Black Hills Parks & Forests Association
What you need before you ride the forest’s motorized trail system: the trail permit, where it is valid, the rules on the trail, and how to get around with the Motor Vehicle Use Map.
Black Hills National Forest keeps more than 3,800 miles of roads and trails open to motor vehicles, including a designated system of over 600 miles of motorized trail for off-highway vehicles. This is public land, managed by the US Forest Service for several uses at once: recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed, and timber. Riding here is welcome, and it comes with a few clear responsibilities.
Off-highway vehicles cover ATVs, UTVs or side-by-sides, and dirt bikes. To ride the designated motorized trail system in the South Dakota part of the forest, each machine needs a Motorized Vehicle Use Trail Permit. The permit is not red tape for its own sake. The fees go straight back into the trail system: maintenance, signs, and keeping routes open and safe for everyone who rides them.
Before any ride, get the Motor Vehicle Use Map for the district you are heading to. It is the map that shows which roads and trails are open to which kinds of vehicle, and it is the difference between a legal ride and an accidental violation. For the non-motorized side of the forest, see the trails, biking, and scenic drives guide, and for the full picture of the forest, start at the Black Hills National Forest hub.
Need it today? Buy your permit in person at BHPFA’s headquarters in downtown Custer, SD, or at any Black Hills National Forest office. Have time to spare? Order it online from the Black Hills & Badlands Tourism Association and allow 8 to 10 days for it to arrive by mail.
A quick checklist. Have these squared away before you unload the trailer, and the day goes smoothly.
Required for any motor vehicle on a designated motorized trail in the South Dakota portion of the forest.
Drivers must be at least 14 and carry a valid driver’s license to operate on public roads and Forest Service roads.
Helmets are required for every rider under 18. Eye protection is required for everyone.
Off-highway vehicles need a working, approved spark arrestor and must stay within legal sound limits.
Free at ranger district offices or on your phone through the Avenza Maps app. It shows what is open to what.
Cross-country travel is prohibited. Know your route and keep to designated motorized trails.
How you buy your permit depends on when you need it. There are two paths, and both fund the same trail work.
If you are riding this weekend, buy in person for a same-day permit. If your trip is a few weeks out, ordering online is the easy route, as long as you leave time for the mail.
In person, same day. Permits are sold over the counter at:
Online, by mail. Order from the Black Hills & Badlands Tourism Association. Permits are mailed and usually arrive within 8 to 10 days, so this path suits riders planning ahead rather than heading out tomorrow. Pricing is set at the point of sale, so check the current fee when you buy.
A permit only counts if a ranger can see it. Mount yours where it belongs and keep it clear of dirt and gear:
Permits are valid through December 31 of the year you buy them, so a permit bought in July covers the rest of that riding season.
The forest’s designated motorized trail system runs across the South Dakota hills, with more routes and open roads on the Wyoming side. The one document that ties it all together is the Motor Vehicle Use Map, or MVUM. Each ranger district has its own map, and each map marks which roads and trails are open, and to which kinds of vehicle. Riding a route that is not on the map, or is not open to your vehicle type, is a violation even if the ground looks rideable.
Pick up free paper copies at any ranger district office, or download the digital maps from the Black Hills National Forest website. For your phone, the free Avenza Maps app is the practical choice: download the maps for the Bearlodge, Northern Hills, Mystic, and Hell Canyon districts, then use them offline. Cell service in the forest is spotty, so an offline map you already have beats one you are trying to load at the trailhead.
Normal driving on open forest roads needs no trail permit. A street-legal, licensed vehicle can use public highways and Forest Service roads that are open to traffic. The trail permit is specifically for riding the designated motorized trails, which is where the off-highway system begins. When in doubt, the MVUM settles it.
Most of the rules come down to staying where you are supposed to be and treating the land and other users with respect. These are the ones worth knowing before you ride.
Cross-country travel is prohibited. Ride only the roads and trails shown as open on the MVUM.
Street-legal, licensed vehicles may use open public highways and Forest Service roads without a trail permit.
Yield to uphill traffic, to horses, and to people on foot or bikes. Slow down when visibility is poor.
Close every gate you open, and respect private property inside and along the forest boundary.
Cross streams only at designated crossings. Avoid wet, muddy surfaces so you do not cause erosion.
Rules and registration differ by state. Check the South Dakota Department of Revenue and Wyoming State Parks.
The forest stays open to riding because riders take care of it. A few habits keep the trails in shape, the water clean, and the peace with everyone else who uses these hills.
Travel only on the roads and trails that are open to your vehicle. Instead of spinning your wheels or steering around obstacles, ease over them; going around is what widens a trail and cuts new ruts. Do not create a fresh route to skirt a wet spot, and never blaze your own path across country.
Avoid wet, soft surfaces that erode under a tire, and cross streams only at the designated crossings. Wash your machine after a ride, too. Mud carries the seeds of non-native weeds from one drainage to the next, and a quick rinse keeps you from planting them on the next trail.
Yield to uphill traffic, to horseback riders, and to anyone on foot or on a bike. Slow down where you cannot see far, close every gate you open, and give private property a wide, respectful berth. The next rider’s welcome depends on this one being a good guest.
The USDA Forest Service manages the forest for multiple uses at once, which is why motorized trails, hiking routes, wildlife, and timber all share the same acres. Riding with that in mind is the whole idea behind ride responsibly.
Every permit and every membership goes back into the work that keeps Black Hills National Forest rideable: trail maintenance, signs, and the education programs that teach the next riders to ride responsibly. Black Hills Parks & Forests Association is the forest’s nonprofit cooperating association.
