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Where can I ride my OHV in the Ocala National Forest ?You may ride your motorized vehicle on all numbered and non-numbered dirt roads and trails if your vehicle has a license plate, is registered and you conform to all applicable regulations for the State of Florida. If your ATV or Motorcycle is NOT licensed , you may NOT ride on any numbered forest roads. These are posted at Intersections with Forest Road (FR) signs. Usually the best way to tell if the road is numbered is by the size and frequency of travel by other vehicles. If it is a graded or maintained clay road, it is most likely a numbered road. What about the power lines? Ninety-nine percent of the power line area in the south end of the Ocala Forest, including the St. Francis and Paisley areas are open to OHV travel. You may not ride any unlicensed vehicles on FR 573 west of SR I9. All areas between metal Armco barriers are protected and posted “CLOSED TO ALL VEHICLES.” What areas of the forest are off limits to motorized vehicles? We cannot go into any of the Wilderness, Scenic, “Posted Closed” areas or the Bombing Range. We cannot travel on biking and hiking trails or fire breaks. We cannot leave any of the established OHV trails. This is called cross country travel and is prohibited. This type of trail jumping or blazing is very damaging to the forest. If you are driving on vegetation you are doing it wrong. Some of the most devastating damage occurring in the Ocala National Forest is in the wetlands and prairie areas. These areas are absolutely OFF LIMITS to all vehicles. Many of the plants and animals that we come to the forest to see survive because of the ecology of these areas. Without them, we all lose. Please stay out of these areas and encourage your fellow riders to do the same. Stay on the existing trails and DO NOT make new trails with motorcycles, ATVs or 4WD vehicles. Where can I get a map of the forest? You can purchase a good map at one of the two visitor centers in Pittman, Ocklawaha or Salt Springs or the two District Offices, Seminole Ranger District office on SR I9 in Umatilla or the Lake George Ranger District office on SR 40 west of SR I9. If I see a vehicle in a Wetland or Prairie what can I do? Call the USFS Fire Dispatch 7 days a week between 8:30AM & 6:00 PM at (352) 759-2081 and report the violation and the location. What’s the bottom line here? When the pavement ends, the rules change. But...there are still important rules. It is up to you and I to ensure that our outdoor recreational resources are preserved, protected and available for our children. If we abuse our forests, we will lose our access to them. The U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is charged with protecting the resources. If we don’t take proper care of them, they will have to close the trails. The rules are there, we must teach each other what they are and follow them. Spread the word. Tell your family and friends. Write a letter to the USFS today. Tell them how you feel. Tell them how you are the “solution”, not the “problem”. Send comments to: US Forest Service 325 John Knox Road, Suite F-100 Tallahassee FL 32303
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