ATV permits available and season dates set for ATV Regional Trail Connector Pilot in PA Wilds
- by Guest Contributor
- April 10, 2023
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Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) press release
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced that permits for the ATV Regional Trail Connector Pilot in the northcentral region of the state are now available for purchase.
This year’s pilot riding area will center upon Potter and Tioga counties, but will also include parts of Clinton and Lycoming counties. A digital map of the riding area is available on DCNR’s website.
This part of the region includes the Dark Skies landscape and I-80 Frontier landscape of the PA Wilds. If you’re traveling through the region with the ATV trails, check out the landscape pages for ideas of places to visit and thing to experience.
“DCNR continues to assess the ATV riding community’s desires to be able to travel long distances legally and without interruption through this pilot project,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “We take seriously our role in connecting ATV trails and we will use this pilot program to determine whether sections of state forest roads may serve as permanent strategic connectors for regional ATV trails on a limited, case-by-case basis.”
Permits are required to use the designated PennDOT and State Forest ATV Connector Roads, the cost of which will serve to offset implementation and management of the program. Permits for the 2023 will cost $40 for Pennsylvania registered ATVs and $60 for non-Pennsylvania registered ATVs. Regional ATV Connector Pass permit sales opened April 3.
Permits are available for in-person sales only between the hours of 8:00 A.M and 4:00 P.M. Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fridays, and 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays at Sproul, Susquehannock, Tiadaghton, or Tioga state forest district offices. District office hours are subject to change throughout the riding season.
Permit applications will be accepted by mail by sending a properly completed permit application form available on DCNR’s website to Penn Nursery, 137 Penn Nursery Road, Spring Mills, Pennsylvania 16875. Permits will be processed according to the date they are received and will be postmarked within three to five business days of receipt.
The trail route categories are as follows:
- More than 400 miles of township roads
- 163 miles of state forest roads and trails
- 33 miles of PennDOT-administered roads
The pilot riding area will open for use on Friday, May 26, 2023, and will remain open until, Sunday, September 24, 2023. Though the pilot areas will be marked, riders will be expected to familiarize themselves with the portions of road and trail that are open to ensure they are operating in legal areas. A printable version of the map is also available on DCNR’s website.
Image: The connector trail map for the 2023 pilot riding area.
This ATV Regional Trail Connector program is in response to growing ATV purchases, registrations, and public demand for increased riding opportunities. Through collaborations with public and private partners, the pilot aims to offer long-distance riding opportunities and contribute to local economies, while maintaining the many uses and values of the state forest system. DCNR recently revised its ATV trail policy, which lifted the moratorium on new trails that had been in place since 2003.
DCNR is gathering public input on the pilot through a variety of methods, including webinars, surveys, comment cards, public meetings, and advisory committees. To comment on the ATV Regional Trail Connector Pilot, please send an email to: RA-NR-ATV-Pilot@pa.gov
To gauge the impact of the pilot, DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry is implementing a comprehensive monitoring program that will evaluate the impact of the trail to local communities; ecological values; other state forest users and recreational values; Bureau of Forestry operations, staffing and law enforcement capacity; public safety; and impacts to adjacent public lands and natural resources; and have partnered with researchers from Penn State to evaluate social, sound, and economic impacts of the pilot.
The monitoring program will also evaluate the effectiveness of the special permit, the adequacy of funding for continued operation of the trail, and the need for additional education, outreach, and trail marketing. DCNR will publish a report about the pilot project for further evaluation and stakeholder input by December 2023.
Additional information about the ATV Regional Trail Connector pilot program.
Visit DCNR’s website for more information about ATV riding opportunities in state forests and check out DCNR’s Calendar of Events for events on public lands.
About DCNR:
Established on July 1, 1995, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is charged with maintaining and protecting 121 state parks; managing 2.2 million acres of state forest land; providing information on the state’s ecological and geologic resources; and establishing community conservation partnerships with grants and technical assistance to benefit rivers, trails, greenways, local parks and recreation, regional heritage parks, open space, and natural areas. DCNR’s mission is to conserve and sustain Pennsylvania’s natural resources for present and future generations’ use and enjoyment. Learn more at DCNR.pa.gov.
