Beartown state forest MA

[Maddingo]

Is anyone familiar with off roading in Beartown state forest in MA? I'll be up there Saturday and was wondering if it's good riding.

Thanks.
Mike

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[MyJlU]

Is anyone familiar with off roading in Beartown state forest in MA? I'll be up there Saturday and was wondering if it's good riding.

Thanks.
Mike

I'm from New England and I am unaware of any legal trails here

 

[Sheepjeep]

just seeing this now, in MA there is a 2000 lbs rule on state properties where motor vehicle on trails are allowed, meaning if the trails allow motor vehicles then they cannot exceed 2000 lbs to basically just dirt bikes and atvs.


As for legal trails in pretty much all of Southern New England (CT, MA, RI) there is little to non, there are a few abandoned primative roads that are still considered public roads but really only a hand full. Most the property is private and what little public land is for conservation use, because of this I recommend hooking up with club in the area as they tend to have access to private land that the clubs have struck deals with, but not many owners who have huge tracks of land.

Northern New England (VT, NH, ME) is still mostly private land and what public land is there to be protected but they they have many more abandoned primitive roads and are better marked on maps. But even still because of the private land is a majority you should be looking at club membership but the private land owners have bigger plots and are more open to letting people use their property under terms.

 

[Kurlon]

Maine has three offroad parks that I'm aware of where Jeeps can go play legally.

 

[Sheepjeep]

also forgot to mention there is Jericho Mountain State Park in Berlin NH it is a very hard trail network but it is a state run 4x4 set of trails

 

[americonium]

You can download all of the state road maps of Vermont. There are class IV roads forever. You just have to know that if there's a gate, you open and closed it behind you. And have your maps on you for proof.

 

[Sital]

just seeing this now, in MA there is a 2000 lbs rule on state properties where motor vehicle on trails are allowed, meaning if the trails allow motor vehicles then they cannot exceed 2000 lbs to basically just dirt bikes and atvs.


As for legal trails in pretty much all of Southern New England (CT, MA, RI) there is little to non, there are a few abandoned primative roads that are still considered public roads but really only a hand full. Most the property is private and what little public land is for conservation use, because of this I recommend hooking up with club in the area as they tend to have access to private land that the clubs have struck deals with, but not many owners who have huge tracks of land.

Northern New England (VT, NH, ME) is still mostly private land and what public land is there to be protected but they they have many more abandoned primitive roads and are better marked on maps. But even still because of the private land is a majority you should be looking at club membership but the private land owners have bigger plots and are more open to letting people use their property under terms.

I was researching Beartown for offroading, but I didn't realize there was a weight limit, so thank you for this information.

 

[RubiSc0tt]

I know Western MA still has a few really popular and well traveled forest roads that my club uses regularly. Typically MA DEP and the Park Rangers are cool as long as you don't make trouble (lots of noise, going off trail and "bushwacking", parking on trail or blocking traffic at trail heads/ on trail, leaving garbage all over, obviously drinking and driving, etc). So basically don't be a jerk. The only people I know who were pulled over and hassled were some friends running a popular 7/10 rated trail , and i think that's only because they were running it backwards (technically) with a stickered up and numbered Ultra-4 rig and a YJ on 37's, both technically registered/ insured and "street legal". I won't drop any names to protect the innocent (they are on this forum, haha), but I do know the DEP officer that stopped them was real nasty, despite them being respectful and having their families with them (Strapped into the rigs, of course). There's always one...

So, TL;DR: Hook up with a local club if you're going to an area and want to wheel. At the very least, they can give you good trail info so you stay legal and don't piss off the local DEP. for MA, I know Eastern 4 Wheelers, New England Jeepz are both pretty active and have an experienced member base. The Northeast Association of 4wd clubs (NEA4WD) and NOVA.org should also have some resources too. As someone who regularly uses these trails, trail stewardship is an important part of off roading, and there are enough careless users who do enough damage to get these closed, so please: Go informed, and make sure to be respectful and courteous- it really helps our reputation as loosely organized (via this forum) 4x4 users. Be an ambassador for off roading, because it really helps.

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