the Best Midwest Access:

• Year-Round riding: You can visit St. Helen and ride an ATV any time throughout the year, making it an ideal place to visit any season
• Fast-riding: Because you’re riding through sandy terrain and forests, this is a faster-paced, scenic ride
• Connects multiple routes and counties: St. Helen is a central hub to many other routes and counties in Michigan

Best ATV-Town Culture: Gilbert and Matewan

Gilbert and Matewan, as part of the Hatfield-McCoy trail system, are the best overall trail towns in the US because they offer thousands of miles of beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level terrain. It links up more than 20 ATV-friendly towns, where you can ride your ATV right up to the gas station or hotel. The historical aspect of Hatfield-McCoy also adds to its appeal. Without having to worry about parking their ATV somewhere and walking into town, folks visiting Gilbert can drive their ATV around as they would a car, and it's common to see them at gas stations and restaurants.

Key Details:

• Best trail for beginners: Devil Anse Trail System (30-40 miles)
• Best trail for intermediate: Rockhouse Trail System (100+ miles)
• Best trail for advanced: Buffalo Mountain Trail System (70 miles)
• State: West Virginia

Why Gilbert and Matewan Rank as Having the Best ATV-Town Culture:

• Variety of smaller ATV towns: Because the Hatfield-McCoy trail system is so intricate, you’ll have the chance to visit smaller towns with a lot of southern hospitality that were probably not on your radar
• You'll get a taste of history: Because of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud in the 1800s, this area now boasts historic mining fields, museums, and cemeteries.
• Thousands of acres of terrain: Gilbert is a great hub to explore thousands of acres of terrain

Best Alpine Mountain Riding: Silverton

Silverton in Colorado has the best alpine mountain riding in the USA, as well as the best alpine scenery. As you cruise over mountain passes, you’ll be surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks, old mining towns rich in history, and high alpine lakes. Ghost towns near Silverton include Animas Forks and Eureka. You’ll want to plan your trip to Silverton in the summer, where you’ll have long daylight hours, clear trails, and warm temperatures. Even though the riding season is shorter in Silverton than in other places in the US, that’s what makes it so special.

Key Details:

• Best trail for beginners: South Mineral Road → Clear Lake / Ice Lake approach area (6-10 miles)
• Best trail for intermediate: Alpine Loop (20-60 miles)
• Best trail for advanced: Stony Pass / Cinnamon Pass / Lost Trail Creek (60-80 miles)
• State: Colorado

Why Silverton Ranks as Having the Best Alpine Mountain Riding:

• Stunning mountain scenery: Silverton is one of the only places in the world where you can experience high elevation passes and incredible scenery while ATVing
• Best summer season: For one of the best summer seasons in the USA, Silverton boasts long daylight hours, warm temperatures, and clear trails
• Historic mining towns: For one of the best summer seasons in the USA, Silverton boasts long daylight hours, warm temperatures, and clear trails

Best Scenery and Technical Riding: Chloride

Head to Chloride, Arizona for the best chances of technical riding and arguably some of the most stunning scenery in the USA. With high-altitude vistas, narrow shelf roads, and old mines, like the Lucky Boy Mine, you can navigate across the sandy washes that challenge even the most experienced rider. Whether you’re a beginner rider, an advanced rider, or somewhere in between, you’ll have hundreds of miles of trails to choose from that leave right from Chloride. Not only that, but you'll ride alongside dramatic juniper and pinyon pine trees. 

Key Details:

• Best trail for beginners: AZ Peace Trail Spur to Chloride (9 miles)
• Best trail for intermediate: Spur Loop to Chloride AZ Peace Trail Connector (6 miles)
• Best trail for advanced: East Cottonwood Cove Road (16 miles)
• State: Arizona

Why Chloride Ranks as Having the Best Scenery and Technical Riding:

• Stunning scenery: From sandy washes and high-altitude vistas, the scenery around Chloride leaves every visitor in awe
• Bustling ATV town: Though Chloride is small, you’ll have plenty to choose from in terms of breweries, restaurants, and shops, without losing the small-town charm
• Old mining towns: Chloride is the oldest continuously inhabited mining town in Arizona, and you can ride to the Lucky Boy mine

Best Mixed Adventure Riding: Spearfish and Deadwood

Whether you’re riding up steep terrain or navigating over large boulders, Spearfish and Deadwood are the best locations in the USA for mixed adventure riding. This is where you’ll get a mix of family-friendly tourism, good weather, historic towns, and scenic views along your ride. The Black Hills offer an eclectic mix of old mining towns and a western-tourism atmosphere, giving you more variety than a forest. It's great for adventure riding because you’re also sightseeing.

Key Details:

• Best trail for beginners: Spearfish Quarry Motorized Trailhead + Iron Creek / Northern Hills (5-15 miles)
• Best trail for intermediate: Spearfish Canyon / Nemo / Galena trail network (20-60 miles)
• Best trail for advanced: Deadwood – Camp 5 Trailhead / Boulder Canyon (10-30 miles)
• State: South Dakota

Why Spearfish and Deadwood Rank as Having the Best Mixed Adventure Riding:

• Combination of historic towns and scenic views: The Black Hills serve as a scenic place that ties together indigenous history, pine forest, and mining towns
• Mixed terrain: Spearfish and Deadwood act as hubs for steep terrain that offers tons of adventure riding
• Family-friendly tourism and adventure: Not only do you have beginner trails in The Black Hills, perfect for families, but you also have more advanced trails for expert riders

Best Trails for Hardcore Riding: Oliver Springs

Head to Oliver Springs, Tennessee, for the best hardcore riding in the USA. This is certainly geared toward more advanced riders. Not only does it have difficult climbs, but huge elevation changes, and mud and rock obstacles that make the terrain more technical than others. It’s the gateway to Windrock Park, which has some of the wildest ATV trails in America. It isn’t always easy to find true hardcore terrain at this scale in the USA, which is why people head to Oliver Springs. This is where you’ll have access to the Windrock mountain system, the toughest ATV system east of the Mississippi. You’ll find a majority of the trails here rated red and extreme, though there are a few green trails.

Key Details:

• Best beginner trails: G-Series Gravel Trails (10 miles)
• Best intermediate trails: Mixed G-roads + moderate Windrock connectors (15-40 miles)
• Best advanced trails: Upper Windrock technical trails (20-60 miles)
  
• State: Tennessee

Why Oliver Springs Ranks as Having the Best Hardcore Trails:

• Year-round access and night riding: The trails at Windrock are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, making it ideal for early risers and night riders seeking adventure year-round.
• Massive riding area: With more than 300 miles of trails across 72,000 acres, there is plenty to choose from
• Mountain terrain: Oliver Springs is set in the Appalachians, meaning there’s loose rock, deep mud, tight wooded areas, and changing weather

Best Trails for Families: Richfield

Known as the ATV Capital of the World, Richfield is the best place for families seeking safe beginner terrain, abundant trail options, and a small-town atmosphere. Because of this, it is one of the best family-friendly ATV towns in the USA. It surpasses towns like Moab and Oliver Springs because it lacks the chaos and intensity those towns bring with hardcore riders. This is where you’ll find wide dirt roads, minimal technical sections, and forest service routes.

Key Details:

• Best beginner trails: Pahvant Valley / Richfield → Monroe flat connector roads + Paiute Trail green-rated segments near town (5-20 miles)
• Best intermediate trails: Richfield → Fishlake National Forest connectors (Monroe Mountain / Glenwood / Koosharem routes) (25-70 miles)
• Best advanced trails: Paiute high-elevation alpine connectors (Sevier Plateau / Tushar Mountain system routes toward Beaver or Circleville connections) (80-150 miles)
• State: Utah

Why Richfield Ranks as Having the Best Trails for Families:

• Beginner and intermediate trails: If your family is a mixed-skilled group, these trails make it an ideal place where everyone can go for a ride
• Easy family trips: Because Richfield is an ATV-friendly town, riders can legally drive on designated streets for food and supplies
• Scenic riding: Because Richfield is not an extreme rock-crawling destination, you’ll have smoother forest roads, chances to see wildlife, and fishing access, making it a multi-purpose trip

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for the adventure of a lifetime or a memorable place to bring your family, these ATV trail towns in the USA offer everything you’re looking for, and more. With TrailIntel, you can keep an eye on each ATV route and receive real-time updates to make your trip as seamless as possible.