The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) has announced its new online off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail mapping application. Trail enthusiasts can browse the entire state of Idaho for dirt bike, ATV, UTV and jeep trails. Once you’ve selected your riding area, you can print a map at home or download the file and take it to a third party to be printed on a larger scale.
Another exciting feature is the ability to export your trail map into Google Earth. From there, all of the popular Google Earth tools are available such as viewing in 3D and changing the orientation of the map.
The website www.trails.idaho.gov/ features an interactive map of Idaho which lets you zoom in and out of various locations. You can also search for trails by name, feature or nearby city. Select an individual trail and you will get the trail name and number, as well as distance, trail type (i.e. dirt bike, ATV, UTV or a combination) and weather conditions. There are also directions for driving, road conditions and contact information.
You can create your own route using the distance calculator, which gives directions while calculating the mileage between points on the route. Additionally, there is a feature that allows you to download routes to a handheld GPS unit. Once you’ve created your route, you can download your ride and take the GPS with you on the trail.
Hopefully, this new site will help answer the frequently asked question: “Where can I get a map of the ATV trails in Idaho?” Typically, people went to a land manager such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or U. S. Forest Service (USFS) since most OHV opportunities in Idaho occur on federal land. The printed maps for navigation aren’t free and can sometimes be difficult to interpret. If a trail crossed both BLM and USFS ground, two maps were necessary in order to navigate. IDPR wants to provide a one-stop shop for OHV trail maps that are readily available and cover all riding areas across the state.
For more information visit http://www.trails.idaho.gov/
