ocala forest

[scrubrat]

Hey members, was riding the ocala forest near salt sprints, spoke with ranger, they are actually setting up 5 areas in the forest friendly to atvs, with parking and all.  Designated legal trails for us to ride, should be completed within this year.  Was great news !

[RL400]

Woah woah woah, wait a sec....  Theres actually MORE places opening up so people can actually ride their ATVs?  IMPOSSIBLE!  If true, this is great news for those that ride there.  They need to do something for south FL.

rl.

[cain73]

Is it 5 additional areas or are they giving with 1 hand and taking with the other? I wonder if they are trying to restrict the areas that we have access to by saying we can ride only in these 5 spots. The 5   spots might be a much smaller area than is open to us now. I hate to be a pessimist but I have to wonder.

[Bigscrb15]

Is it 5 additional areas or are they giving with 1 hand and taking with the other? I wonder if they are trying to restrict the areas that we have access to by saying we can ride only in these 5 spots. The 5 spots might be a much smaller area than is open to us now. I hate to be a pessimist but I have to wonder.

I am thinking you might be right on track. I will say though that I would rather have a smaller riding area with maintained one way trails than an open area like Bigscrub that you dont know if your gonna come around a corner and hit head on a sport quad going 50mph.

[AintSkeered]

There's another thread somewhere on this website which details all of the facts(vs. opinion). One of the ATV Florida regulars posted it, just last week. If I can find it, I'll post. Currently, we can "technically" ride anywhere but those marked restricted areas. In reality, we only ride on pre-existing woop-ridden trails anyway. And, most of those have duplicate or parallel trails with no design on safety. Besides, when was the last time YOU made or maintained a trail in ONF? The new plan is to have 150-200 miles of one-way ATV trails, which will be maintained by the Forest Service. Not sure what "maintained" will actually mean, though. How many miles of trails can you ride on any given weekend?

[Chillinthemost]

You got it Cain, they are not interested in making it better for us. They are trying to limit the "destruction" that we cause. The results for us will be: same amount of machines on fewer trails It will only make the whoops worse. They are supposed to groom the trails, yea right, we'll see.

[Ida_Mann]

You got it Cain, they are not interested in making it better for us. They are trying to limit the "destruction" that we cause. The results for us will be: same amount of machines on fewer trails It will only make the whoops worse. They are supposed to groom the trails, yea right, we'll see.

exactly, they gotta prove to me yet.

Id@

[stump66]

Is it 5 additional areas or are they giving with 1 hand and taking with the other? I wonder if they are trying to restrict the areas that we have access to by saying we can ride only in these 5 spots. The 5   spots might be a much smaller area than is open to us now. I hate to be a pessimist but I have to wonder.

I agree they already took away my favorite spot near big bass.

[cain73]

It'll be a big croom. too many rides and not enough space. Part of the reason to go to ONF is to have tons of room to ride. If I ride a million miles or 2 miles of trails it's up to me and I like it. The last thing I want is a few designated spots to run around. And maintained ? yeah right just like Croom. the only thing to outnumber the quads is the neck breaking whoops. This has nothing but bad new writtn on it.

[RaptItUp]

I spoke to a ranger Sunday at Big Scrub and he said it will be about 100 mi of maintained trails (not much when you consider what is out there now). They will begin closing one area at a time while they build them, beginning with the Delancy or north region.  Personally, I think this is a crock.  Maintained trails are nice, but the Forest is so big. that if you get a few miles from a campground there are a lot of nice trails.   Right now I drive an extra 1 1/2 hrs past Croom to get away from the confinement.  It's great to get out and find some new trails that you haven't been on before.   I was at Hatfield Mc Coy last June and they have 500 miles of maintained trails, most are two way, but a lot are technical enough that it takes some time to cover them.  No 4th and 5th WFO.  It is the best place I've ever ridden, but if I went to it every week or every other week it would start to get boring.  I am not looking forward to this and it is a shame that it's come to this.
 Not sure who's to blame  Gov't, Treehuggers, People mudding where they shouldn't be, Meth cookers, but regardless, what it comes down to is that we are definitely going to lose a lot.  But on the other hand at least we are getting something back.  We still need to use our resource responsibly (as most of us do) and try to find constructive ways to keep them from taking more from us.

Ride Safe, Have Fun!

[GSPKurt]

I am not looking forward to this and it is a shame that it's come to this.
 Not sure who's to blame  Gov't, Treehuggers, People mudding where they shouldn't be, Meth cookers, ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED!but regardless, what it comes down to is that we are definitely going to lose a lot.  But on the other hand at least we are getting something back.  We still need to use our resource responsibly (as most of us do) and try to find constructive ways to keep them from taking more from us.

Ride Safe, Have Fun!

Amen.

[scrubrat]

I am not sure whether i should be happy or unhappyabout bringin up the topic, but i agree with the synopsis of the issue, but at least they have given some thought to us as a group, which is better than just arbitrarily closing us out completely.

Being from Highlands County where riders are always under the gun from the Sheriffs Office, it was a pleasure to hear that i can ride somewhere in this beautiful state, without having to have eyes in the back of my head lookin for the blue lights.  Many of us have significant investments in equipment to be a  part of this great sport, i have met some of the nicest people on atvs, just as i have on motorcycles and boating. I shouldnt have to feel guilty riding my toys.  The non atvers only perceive the bulk of us as what has been portrayed by the bad riders.  I will continue to support our sport and promote the good side, not the dark side.

[Chillinthemost]

If you are a boater then you also know that there are more rules and regs and more no wake and no motor zones every year.  Signs, signs, everywhere there's sighns. Do this, dont do that...........




CLOSED

FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY

NO PUBLIC ACCESS

NO TRESSPASSING

NO FISHING FROM BRIDGE

NO WAKE ZONE

NO MOTOR ZONE

FISH SANCTUARY NO FISHING

NO HUNTING

NO MUDDING

NO HILL CLIMBING

NO WHEELIES

NO JUMPING

NO ALCHOHOL

NO FIRES

NO RHINOS

NO FARTING

NO PETS

NO KIDS

NO FIREWORKS

NO FAT PEOPLE

NO SKINNY PEOPLE

NO SMILING

ANYONE CAUGHT HAVING FUN WILL BE PROSECUTED

[stump66]

Well put chillin.
 

[dreth]

Is it 5 additional areas or are they giving with 1 hand and taking with the other? I wonder if they are trying to restrict the areas that we have access to by saying we can ride only in these 5 spots. The 5 spots might be a much smaller area than is open to us now. I hate to be a pessimist but I have to wonder.

I am thinking you might be right on track. I will say though that I would rather have a smaller riding area with maintained one way trails than an open area like Bigscrub that you dont know if your gonna come around a corner and hit head on a sport quad going 50mph.

only 50mph? you would be getting off easy

[stump66]

Dreth you report to the FAA anyway we all know that your a frequent flyer. 

[dreth]

and im for the 1 way groomed trails! its much safer!!!!