Minnesota -(Ammoland.com)- Minnesotans with all-terrain vehicles registered for private or agricultural use won’t need to pay the additional registration fee ($53.50 for three years) to ride the state’s public ATV trails on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8.
Out-of-state riders can explore Minnesota ATV trails that weekend as well, without the need for a nonresident trail pass ($21 annually).
This is the second year that Minnesota is providing ATV riders with free access to more than 3,000 miles of state forest and grant-in-aid (GIA) trails during “No Registration Weekend.”
“We see this weekend as a great opportunity to showcase the wide variety of state and grant-in-aid trails across Minnesota,” said Mary Straka, off-highway vehicle program coordinator. “There are a large number of privately registered ATVs across the state that, during this weekend, can give the public trails a try and ride for free.”
Some great places to start, according to Straka, include:
The Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area, a 1,200-acre OHV park in Gilbert with 36 miles of scenic trails for riders of all abilities.
The 100-mile trail system in Nemadji State Forest, which connects to the Matthew Lourey State Trail and the Gandy Dancer Trail for more riding opportunities.
The 29-mile Spider Lake trail system in Foot Hills State Forest, where riders will curve around lakes and ponds, go up and down a variety of hills, and view overlooks from the ridges throughout the forest.
These and other riding destinations are featured in a new 72-page Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Atlas. The atlas includes maps, descriptions, parking and other information for 51 state and GIA trails for ATVs, off-highway motorcycles (OHMs) and off-road vehicles (ORVs).
About the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state’s natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recreational trails, and recreation areas as well as managing minerals, wildlife, and forestry. The agency is currently divided into sections Ecological Resources, Enforcement, Fish & Wildlife, Forestry, Lands and Minerals, Waterways, Parks and Trails, and Waters.