Where can I ride ATVs in California? Find top off-roading spots
Planning to bring your ATV to the Oceano Dunes? You may need to find another place to ride.
As of Wednesday, May 13, Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area was temporarily closed to off-road riding.
The park in southern San Luis Obispo County, which features more than 5 miles of beach and 1,500 acres of sand dunes, is a popular destination for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts.
If you’re looking for other spots to go off road, here’s where to go:
Why is Oceano Dunes closed to off-highway vehicles?
In April, Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area closed to camping and off-highway vehicle use south of Arroyo Grande Creek, The Tribune previously reported.
That includes all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, side-by-side vehicles and jeeps and trucks with four-wheel drive.
Street-legal vehicles are also banned from driving on the beach south of the creek.
A U.S. District Court judge ruled April 9 that California State Parks must halt off-highway vehicle recreation in that section until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues the park an incidental take permit for snowy plovers.
The judge said California States Parks violated the Endangered Species Act by allowing the threatened shorebirds to be harmed by off-roading without the permit.
Parts of the Oceano Dunes are considered critical habitat for the tiny birds.
As of Wednesday, there wasn’t a set date when the Oceano Dunes will reopen for off-highway use.
Where can I ride OHVs near Fresno County?
If you’re looking for off-road riding destinations, you have options.
California has a total of nine state vehicular recreation areas.
Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area off Highway 14 is the newest destination for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts.
The park on the western edge of the Mojave Desert features more than 26,000 acres of “scenic and challenging terrain” for ATVs, motorcycles and other off-highway vehicles, California State Parks said.
It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area along the Interstate 5 corridor in Gorman features 19,000 acres and more than 130 miles of scenic trails for motorcycles, ATVs, dune buggies and more, state officials said.
The park in Los Angeles County “provides excitement for both beginner and experienced off-roaders,” California States Pars said, with terrain ranging from native grasslands to backcountry hills and sand washes.
Hungry Valley is open from sunrise to sunset.
Where can I go off-roading?
Options for off-road riders in the Bay Area include Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, the first such property in California.
The park in San Benito County features more than 6,800 acres and nearly 200 miles of trails for off-roading enthusiasts. There’s even a store selling off-highway vehicle parts and supplies on site.
Hollister Hills is open from sunrise to sunset.
Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area, which spans a total of 1,533 acres in Alameda and San Joaquin counties, began life as a private motorcycle park in the 1970s, according to California State Parks.
It’s been a state vehicular recreation area since 1980.
The park west of Tracy has more than 1,300 acres of riding area with 80-plus miles of trails for motorcycles and ATVs, state officials said, plus a 2-acre 4x4 area with manmade obstacles where drivers can “test their skills and vehicles.”
It’s open 8a.m. to 8 p.m. for the summer.
Where are state vehicular recreation areas in California?
Here’s where to find other state vehicular recreation areas in California:
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
- Dedicated land for off-highway vehicle use: 220 acres
- Location: 4900 Larkin Road, Oroville
- Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset
Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area
- Dedicated land: 1,344 acres
- Location: 13300 White Rock Road, Rancho Cordova
- Hours: 8 a.m to 8 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday, May to August
Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area
- Dedicated land: 85,000 acres
- Location: 5172 Highway 78, Borrego Springs
- Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
- Dedicated land: 343 acres
- Location: 1610 Heber Road, Holtville
- Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the summer
How much does a day-use pass cost?
To ride an off-highway vehicle in any of California’s state vehicular recreation areas, you need a pass, according to California State Parks.
An annual day-use pass costs $50 for California residents, while a day-use parking fee is $5.
A non-resident off-highway vehicle use permit costs $30 every calendar year.
Annual passes can be purchased online, while non-resident passes can be purchased through the mail.
You can buy day-use passes at entrance stations at state vehicular recreation areas as well.
Can I camp at off-road riding parks?
Carnegie, Hollister Hills and Hungry Valley state vehicular recreation areas offer camping for $10 a night, which includes entry for one car.
You can camp at Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch and Ocotillo Wells for free.
However, Clay Pit, Heber Dunes and Prairie City do not have camping options, and the Oceano Dunes is currently closed for camping.
This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Where can I ride ATVs in California? Find top off-roading spots."
