March 10, 2021

Explore your next ATV, UTV or side-by-side adventure with confidence.

Spring is in the air, and if you’re like us, you’re itching for the day to come when you can take a little PTO (sorry, boss) and spend some time in the great outdoors. If your side-by-side has been sitting in the garage collecting dust all winter, now is the perfect time to give it a tune-up and start planning your first outing of the year.

The first thing to consider when selecting your off-road destination is just exactly who you’ll be riding with. Are you bringing along the family, including children? You may want easier terrain with plenty of open spots for picnicking and camping or proximity to places like restaurants and hotels. If you’re planning a trip with friends and hoping to get a little more off the grid, you may want to focus on more complex trail systems or remote parks.

Before you load up the toy hauler, you’ll also want to make sure your vehicle is ready to go. Whether you’re planning to bring along a side-by-side or an ATV, it’s wise to make sure you’ve knocked out all the regular maintenance before you get to your recreation destination. Tasks like airing up tires or changing the oil are obvious, but you’ll also want to consider your navigation system and the latest powersports accessories to outfit your vehicle. Getting lost or losing contact with your party and waiting on them to meet up with you can quickly sour a fun outing, but Garmin Tread™ can mitigate that risk. A rugged powersport navigation system with Group Ride Radio¹ and preloaded topography for off-road adventures, Tread will allow you to stay connected to friends and family with group tracking for up to 20 riders and voice communication using the included push-to-talk fist mic¹. It will show you public and private land boundaries, plus it’s easy to download subscription-free, high-res BirdsEye Satellite Imagery directly to the device, ensuring that you’re all set to find your way back to home base.

Once your PTO is approved and your rig is fully outfitted, it’s time to hit the trail. We recommend checking out any of these side-by-side destinations:

Imperial Sand Dunes, California

Located 20 miles west of Yuma, this 40-mile sandbox along the eastern edge of the California Imperial Valley comes equipped with 300-foot dunes. (Pro tip: This is the desert and even though the heat is a dry one, you may not want to plan this trip in the hotter months.)

Hatfield-McCoy Trails, West Virginia

Picture it: Cruising around the Tug River Valley in the very same hills and hollers where the infamous Hatfields and McCoys lived out their bloody feud. The beauty of Appalachia and Twin Falls State Park should be enough of a draw, but if you’re bringing along the little ones, you’ll want to focus a little less on the “bloody feud” side of things.

Capitol State Forest, Washington

Right in the heart of the magnificent Pacific Northwest, this 110,000-acre forest features 150 miles of trail. Off-roaders should check out Porter Creek Campground, which features 16 campsites nestled among sky-high Douglas firs.

Ocala National Forest, Florida

Ocala National Forest in beautiful, sunny Florida features nearly 200 miles of trails for off-roaders in various terrains — and if you get hot, there are more than 600 springs, lakes and ponds to cool off in. 

Moab, Utah

The public lands surrounding Moab offer some of the most scenic red rock rides in the country and as a hot spot for off-roaders, Moab is particularly UTV-friendly. Remember to stay on designated trails to protect the desert.  

Interested in learning more about maximizing your off-road experience? Check out Garmin Tread to learn how to roam the unknown.

¹Group Tracking is available for riders using a Tread navigator, and only riders with a Tread navigator may be tracked. Connection to vehicle power is required for group tracking and push-to-talk mic functionality.