Places to ride quads/dirt bikes near Rathdrum/Hayden that don't cost money (Wallace: hotel)

[SS454ElCamino]

Any good public places to go riding, and camping for free or a reasonable fee (camping, and riding)? Or just go for the day, and not camp?

[Huck L. Berry]

Originally Posted by SS454ElCamino

Any good public places to go riding, and camping for free or a reasonable fee (camping, and riding)? Or just go for the day, and not camp?

Idaho Panhandle National Forests - OHV Riding & Camping

[SS454ElCamino]

Thanks for the link. That is very helpful, and I appreciate the response.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

ElCamino, here are the "Motor Vehicle Use Maps", they show you the roads/trails open to motorized recreation and what seasonal closures are in effect. Idaho2520Panhandle2520National2520Forests-2520Maps The link Huck has just seems to show forest service campgrounds, there are no specific off road parks or anything there. Not a very professional job by the Forest Service...they do a terrible job with their web sites.

You might also be interested in the local ATV club: Welcome to the North Idaho ATV Association, Inc. Website We do rides and campouts regularly during the summer. I'm planning a long, multi-day trip of camping off the RZR this summer (did the bike last year). Dirt bikes/dual sports are welcome on club events...I'm the VP and spent a couple seasons on bikes.

If you want to know more about dirt bikes specifically, check out PANTRA: PANTRA - Panhandle Trail Riders Association For dual sports, ADV Rider has a regional forum that is pretty active around here.

Right around Rathdrum, much of the land is private and owned by Inland Paper. You can buy a permit to ride their land. However, much of the rest of NID is federal land, a couple million acres worth. There are a good number of places to ride. You mention Hayden, just head up Hayden Creek road and it will put you right into federal land, or out Ohio Match or Bunco Road (at Sliverwood). Bunco has a nice parking area right where the pavement ends.

Some of the best riding anywhere is out of Wallace. We usually camp or hotel it there and ride a weekend or two a year.

As far as camping is concerned, there are a fair number of "developed" Forest Service (as well as private) campgrounds around, most charge a fee. However, for dispersed camping, you can go anywhere in the NF and camp for free. Great for those of us that camp off OHVs.

Registration is cheap at $12 per year. A $3 plate lets you ride on FS and all county and city roads/streets, and is good for 7 years. You can ride anywhere except numbered state highways or interstates.

What machines do you guys ride?

[SS454ElCamino]

I will be looking to buy a couple of quads for the kids, and a motorcycle for myself. We are right in the middle of moving (relocating) to NID and I sold everything. I had a XL600 honda and we still have a XR 80, and a XR75. Those are the only ones left. I am pretty much open to anything, but I am a big guy, and would probably look for a good used 450F or even a 500 2 stroke if I could find a clean one. Thanks for the information.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by SS454ElCamino

I will be looking to buy a couple of quads for the kids, and a motorcycle for myself. We are right in the middle of moving (relocating) to NID and I sold everything. I had a XL600 honda and we still have a XR 80, and a XR75. Those are the only ones left. I am pretty much open to anything, but I am a big guy, and would probably look for a good used 450F or even a 500 2 stroke if I could find a clean one. Thanks for the information.

Congrats on the move. If you're into off-road activities, you should like it here! Keep in touch on here, even if you don't make some club events we can get together and go play. Most of the ATV club events are very family friendly and open for all ages. On our family rides we often have kids in the single digits riding. It's great to see more youngsters get involved in the sport.

The WR450F is a popular bike around here. We're also seeing more KTMs, many of their bikes are street legal, but don't give up performance in the dirt. There is a dealer in CDA now too.

[SS454ElCamino]

I am definitely interested in your club events, and I can't wait to get there permanently. I also need a good used vehicle in the next 3 weeks that can hold 7-9 people. Thanks for being so helpful. I don't know anybody there yet, and frankly this is pretty scary. I look forward to meeting new people, yourself included.

[metalholica2001]

Hello every 1, names Dave and have a few ?'s. Iv lived in Spokane for about a year now working on my second, I'm a riding freak and cant seem to find the people that have the same motivation of riding that I do. I know for a fact that I shouldn't ride alone but when ur friends don't have the motivation as I do what do ya do, so my ? is should I join a group like ur talking about above in one of the reply's or am I on my own??

Dave