Answers to your questions about ORV's in and around Yakima County

Riding Areas & Restrictions | Required Equipment | Suggested Equipment

Areas You Can Ride -

Vacant Lots - Find out who owns the land and ask for their permission to ride on the land. If you don't you are guilty of trespass (going onto someone's property without their permission). Just because there's not a fence around it doesn't mean you have the right to ride there. The biggest complaint about ORV's running near houses is the NOISE and DUST. The noise bothers everyone. Don't ride near houses. Clean air regulations govern the amount of dust that can be created. Violations of clean air regulations can carry stiff fines.

Washington State DNR, WDFW and some Private Land (Department of Natural Resources / Department of Fish and Wildlife) - ORV's are permitted on marked DNR, WDFW roads and trails. View the law as it pertains to Off-Road and Nonhighway Vehicles  46.09 RCW

Any person can operate any ORV on DNR / WDFW roads and motorized trails with the following:

• Current license plate or ORV tag
• A working muffling system (emitting no more than 105 decibels at 20") with a "USFS Approved Spark Arrester" that is stamped into the metal on motorcycle mufflers and is clearly visible.
• Headlight(s) and taillight(s) are required during the hours of darkness.
• Brakes and Brake light(s).
• Effective July 2005:
  • RCW 46.09.117 : Riders under 13 must be under direct supervision of a person eighteen years of age or older possessing a valid license to operate a motor vehicle under chapter 46.20, RCW to ride on a nonhighway road.
  • RCW 46.09.120.3.a: Except for an off-road vehicle equipped with seat belts and roll bars or an enclosed passenger compartment, it is a traffic infraction for any person to operate or ride an off-road vehicle on a nonhighway road without wearing upon his or her head a motorcycle helmet fastened securely while in motion. For purposes of this section, "motorcycle helmet" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 46.37.530.

 

Forest Service Roads - All USFS roads that are maintained including paved, gravel, or dirt have been declared PUBLIC ROADS by the Washington State Attorney General's Office. You are required to have all of the equipment a regular vehicle has to have to operate on the roads.

This includes:

• Current plate on it.
• Lighted Headlight and taillights on motorcycles & working lights on other ORV's like Jeeps.
• Brakes and Brake light(s)
• Mirror
• Horn
• Eye protection or windshield
• Muffling system (emitting no more than 105 decibels at 20") with a "USFS Approved Spark Arrestor" that is stamped into the metal on motorcycle mufflers and is clearly visible.

Nearly 1,000 miles of trail are open to motorcycles. Check the Ranger District information for the trails that are open to motorcycles. Please note that 3 and 4 wheel ATV's cannot use motorcycle trails. Riders of these are asked to use the wider jeep trails, or in some areas designated ATV trails.

Areas You Cannot Ride -

Roadways - Only licensed street vehicles may ride on, cross or ride the shoulders/ditches of roadways.

Canals - Riding along canals is prohibited. These roads are for maintenance and canal operations, If you are on them, you are guilty of trespass.

 

Required Equipment -

• An ORV tag or current license plate (this is not required to ride on your own property).
• A working muffling system (emitting no more than 105 decibels at 20") with a "USFS approved Spark Arrester" that is stamped into the metal on motorcycles mufflers and is clearly visible.
• Brakes (this is not required to ride on your own property).
• Headlights and taillights are required if you operate after dark or before dawn.(This is not required to ride on your own property)

 

Suggested Equipment

Trail Tools

Trial Bikes / ATV's

• Standard Screwdriver
• Phillips Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Small Crescent Wrench
• Spark Plug Wrench
• Vise-Grips - Emergency Lever
• Chain Breaker - Chain Repairs
• Bicycle Tire Pump or Can of Air
• Tire Irons
• Rope - 10' of 1/4 Nylon

• Additional items if room permits -

  • 6' of bailing wire
  • 5 yards of duct tape
  • tire patch kit
  • chain master link
  • 6' of spare chain
  • spare plugs
  • spare cable
  • small selection of nuts and bolts

   

  4 Wheel Drive Vehicles

• Shovel, Axe, Bucket - for fighting fires
• CB Radio
• Tire Changing Tools
• Come-Along
• Funnel
• Fire Extinguisher
• Basic Mechanics Tools
• Tow Strap or Chain
• Siphon Hose
• Tarp

  Additional items if room permits -

  • spare tire
  • spare lug nuts
  • universal joint
  • spark plugs
  • drive belts
  • gasket sealer
  • electrical tape
  • bailing wire
  • tire repair kit
  • spring shackle and u-bolts
  • oil and gas
  • filters
  • ignition points
  • extra nuts and bolts
  • 12 GA electrical wire
  • extra gas / lubrication
  • and lots of duct tape

 

Prepared by Yakima County Off-Road Vehicle
Education and Enforcement Program

The Yakima County Sheriff's Office is an Accredited Agency certified by the State of Washington and has dedicated itself to C.O.P.S. (Community Oriented Policing Services).

If you have questions regarding these pages contact the
Yakima County Sheriff