Texas Porch

Off-roading / Where you can ride

Where you can ride.

Texas is about 95% private, so there isn't much public land to ride - and most serious off-roading happens at private parks with a day fee. Here are the main public venues, the national forest trail, and the best-known private parks. The list below is a starting point, not the full list.

Public OHV venues

On the TPWD Ride Texas list. The Texas OHV decal is required at these.

Public OHV area

Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area

Gilmer · Upshur County

ATVs, motorcycles, side-by-sides, and full-size 4x4s; camping and cabins

One of the biggest public riding areas in the state (run by a non-profit).

Decal: Texas OHV decal required

More info ->

Public OHV area

Northwest OHV Park

Bridgeport · Wise County

All OHV types; good for beginners

Decal: Texas OHV decal required

More info ->

Public OHV area

Trophy Club Park at Grapevine Lake

Trophy Club · Denton County

ATVs and motorcycles only (no side-by-sides); beginner-friendly

Decal: Texas OHV decal required

More info ->

National forest & federal land

Federal land

Sam Houston National Forest

East Texas · Multiple counties

About 85 miles of multi-use motorized trail for ATVs and motorcycles

Ride only on roads and trails on the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). Only street-legal vehicles on the forest roads themselves. No cross-country riding.

Decal: Follow USFS rules

More info ->

Federal land

Red River BLM land

Texas/Oklahoma border · Clay, Wichita & Wilbarger Counties

Federal Bureau of Land Management land along the river

Decal: Check current access

More info ->

Private off-road parks

Where most people ride. They charge a day or annual fee and have their own rules and waivers. Other well-known spots include Katemcy Rocks (rock crawling near Mason) and sandy Canadian River riding in the Panhandle.

Private park

Hidden Falls Adventure Park

near Marble Falls · Burnet County

About 2,100 acres and hundreds of miles of trails for 4x4s, ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes; camping on-site

The state's best-known off-road destination.

Decal: Private park - day fees about $30 adult / $15 minor (under 6 free); decal may or may not be required, so call ahead

More info ->

State parks - mostly no

Most Texas state parks do NOT allow OHV recreation - you can't take your ATV or side-by-side trail riding in a typical state park. Eisenhower State Park near Denison historically had a small OHV trail area (the Ironweed Trail), but its OHV trails appear to be closed as of 2026. Always check a specific park's current rules, and call before you drive out.

National parks - no

National parks prohibit OHVs. Big Bend National Park, for example, does not allow ATVs, UTVs, golf carts, sand rails, or any non-street-legal vehicle, even on its backcountry roads - those require a fully street-legal, registered vehicle. The Texas OHV plate does not meet that standard.

Your own land - yes

On your own private property, you don't need the state OHV decal, a safety certificate, or the public-land safety-gear rules. (TPWD still recommends a helmet and eye protection - it's just smart.)

If you hunt

Off-roading and hunting

If you hunt, here's how the two rule sets fit together:

  • On public land you can't ride cross-country - including to retrieve game. Off the public trails, it isn't allowed.
  • One exception on TPWD-managed land: a hunter with a disabled-person license plate or placard may drive an ATV or UTV directly to and from their hunting spot - but not for any other riding.
  • On your own private land, your OHV rules are up to you; the public-land restrictions don't apply.
See the Texas hunting hub ->

Before you go

Official sources

The venue list comes from TPWD's Ride Texas; national forest trails from the U.S. Forest Service; park bans from the National Park Service and TPWD. The list changes - call ahead.

Data vintage:
Built on the 2025-2026 decal year
Last reviewed:
June 15, 2026

Caution: Venues open and close, and whether a private park needs the decal depends on grant funding. The official pages are the final word - call the venue before you go.

Spot something that needs a Texas check? This first pass is built to be polished over time. Send the page name, county, parcel context if relevant, and the official source you are looking at. Email Texas Porch.