Ride the Wilds Since 2013
Ride the Wilds gives ATV and UTV riders a way to connect trails and communities across New Hampshire’s North Country, but the scale can make planning feel overwhelming. This guide explains how the network developed, which areas it connects, what to check before setting out, and how to ride with care when conditions, access, and trail rules vary from place to place.
What Ride the Wilds is and how it developed
A regional network rather than one continuous trail
Ride the Wilds is best understood as a regional trail network, not a single, uniformly managed route. Launched in 2013, the initiative brought attention to the connections between riding areas in Coos County. Riders can travel through a changing patchwork of club trails, corridors, and roads where OHRV use is permitted, with towns and trailheads serving as practical landmarks along the way.
That distinction matters when you’re planning a trip. A line on a map may represent a route through several local systems, not a trail maintained by one organization from start to finish. Trail conditions, width limits, seasonal closures, and available services can differ between sections. Before you ride, check information from the clubs responsible for the areas you’ll visit, rather than assuming that a route’s overall name guarantees access everywhere along it.
The regional scale is part of the appeal: a ride can link communities, forests, and trail areas instead of circling one staging lot. It also makes preparation more important. A route that looks straightforward on a screen may involve a long distance between fuel, food, or a place to stop if weather changes. For an overview of the area and its broader connections, see [Ride the Wilds in Coos County] and [1,000 New Hampshire Miles Linked in Coos County].
Why the 2013 starting point matters
The launch in 2013 marked a push to present the region as a connected destination for riders. That kind of project depends on more than a route map. Clubs and landowners have to coordinate access, volunteers have to maintain trails, and nearby towns need to accommodate the people who arrive to ride, eat, refuel, and stay overnight.
For visitors, the date is useful context, not a promise that every route has remained unchanged since the network began. Trail systems evolve. A bridge may need repair, a landowner may change access conditions, or a club may close a section for maintenance or seasonal reasons. Long-standing regional identity and day-to-day trail status are two separate things: the first helps explain the destination, while the second determines where you can ride on a particular trip.
That’s why trip planning should pair the big-picture idea with local details. A regional overview can help you choose an area, but current club maps and trail-status notices are more useful when deciding which route to take tomorrow. Riders using a navigation app such as onX Offroad can use it as another planning layer, but should compare mapped routes with local notices and posted signs before relying on them.
Where the network takes riders
The North Country communities along the way
Coos County is a large rural region, and a ride through its OHRV areas can involve more than one town or club system. Berlin and Gorham are useful reference points in the southern part of the North Country, while Milan, Dummer, Errol, Colebrook, Stratford, and Pittsburg help orient riders farther north. These places aren’t just names on a map: they’re where you may find staging options, lodging, fuel, restaurants, or access to a particular trail area.
The practical choice of starting point depends on the ride you want. Someone looking for a shorter outing may prefer to stage near one community and stay within a local club area. A more experienced group with enough time, fuel, and route-planning experience might connect multiple areas. Don’t assume, though, that every community has public parking for trailers or that every business is located directly beside a trail. Confirm staging arrangements and business access before unloading.
Club systems are central to understanding the region. Groups such as Great North Woods Riders, the Milan Trail Huggers, and clubs in the Colebrook and Stratford areas support local trail access and maintenance. Their routes may connect with the wider regional network, but the rules and conditions for an individual section still need local confirmation. For regional club context, see [Great North Woods Riders in Northern New Hampshire] and [Milan Trail Huggers at Dummer].
Choosing a route that fits your group
A route that suits one rider may be a poor fit for another. Families, newer riders, and groups with different levels of experience often do better with a shorter plan that has clear landmarks and a realistic turnaround point. More confident riders may be comfortable covering greater distances, but should still leave room for stops, slow sections, and unexpected delays. On a large network, “we’ll just keep going” can turn into a long day if the group hasn’t agreed on a route beforehand.
Machine size is another deciding factor. A wide side-by-side may not be allowed on every trail or corridor, even when a smaller ATV can pass. Check width restrictions for each intended section, and don’t rely on another rider’s account of a route unless you know what machine they were using and when they traveled it. A route can also narrow at gates or pass through sections with tight turns, rough surfaces, or limited room to pull aside.
| Planning question | Why it matters | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Which town will we start from? | It determines staging, services, and the trails within reach. | Parking permission, launch point, and nearby fuel or food |
| What machine are we bringing? | Width and handling can affect which trails are suitable. | Club rules, posted limits, and route restrictions |
| How far is the planned ride? | Distance affects fuel, daylight, and the group’s comfort. | Map scale, turnaround options, and expected stops |
| Who is in the group? | Different skills and ages may call for a less demanding route. | Rider experience, supervision needs, and machine fit |
| What could close the route? | A closure can change the plan or make a connection unavailable. | Club status updates, signs, and conditions on the day |
When using a digital map, treat it as a planning aid rather than proof of permission. onX Offroad can help riders visualize routes and terrain, but local club information and signs remain essential for checking access. Download or save the information you’ll need before leaving service, and make sure everyone in the group understands the same planned route. For trip ideas based on specific parts of the region, see [Riding From Berlin to Pittsburg] and [Riding From Gorham to Errol].
Planning a safe and workable ride
Check access, registration, and current trail status
New Hampshire’s OHRV access rules aren’t the same as simply owning a registered machine in another state. Visitors should confirm what registration is required for the machine they plan to ride in New Hampshire, including whether a short-term option applies to their circumstances. A registration from Maine, Vermont, or Massachusetts should not be assumed to cover riding here. [Riding New Hampshire With an Out-of-State Machine] explains why visiting riders need to check New Hampshire requirements.
Registration is only one part of access. It does not give a rider permission to use private land, enter a closed trail, or ride a route that is not open to that machine. Landowner agreements and club rules matter, and the posted sign at a trail entrance is not something to wave away because a digital map shows a line continuing beyond it. Before leaving home, review [New Hampshire Trail Status Before You Ride] and make a fresh check close to departure.
Conditions can change quickly in the North Country. Spring mud, washouts, high water, construction, hunting-season restrictions, and land-access changes can affect whether a route is open or appropriate. A trail that was passable on a dry summer weekend may be a very different ride after heavy rain. If an area is closed, choose another open route rather than trying to bypass a barrier. That protects the trail and helps maintain the relationships that keep access available.
Prepare for distance, weather, and patchy service
A comfortable ride starts with a realistic estimate of how long the route may take. Trail distance rarely translates into road-driving time: uneven surfaces, stops, traffic at narrow points, and group pace all add time. Set a turnaround time before leaving, and tell someone who isn’t riding where you expect to be and when you plan to return. If your route crosses multiple club areas, account for the possibility that one section may be slower or unavailable.
Pack for the day you might get, not only the sunny morning you start with. Weather can shift, and the temperature can feel different when you’re moving or stopping in the woods. Bring suitable layers, water, food, basic first-aid supplies, and the tools or equipment appropriate for your machine. Check your fuel before departure and plan refueling around confirmed options, not a guess that a store or pump will be open when you arrive.
Cell service can be unreliable in remote sections. A navigation app such as onX Offroad may be useful for reviewing a route or keeping map information available, but don’t make a working connection your only way to navigate. Save maps for offline use where the app supports it, carry a backup plan, and agree on what the group will do if riders become separated. For more trip-preparation detail, see [Cell Dead Zones in the North Country] and [Fuel Stops Across the North Country].
What the ride is like on the ground
Expect a mix of trail conditions and surroundings
The appeal of riding in Coos County is partly the change of scene. A route can pass through wooded corridors, open stretches, and working rural landscapes, with views and terrain varying across the day. Some rides feel quiet and remote; others bring you through areas where local traffic, logging activity, or other trail users require extra attention. It’s worth treating every section as its own environment rather than assuming a single riding style will suit the whole route.
Trail surfaces also vary. Riders may encounter packed dirt, loose gravel, mud, rocks, roots, puddles, and uneven sections. Wet areas can be especially tempting to power through, but aggressive riding may widen a muddy trail or damage the edges. Slow down, follow the established line, and avoid creating a bypass around an obstacle. What seems like a harmless shortcut can turn into erosion or a route closure after repeated use.
Keep an eye out for other people using the area. That can include hikers, workers, landowners, hunters, and riders traveling in the opposite direction. Reduce speed where visibility is limited, approach gates and intersections carefully, and give others room to pass. If a section is shared with a road or another type of corridor, follow the rules posted for that location rather than carrying trail speed into a busier area.
Plan stops and overnight arrangements in advance
Towns along the network can make a multi-day trip more comfortable, but services are not guaranteed at every trail junction. Research where you can get fuel, food, and lodging, and confirm that your route actually reaches the place you expect to use. A restaurant may be close by car but not legally accessible by machine. Likewise, an attractive trail-side spot is not automatically an authorized place to camp or leave a trailer overnight.
For an overnight trip, consider the machine, the riders, and the support plan together. Is there a secure place to park? Can you reach the lodging by an allowed route? What happens if the trail closes or the group arrives later than expected? Having a road-accessible backup plan can reduce pressure to continue riding when conditions or daylight suggest stopping.
Pack out what you bring, keep noise and riding behavior considerate near homes and businesses, and follow any local parking instructions. Riders are visitors in communities that support the regional network, and a little courtesy matters. A respectful stop at a local business can be part of the experience; blocking an entrance or leaving muddy gear where it creates a problem can sour it quickly. If you’re planning a longer outing, [Planning a Week on Ride the Wilds] and [New Hampshire Multi-Day Trail Rides] offer useful planning angles.
Keeping the network available for the next ride
Club work and landowner relationships support access
A connected riding area depends on ongoing work that’s easy to overlook when everything is going smoothly. Clubs help maintain routes, communicate conditions, and coordinate with landowners and other stakeholders. Volunteers may clear debris, repair trail structures, post signs, or organize work parties. A section that looks simple from the seat of a machine can require repeated effort to keep it safe and passable.
Landowner permission is especially important because routes may cross private property or land managed under specific agreements. Permission can have conditions, and access may change. Stay on marked routes, respect gates and closure signs, and don’t treat an unposted road or field as an invitation to ride. One rider ignoring an access boundary can create trouble for a whole club area, including for people who follow the rules.
Joining or supporting a local club is one way riders can contribute to the system they use. It can also help visitors learn which routes are open, what local expectations are, and where to find updates. A membership does not override closures or replace registration requirements, but it can connect riders with the people who know the area. For a closer look at how club activity supports the network, see [The Bureau of Trails and New Hampshire Clubs].
Ride in a way that protects trail access
Responsible riding is practical, not abstract. Stay on the designated route instead of cutting around mud. Stop before crossing a road and check carefully for traffic. Slow down near homes, trailheads, and busy intersections. If you see a closure, turn around and report a damaged sign or hazard through the appropriate club channel rather than moving the barrier or continuing past it.
Be particularly thoughtful around logging operations and other work vehicles. A truck may need more room than you expect, and the operator may not see an approaching machine right away. Pull over where it is safe, make yourself visible, and follow any directions given by workers or posted signs. Similar care applies around hunters and other trail users: yield when appropriate, keep noise and speed controlled, and avoid turning a shared corridor into a confrontation.
Finally, make the trip manageable for the least experienced person in the group. A relaxed pace, clear regrouping points, and a willingness to shorten the ride can prevent a small problem from becoming an emergency. The region’s scale can make a big day tempting, but a route enjoyed safely is better than one that leaves a rider exhausted, short on fuel, or pushing beyond daylight.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.
