Head off the beaten path and go off-roading on some of the thousands of miles of trails, roads and open areas in Arizona designed for off-highway vehicles (OHVs), dirt bikes and ATVs.
OHV & Off Roading
TREAD Lightly 5 principles
These five guidelines are designed for off-road vehicle users to protect trails, respect wildlife, and travel responsibly across Arizona’s rugged terrain.
T - Travel Responsibly
Help protect Arizona’s iconic trails by staying on designated roads, trails and areas. Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Cross streams only at designated fords. When possible, avoid wet, muddy trails.
R - Respect the rights of others
Arizona’s trails are for everyone. Help Respect the Rights of Others by being considerate of other trail users. Be a good neighbor by keeping noise and dust down in residential areas and around campsites and crowds.
E - Educate yourself
Know before you go! Plan and prepare for weather, potential emergencies, and mechanical issues. Get to know the trails prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip, take recreation skills classes and know how to operate your equipment safely.
A - Avoid sensitive areas
Arizona is home to unique landscapes and habitats. Help protect them by avoiding sensitive areas such as lakes, meadows, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. Don’t disturb historical, archeological or paleontological sites.
D - Do your part
Do your part to take care of your favorite outdoor spaces. Always leave it better than you found it, pack out your trash, and help prevent the spread of invasive species by cleaning your vehicle and equipment before and after a ride.
Tread Lightly!
Arizona’s wide-open spaces provide picturesque backdrops for off-road adventures. Exploring Arizona’s backcountry in 4WD vehicles, OHVs, ATVs and dirt bikes is a great way to access natural wonders that most visitors do not get to see. With some 40K miles of dirt roads accessible across the state, Arizona invites thrill-seekers to kick up some dirt on high-flying desert trails and rattle their bones on craggy canyon rides.
From the Phoenix area, head to Tonto National Forest to ride a mix of desert and mountain off-road trails. In Northern Arizona, trails in Coconino National Forest wind through red-rock landscapes and ponderosa pines. Set up base camp in Yuma to explore the Imperial Sand Dunes and desert playgrounds along the Colorado River. In Southern Arizona, off-road trails in the Sonoran Desert are studded with iconic saguaros.
Popular Jeep tours in Sedona’s red rock country leave the driving to pros and offer a rugged outdoor adventure with the state’s best photo ops. Rent four-wheelers in Flagstaff and local guides will point out the best trails to explore the area’s volcanic cinder fields. Outfitters along the Mogollon Rim get visitors geared up to climb to mountain summits on remote alpine trails.
With names such as Devil’s Bridge, Cliffhanger and Edge of the World, Arizona’s off-road trails promise full-throttle excitement, white-knuckle technical challenges and scenic rolls through some of the Southwest’s most romanticized landscapes.
The Arizona Office of Tourism partnered with Arizona State Parks and Trails and Tread Lightly! to promote responsible Off-Highway Vehicle Usage across Arizona.
Where to Ride
Looking for great places to ride your OHV in Arizona? There are nearly 40K miles of off-highway trails throughout the state, and Arizona State Parks and Trails has cataloged many of these epic off-road experiences so they’re more accessible to users.
How (and Where) to OHV in AZ
Arizona has thousands of miles of trails, roads, and open areas for off-highway vehicles (OHVs), motorbikes and ATVs.
Hit the Open Road: 5 Off-Road Trails in Arizona
Outdoor Adventures
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Tour the Terrain: Off-roading in Arizona
Ditch the main lane for some off-road adventures on Jeeps, ATVs and more.
Off-Roading Arizona Escapades
If ever a state was designed for off-road adventures, this is it. Endless sunshine, wide-open spaces and rugged terrain ranging from cactus-studded desert to red rock canyons to fragrant pine forests make Arizona an irresistible playground for exploring in off-highway vehicles (OHV), all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and motorbikes.
Mountain Biking in Arizona
Explore Organ Pipe's Backcountry by Bike
The national monument's rugged roads carry bikepackers through the 'most beautiful portion of the Sonoran Desert'.
