Green Mountain National Forest OHV Trails
Green Mountain National Forest encompasses 400,000 acres of federal land running the length of the Green Mountains in central and southern Vermont, managed by the USDA Forest Service with ranger districts in Rochester and Manchester. Within this vast forest, designated OHV routes are concentrated in the Rochester Ranger District of the central Green Mountains, Addison and Windsor counties, where the terrain produces the kind of mountain OHV riding that sets Vermont forest routes apart from the lower-elevation state forest systems. The Green Mountains in the Rochester District reach elevations above 3,500 feet, and the OHV trail corridors traverse the mixed forest and alpine transition zones at mid-elevation, crossing the ridge terrain that forms the spine of Vermont's defining geographic feature. Trail character is distinctly Green Mountain: the metamorphic and igneous bedrock of the Vermont Greens produces rocky, rooted trail surfaces that challenge riders unfamiliar with technical New England forest riding; the mountain elevation keeps temperatures cooler and extends comfortable riding into summer months; and the forest density (northern hardwood transitioning to boreal spruce-fir above 2,500 feet), creates the enclosed woodland riding environment that distinguishes Green Mountain riding from the open western systems. ATVs, UTVs, and registered dirt bikes are permitted on designated National Forest OHV routes; specific trail corridors may have width restrictions. Vermont OHV registration is required for all machines on GMNF land. Dispersed camping is permitted throughout the national forest under standard 14-night limits. The Rochester Ranger District (802-767-4261) provides current trail designations, seasonal closures, and the OHV route map for the central Green Mountains.